1 Samuel 14

1 Καὶ γίνεται ἡ ἡμέρα, καὶ εἶπεν Ἰωνάθαν υἱὸς Σαοὺλ τῷ παιδαρίῳ τῷ αἴροντι τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ, δεῦρο, καὶ διαβῶμεν εἰς Μεσσὰβ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων τὴν ἐν τῷ πέραν ἐκείνῳ· καὶ τῷ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἀπήγγειλε.

2 Καὶ Σαοὺλ ἐκάθητο ἐπʼ ἄκρου τοῦ βουνοῦ ὑπὸ τὴν ῥοὰν τὴν ἐν Μαγδὼν, καὶ ἦσαν μετʼ αὐτοῦ ὡς ἑξακόσιοι ἄνδρες.

3 Καὶ ʼΑχιὰ υἱὸς ʼΑχιτὼβ ἀδελφοῦ Ἰωχαβὴλ υἱοῦ Φινεὲς υἱοῦ Ἡλὶ ἱερεὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν Σηλὼμ αἴρων ἐφούδ· καὶ ὁ λαὸς οὐκ ᾔδει ὅτι πεπόρευται Ἰωνάθαν.

4 Καὶ ἀναμέσον τῆς διαβάσεως οὗ ἐζήτει Ἰωνάθαν διαβῆναι εἰς τὴν ὑπόστασιν τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, καὶ ὀδοὺς πέτρας ἐκ τούτου, καὶ ὀδοὺς πέτρας ἐκ τούτου· ὄνομα τῷ ἑνὶ Βασὲς, καὶ ὄνομα τῷ ἄλλῳ Σεννά.

5 Ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ μία ἀπὸ Βοῤῥᾶ ἐρχομένῳ Μαχμάς, καὶ ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἄλλη ἀπὸ Νότου ἐρχομένῳ Γαβαέ.

6 Καὶ εἶπεν Ἰωνάθαν πρὸς τὸ παιδάριον τὸ αἶρον τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ, δεῦρο, διαβῶμεν εἰς Μεσσὰβ τῶν ἀπεριτμήτων τούτων, εἴ τι ποιήσαι Κύριος ἡμῖν, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι τῷ Κυρίῳ συνεχόμενον σώζειν ἐν πολλοῖς ἢ ἐν ὀλίγοις.

7 Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ αἴρων τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ, ποίει πᾶν ὃ ἐὰν ἡ καρδία σου ἐκκλίνῃ· ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ μετὰ σοῦ, ὡς ἡ καρδία σον καρδία μοῦ.

8 Καὶ εἶπεν Ἰωνάθαν, ἰδοὺ ἡμεὶς διαβαίνομεν πρὸς τοὺς ἄνδρας, καὶ κατακυλισθησόμεθα πρὸς αὐτούς·

9 Ἐὰν τάδε εἴπωσι πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ἀπόστητε ἐκεῖ ἕως ἂν ἀπαγγείλωμεν ὑμῖν· καἰ στησόμεθα ἐφʼ ἑαυτοῖς, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀναβῶμεν ἐπʼ αὐτούς.

10 Ἐὰν τάδε εἴπωσι πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ἀνάβητε πρὸς ἡμᾶς· καὶ ἀναβησόμεθα, ὅτι παραδέδωκεν αὐτοὺς Κύριος εἰς χεῖρας ἡμῶν· τοῦτο ἡμῖν τὸ σημεῖον.

11 Καὶ εἰσῆλθον ἀμφότεροι εἰς Μεσσὰβ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων· καὶ λέγουσιν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι, ἰδοὺ Ἐβραῖοι ἐκπορεύονται ἐκ τῶν τρωγλῶν αὐτῶν, οὗ ἐκρύβησαν ἐκεῖ.

12 Καὶ ἀπεκρίθησαν οἱ ἄνδρες Μεσσὰβ πρὸς Ἰωνάθαν καὶ πρὸς τὸν αἴροντα τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ, καὶ λέγουσιν, ἀνάβητε πρὸς ἡμᾶς, καὶ γνωριοῦμεν ὑμῖν ῥῆμα· καὶ εἶπεν Ἰωνάθαν πρὸς τὸν αἴροντα τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ, ἀνάβηθι ὀπίσω μου, ὅτι παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς Κύριος εἰς χεῖρας Ἰσραήλ.

13 Καὶ ἀνέβη Ἰωνάθὰν ἐπὶ τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὁ αἴρων τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ μετʼ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐπέβλεψαν κατὰ πρόσωπον Ἰωνάθαν, καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτούς, καὶ ὁ αἴρων τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ ἐπεδίδου ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ.

