Jonathan

2Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.

Saul picked three thousand men of Israel to be his soldiers. Two thousand stayed with him at Michmash and in the hills of Bethel. One thousand stayed with his son Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul sent all the other men home.

3And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.

Jonathan attacked the camp of Philistine soldiers at Geba. The Philistines were a people who often fought Israel. They soon heard what Jonathan had done. Saul blew a ram's horn all across the land. He said, "Let the Hebrews hear this!"

4And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.

All Israel heard the news. Saul had attacked a Philistine camp. Now the Philistines hated Israel more than ever. So the people came together to join Saul at Gilgal.

5And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.

The Philistines gathered to fight Israel. They had thirty thousand chariots, which are carts pulled by horses in war. They had six thousand men riding horses. Their soldiers were like sand on the beach, too many to count. They came and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven.

6When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.

The men of Israel saw they were in great danger. They were badly frightened. So they hid in caves, in bushes, among rocks, and down in pits.

7And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan River into the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul was still at Gilgal. All the men with him were shaking with fear.

15And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men.

Then Samuel got up and left Gilgal. He went to Gibeah in the land of Benjamin. Saul counted the men who were still with him. There were about six hundred.

16And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.

Saul, his son Jonathan, and their men stayed in Gibeah of Benjamin. The Philistines stayed camped at Michmash.

17And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual:

Raiders came out of the Philistine camp in three groups. Raiders are fighters who attack and take things. One group went toward Ophrah, in the land of Shual.

18And another company turned the way to Bethhoron: and another company turned to the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.

Another group went toward Beth-horon. The third group went along the edge of the land. That road looks down on the Valley of Zeboim, near the desert.

19Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:

There was no blacksmith anywhere in Israel. A blacksmith is someone who makes things out of metal. The Philistines had said, "The Hebrews must not make swords or spears."

20But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.

So all the Israelites went down to the Philistines instead. They went to get their farm tools made sharp again. They took plow blades, digging tools, and axes.

21Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.

They had to pay for each tool that was sharpened. The price was a small weight of silver. Even the long pointed sticks for driving oxen cost money to fix.

22So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.

So on the day of the battle, no soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear. Only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

1Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father.

One day Jonathan, King Saul's son, spoke to the young man who carried his weapons. "Come. Let's cross over to the Philistine camp on the other side." But Jonathan did not tell his father.

2And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men;

Saul was staying at the far edge of Gibeah, under a pomegranate tree in Migron. About six hundred men were with him.

3And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD’s priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.

Ahiah was there too. He was a priest, a man who served God for the people, and he wore an ephod. He came from the family of Eli, the priest at Shiloh. The men did not know that Jonathan had left.

4And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines’ garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

Jonathan had to pass between two tall, sharp rocks to reach the Philistine camp. One rock was called Bozez. The other was called Seneh.

5The forefront of the one was situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah.

One rock stood on the north side, facing Michmash. The other stood on the south side, facing Gibeah.

6And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.

Jonathan said to the young man who carried his weapons, "Come. Let's cross over to the camp of these men who do not belong to God's people. Maybe the LORD will help us. Nothing can stop the LORD from saving. He does not need a big army."

7And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.

The young man said, "Do whatever you think is right. Go ahead. I am with you all the way."

8Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will discover ourselves unto them.

Jonathan said, "Here is what we will do. We will cross over and let those men see us.

9If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them.

If they say, 'Wait there until we come to you,' then we will stay where we are. We will not climb up.

10But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the LORD hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be a sign unto us.

But if they say, 'Come up here,' then we will go up. That will be our sign that the LORD has handed them over to us."

11And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.

So the two of them stepped out where the Philistine soldiers could see them. The Philistines said, "Look! The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes where they were hiding!"

12And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.

The soldiers called out to Jonathan and his helper, "Come up here, and we will teach you a lesson!" Jonathan said to his helper, "Follow me up. The LORD has handed them over to Israel."

13And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him.

Jonathan climbed up using his hands and his feet, and his helper came after him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his helper struck them down behind him.

14And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.

In that first fight, Jonathan and his helper killed about twenty men. It happened in a small space, about half an acre.

15And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.

Fear spread through the whole Philistine army, in the camp and in the fields. Even the soldiers on guard and the raiding parties shook with fear. The ground shook too. It was a very great fear.

16And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another.

Saul's watchmen at Gibeah in Benjamin looked out. They saw the Philistine crowd breaking apart and running every way.

17Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armourbearer were not there.

Saul said to his men, "Count everyone. Find out who is missing." They counted, and Jonathan and his helper were gone.