14 Καὶ ἐγενήθη ἡ πληγὴ ἡ πρώτη, ἣν ἐπάταξεν Ἰωνάθαν καὶ ὁ αἴρων τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ, ὡς εἴκοσι ἄνδρες ἐν βολίσι καὶ ἐν πετροβόλοις καὶ ἐν κόχλαξι τοῦ πεδίου.

15 Καὶ ἐγενήθη ἔκστασις ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ, καὶ ἐν ἀγρῷ· καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαός οἱ ἐν Μεσσὰβ, καὶ οἱ διαφθείροντες ἐξέστησαν, καὶ αὐτοὶ οὐκ ἤθελον ποιεῖν· καὶ ἐθάμβησεν ἡ γῆ, καὶ ἐγενήθη ἔκστασις παρὰ Κυρίου.

16 Καὶ εἶδον οἱ σκοποὶ τοῦ Σαοὺλ ἐν Γαβαὰ Βενιαμὶν, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἡ παρεμβολὴ τεταραγμένη ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν.

17 Καὶ εἶπε Σαοὺλ τῷ λαῷ τῷ μετʼ αὐτοῦ, ἐπισκέψασθε δὴ, καὶ ἴδετε τίς πεπόρευται ἐξ ὑμῶν· καὶ ἐπεσκέψαντο, καὶ ἰδοὺ οὐχ εὑρίσκετο Ἰωνάθαν καὶ ὁ αἴρων τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ.

18 Καὶ εἶπε Σαοὺλ τῷ ʼΑχιᾷ, προσάγαγε τὸ ἐφούδ· ὅτι αὐτὸς ᾗρε τὸ ἐφοὺδ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἐνώπιον Ἰσραήλ.

19 Καὶ ἐγενήθη ὡς λαλεῖ Σαοὺλ πρὸς τὸν ἱερέα, καὶ ὁ ἦχος ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων ἐπορεύετο πορευόμενος καὶ ἐπλήθυνε· καὶ εἶπε Σαοὺλ πρὸς τὸν ἱερέα, συνάγαγε τὰς χεῖράς σου.

20 Καὶ ἀνέβη Σαοὺλ καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ὁ μετʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔρχονται ἕως τοῦ πολέμου· καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγένετο ῥομφαία ἀνδρὸς ἐπὶ τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ, σύγχυσις μεγάλη σφόδρα.

21 Καὶ οἱ δοῦλοι οἱ ὄντες ἐχθὲς καὶ τρίτην ἡμέραν μετὰ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων οἱ ἀναβάντες εἰς τὴν παρεμβολὴν, ἐπεστράφησαν καὶ αὐτοὶ εἶναι μετὰ Ἰσραὴλ τῶν μετὰ Σαοὺλ καὶ Ἰωνάθαν.

22 Καὶ πᾶς Ἰσραὴλ οἱ κρυπτόμενοι ἐν τῷ ὄρει Ἐφραὶμ, καὶ ἤκουσαν ὅτι πεφεύγασιν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι· καὶ συνάπτουσι καὶ αὐτοὶ ὀπίσω αὐτῶν εἰς πόλεμον·

23 καὶ ἔσωσε Κύριος ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ τὸν Ἰσραήλ· καὶ ὁ πόλεμος διῆλθε τὴν Βαμώθ· καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἦν μετὰ Σαοὺλ ὡς δέκα χιλιάδες ἀνδρῶν. Καὶ ἦν ὁ πόλεμος διεσπαρμένος εἰς ὅλην πόλιν ἐν τῷ ὄρει Ἐφραίμ.

24 Καὶ Σαοὺλ ἠγνόησεν ἄγνοιαν μεγάλην ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ ἀρᾶται τῷ λαῷ, λέγων, ἐπικατάρατος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὃς φάγεται ἄρτον ἕως ἑσπέρας· καὶ ἐκδικήσω τὸν ἐχθρόν μου· καὶ οὐκ ἐγεύσατο πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἄρτου·

25 καὶ πᾶσα ἡ γῆ ἠρίστα. Καὶ Ἰάαλ δρυμὸς ἦν μελισσῶνος κατὰ πρόσωπον τοῦ ἀγροῦ.

26 Καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ὁ λαὸς εἰς τὸν μελισσῶνα, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐπορεύετο λαλῶν· καὶ ἰδοὺ οὐκ ἦν ἐπιστρέφων τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἐφοβήθη ὁ λαὸς τὸν ὅρκον Κυρίου.

27 Καὶ Ἰωνάθαν οὐκ ἀκηκόει ἐν τῷ ὁρκίζειν τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ τὸν λαόν· καὶ ἐξέτεινε τὸ ἄκρον τοῦ σκήπτρου αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔβαψεν αὐτὸ εἰς τὸ κηρίον τοῦ μέλιτος, καὶ ἐπέστρεψε τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀνέβλεψαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ.

28 Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη εἷς ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ εἶπεν, ὁρκίσας ὥρκισε τὸν λαὸν ὁ πατήρ σου, λέγων ἐπικατάρατος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὃς φάγεται ἄρτον σήμερον· καὶ ἐξελύθη ὁ λαός.

29 Καὶ ἔγνω Ἰωνάθαν, καὶ εἶπεν, ἀπήλλαχεν ὁ πατήρ μου τὴν γῆν· ἴδε, διότι εἶδον οἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου ὅτι ἐγευσάμην βραχύ τι τοῦ μέλιτος τούτου·

30 Ἀλλʼ ὅτι ἔφαγεν ἔσθων σήμερον ὁ λαὸς τῶν σκύλων τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὐτῶν ὧν εὗρεν, ὅτι νῦν ἂν μείζων ἦν ἡ πληγὴ ἡ ἐν τοῖς ἀλλοφύλοις.

31 Καὶ ἐπάταξεν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἐκ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων ἐν Μαχμάς· καὶ ἐκοπίασεν ὁ λαὸς σφόδρα.

32 Καὶ ἐκλίθη ὁ λαὸς εἰς τὰ σκῦλα· καὶ ἔλαβεν ὁ λαὸς ποίμνια, καὶ βουκόλια, καὶ τέκνα βοῶν, καὶ ἔσφαξεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ ἤσθιεν ὁ λαὸς σὺν τῷ αἵματι.

33 Καὶ ἀπηγγέλη Σαοὺλ, λέγοντες, ἡμάρτηκεν ὁ λαὸς τῷ Κυρίῳ, φαγὼν σὺν τῷ αἵματι· καὶ εἶπε Σαοὺλ, ἐκ Γεθθαὶμ κυλίσατέ μοι λίθον ἐνταῦθα μέγαν.

34 Καὶ εἶπε Σαοὺλ, διασπάρητε ἐν τῷ λαῷ, καὶ εἴπατε αὐτοῖς προσαγαγεῖν ἐνταῦθα ἕκαστος τὸν μόσχον αὑτοῦ, καὶ ἕκαστος τὸ πρόβατον αὑτοῦ· καὶ σφαζέτω ἐπὶ τούτου, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἁμάρτητε τῷ Κυρίῳ τοῦ ἐσθίειν σὺν τῷ αἵματι· καὶ προσῆγεν ὁ λαὸς ἕκαστος τὸ ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔσφαζον ἐκεῖ.

35 Καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐκεῖ Σαοὺλ θυσιαστήριον τῷ Κυρίῳ· τοῦτο ἤρξατο Σαοὺλ οἰκοδομῆσαι θυσιαστήριον τῷ Κυρίῳ.

36 Καὶ εἶπε Σαούλ, καταβῶμεν ὀπίσω τῶν ἀλλοφύλων τὴν νύκτα, καὶ διαρπάσωμεν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἕως διαφαύσῃ ἡμέρα, καὶ μὴ ὑπολείπωμεν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἄνδρα· καὶ εἶπαν, πᾶν τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐνώπιόν σου ποίει· καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἱερεὺς, προσελθωμεν ἐνταῦθα πρὸς τὸν Θεόν.

37 Καὶ ἐπηρώτησε Σαοὺλ τὸν Θεὸν, εἰ καταβῶ ὀπίσω τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, εἰ παραδώσεις αὐτοὺς εἰς χεῖρας Ἰσραήλ; καὶ οὐκ ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ.

38 Καὶ εἶπε Σαοὺλ, προσαγάγετε ἐνταῦθα πάσας τὰς γωνίας τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ γνῶτε καὶ ἴδετε ἐν τίνι γέγονεν ἡ ἁμαρτία αὕτη σήμερον.

39 Ὅτι ζῇ Κύριος ὁ σώσας τὸν Ἰσραὴλ, ὅτι ἐὰν ἀποκριθῇ κατὰ Ἰωνάθαν τοῦ υἱοῦ μου, θανάτῳ ἀποθανεῖται· καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ ἀποκρινόμενος ἐκ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ.