18And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel.

Saul said to Ahiah, "Bring the ark of God here." The ark was a holy chest, and at that time it was with the people of Israel.

19And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the noise that was in the host of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thine hand.

While Saul was still talking to the priest, the noise in the Philistine camp grew louder and louder. So Saul told the priest, "Never mind. Stop."

20And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man’s sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.

Saul and all his men gathered and went to the battle. They found the Philistines fighting each other with their own swords. Everything was in a mess.

21Moreover the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that time, which went up with them into the camp from the country round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan.

Some Hebrew men had been on the Philistine side before this. Now they changed sides and joined Saul and Jonathan.

22Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.

Other men of Israel had been hiding in the hills of Ephraim. When they heard the Philistines were running away, they joined the chase.

23So the LORD saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Bethaven.

So the LORD saved Israel that day. The fighting moved on past Bethaven.

24And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.

The men of Israel had a hard day. Saul had made them promise, "Anyone who eats before evening will be under a curse. First I must pay back my enemies." So no one ate anything.

25And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground.

All the men came into a forest. There was honey on the ground.

26And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath.

When they walked in, they saw the honey dripping. But no one put a hand to his mouth. They were afraid of the promise they had made.

27But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.

Jonathan had not heard his father give that order. So he reached out the stick in his hand and dipped it in the honey. He ate some, and he felt strong again.

28Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint.

One of the soldiers told him, "Your father made everyone promise not to eat today. Anyone who eats is under a curse. That is why the men are so weak."

29Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.

Jonathan said, "My father has made trouble for the whole land. Look how much better I feel after just a little honey.

30How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?

Think how much better it would be if the men had eaten food taken from the enemy today. We would have beaten the Philistines even worse."

36And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.

Saul said, "Let's chase the Philistines tonight. We will take their things until morning and leave none of them alive." The men said, "Do whatever you think is best." But the priest said, "Let's ask God first."

37And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day.

So Saul asked God, "Should I go after the Philistines? Will you hand them over to Israel?" But God gave him no answer that day.

38And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people: and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day.

Saul said, "All you leaders, come here. Let's find out what sin was done today.

39For, as the LORD liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him.

As surely as the LORD lives, the one who saves Israel, the guilty man must die. Even if it is my own son Jonathan." But not one man said a word.

40Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee.

Then Saul said to all Israel, "You stand on one side. Jonathan and I will stand on the other side." The men said, "Do whatever you think is best."

41Therefore Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped.

Saul prayed to the LORD, the God of Israel, "Show us the true answer." The lot pointed to Saul and Jonathan, and the other men were shown to be clear.

42And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.

Saul said, "Now choose between me and my son Jonathan." The lot pointed to Jonathan.

43Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die.

Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you did." Jonathan said, "I only tasted a little honey off the end of my stick. And now I must die?"

44And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.

Saul said, "May God punish me if I do not keep my word. You must die, Jonathan."

45And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.

But the men said to Saul, "Should Jonathan die? He is the one who saved Israel today. No! As surely as the LORD lives, not one hair of his head will fall. God helped him do this." So the men saved Jonathan, and he did not die.

46Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place.

Then Saul stopped chasing the Philistines. The Philistines went back to their own land.

1And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

David finished talking with Saul. Jonathan was Saul's son. Right away Jonathan felt very close to David. He loved David as much as he loved himself.

2And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father’s house.

That day Saul kept David with him. He would not let David go back home to his father's house.

3Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

Jonathan made a promise with David to always be his friend. He did this because he loved David as much as himself.

4And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David. He gave David his coat too, and his sword, his bow, and his belt.

1And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.

Saul told his son Jonathan and all his helpers to kill David.

2But Jonathan Saul’s son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself:

But Jonathan loved David very much. He warned David, "My father Saul wants to kill you. Please be careful in the morning. Go find a hiding place and stay there.

3And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father of thee; and what I see, that I will tell thee.

I will go out and stand next to my father in the field where you are hiding. I will talk to him about you. Then I will tell you what I find out."

4And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good:

Jonathan said good things about David to his father Saul. He said, "The king should not do wrong to his servant David. David has done nothing wrong to you. Everything he did helped you.

5For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?

He risked his own life when he killed the Philistine giant. The LORD used him to save all of Israel. You saw it, and you were glad. So why hurt someone who has done nothing wrong? Why kill David for no reason?"

6And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain.

Saul listened to Jonathan. Saul made a promise: "As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be killed."

7And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.

Jonathan called David and told him everything. Then Jonathan brought David back to Saul. David served the king just like before.