40 Καὶ εἶπε παντὶ ἀνδρὶ Ἰσραὴλ, ὑμεῖς ἔσεστε εἰς δουλείαν, καὶ ἐγὼ καὶ Ἰωνάθαν ὁ υἱός μου ἐσόμεθα εἰς δουλείαν· καὶ εἶπεν ὁ λαὸς πρὸς Σαούλ, τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐνώπιόν σου ποίει.

41 Καὶ εἶπε Σαοὺλ, Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσραὴλ, τί ὅτι οὐκ ἀπεκρίθης τῷ δούλῳ σου σήμερον; εἰ ἐν ἐμοὶ ἢ ἐν Ἰωνάθαν τῷ υἱῷ μου ἡ ἀδικία; Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσραὴλ, δὸς δήλους· καὶ ἐὰν τάδε εἴπῃ, δὸς δὴ τῷ λαῷ σου Ἰσραὴλ, δὸς δὴ ὁσιότητα· καὶ κληροῦται Ἰωνάθαν καὶ Σαούλ, καὶ ὁ λαὸς ἐξῆλθε.

42 Καὶ εἶπε Σαοὺλ, βάλλετε ἀναμέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ἀναμέσον Ἰωνάθαν τοῦ υἱοῦ μου· ὃν ἂν κατακληρώσηται Κύριος, ἀποθανέτω· καὶ εἶπεν ὁ λαὸς πρὸς Σαοὺλ, οὐκ ἔστι τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο· καὶ κατεκράτησε Σαοὺλ τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ βάλλουσιν ἀναμέσον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀναμέσον Ἰωνάθαν τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, καὶ κατακληροῦται Ἰωνάθαν.

43 Καὶ εἶπε Σαοὺλ πρὸς Ἰωνάθαν, ἀπάγγειλόν μοι τί πεποίηκας· καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτῷ Ἰωνάθαν, καὶ εἶπε, γευόμενος ἐγευσάμην ἐν ἄκρῳ τῷ σκήπτρῳ τῷ ἐν τῇ χειρί μου βραχὺ μέλι, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποθνήσκω.

44 Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Σαοὺλ, τάδε ποιήσαι μοι ὁ Θεὸς καὶ τάδε προσθείη, ὅτι θανάτῳ ἀποθανῇ σήμερον.

45 Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ λαὸς πρὸς Σαοὺλ, εἰ σήμερον θανατωθήσεται ὁ ποιήσας τὴν σωτηρίαν τὴν μεγάλην ταύτην ἐν Ἰσραήλ; ζῇ Κύριος, εἰ πεσεῖται τριχὸς τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, ὅτι ὁ λαὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐποίησε τὴν ἡμέραν ταύτην· καὶ προσηύξατο ὁ λαὸς περὶ Ἰωνάθαν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ οὐκ ἀπέθανε.

46 Καὶ ἀνέβη Σαοὺλ ἀπὸ ὄπισθε τῶν ἀλλοφύλων· καὶ οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι ἀπῆλθον εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτῶν.

47 Καὶ Σαοὺλ ἔλαχε τοῦ βασιλεύειν, κατακληροῦται ἔργον ἐπὶ Ἰσραήλ· καὶ ἐπολέμει κύκλῳ πάντας τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν Μωὰβ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς υἱοὺς ʼΑμμὼν, καὶ εἰς τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἐδὼμ, καὶ εἰς τὸν Βαιθαιὼρ, καὶ εἰς βασιλέα Σουβὰ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους· οὗ ἂν ἐστράφη, ἐσώζετο.

48 Καὶ ἐποίησε δύναμιν, καὶ ἐπάταξε τὸν ʼΑμαλήκ· καὶ ἐξείλετο τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἐκ χειρὸς τῶν καταπατούντων αὐτόν.

49 Καὶ ἦσαν οἱ υἱοὶ Σαοὺλ Ἰωνάθαν, καὶ Ἰεσσιοὺ, καὶ Μελχισά· καὶ ὀνόματα τῶν δύο θυγατέρων αὐτοῦ, ὄνομα τῇ πρωτοτόκῳ Μερόβ, καὶ ὄνομα τῇ δευτέρᾳ Μελχόλ.

50 Καὶ ὄνομα τῇ γυναικὶ αὐτοῦ ʼΑχινοὸμ, θυγάτερ ʼΑχιμάας· καὶ ὄνομα τῷ ἀρχιστρατήγῳ αὐτοῦ ʼΑβεννηρ, υἱὸς Νὴρ, υἱοῦ οἰκείου Σαούλ.

51 Καὶ Κὶς πατὴρ Σαοὺλ, καὶ Νὴρ πατὴρ ʼΑβεννὴρ υἱὸς Ἰαμὶν, υἱοῦ ʼΑβιήλ.

52 Καὶ ἦν ὁ πόλεμος κραταιὸς ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας Σαούλ· καὶ ἰδὼν Σαοὺλ πάντα ἄνδρα δυνατὸν, καὶ πάντα ἄνδρα υἱὸν δυνάμεως, καὶ συνήγαγεν αὐτοὺς πρὸς αὑτόν.

1 And when a certain day arrived, Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man that bore his armour, Come, and let us go over to Messab of the Philistines that is on the other side yonder; but he told not his father.

2 And Saul sat on the top of the hill under the pomegranate tree that is in Magdon, and there were with him about six hundred men.

3 And Achia son of Achitob, the brother of Jochabed the son of Phinees, the son of Heli, was the priest of God in Selom wearing an ephod: and the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.

4 And in the midst of the passage whereby Jonathan sought to pass over to the encampment of the Philistines, there was both a sharp rock on this side, and a sharp rock on the other side: the name of the one was Bases, and the name of the other Senna.

tooth of a rock.

5 The one way was northward to one coming to Machmas, and the other way was southward to one coming to Gabae.

6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armour, Come, let us go over to Messab of these uncircumcised, if peradventure the Lord may do something for us; for the Lord is not straitened to save by many or by few.

מצב 'garrison.'

7 And his armour-bearer said to him, Do all that thine heart inclines toward: behold, I am with thee, my heart is as thy heart.

8 And Jonathan said, Behold, we will go over to the men, and will come down suddenly upon them.

do go over.

will be rolled down suddenly, etc.

9 If they should say thus to us, Stand aloof there until we shall send you word; then we will stand still by ourselves, and will not go up against them.

10 But if they should say thus to us, Come up to us; then will we go up, for the Lord has delivered them into our hands; this shall be a sign to us.

11 And they both went in to Messab of the Philistines; and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of their caves, where they had hidden themselves.

say.

12 And the men of Messab answered Jonathan and his armour-bearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing: and Jonathan said to his armour-bearer, Come up after me, for the Lord has delivered them into the hands of Israel.

say.

13 And Jonathan went up on his hands and feet, and his armour-bearer with him; and they looked on the face of Jonathan, and he smote them, and his armour-bearer did smite them after him.

14 And the first slaughter which Jonathan and his armour-bearer effected was twenty men, with darts and slings, and pebbles of the field.

stroke.

casters of stones.

15 And there was dismay in the camp, and in the field; and all the people in Messab, and the spoilers were amazed; and they would not act, and the land was terror-struck, and there was dismay from the Lord.

16 And the watchmen of Saul beheld in Gabaa of Benjamin, and, behold, the army was thrown into confusion on every side.

17 And Saul said to the people with him, Number yourselves now, and see who has gone out from you: and they numbered themselves, and behold, Jonathan and his armour-bearer were not found.

18 And Saul said to Achia, Bring the ephod; for he wore the ephod in that day before Israel.

19 And it came to pass while Saul was speaking to the priest, that the sound in the camp of the Philistines continued to increase greatly; and Saul said to the priest, Withdraw thy hands.

is speaking.

20 And Saul went up and all the people that were with him, and they come to the battle: and, behold, every man's sword was against his neighbour, a very great confusion.

21 And the servants who had been before with the Philistines, who had gone up to the army, turned themselves also to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.

yesterday and the third day.

22 And all the Israelites who were hidden in mount Ephraim heard also that the Philistines fled; and they also gather themselves after them to battle: and the Lord saved Israel in that day; and the war passed through Bamoth; and all the people with Saul were about ten thousand men.

23 And the battle extended itself to every city in the mount Ephraim.

the war was dispersed.

24 And Saul committed a great trespass of ignorance in that day, and he lays a curse on the people, saying, Cursed is the man who shall eat bread before the evening; so I will avenge myself on my enemy: and none of the people tasted bread, though all the land was dining.

The true reading seems to be οὐκ ἠρίστα. Tertullian quotes 'et tota terra non prandebat.'

25 And Jaal was a wood abounding in swarms of bees on the face of the ground.

of a swarm, etc.

26 And the people went into the place of the bees, and, behold, they continued speaking; and, behold, there was none that put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath of the Lord.

הלך רבש 'the honey ran.'

27 And Jonathan had not heard when his father adjured the people; and he reached forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and dipped it into the honeycomb, and returned his hand to his mouth, and his eyes recovered their sight.

28 And one of the people answered and said, Thy father solemnly adjured the people, saying, Cursed is the man who shall eat bread to-day. And the people were very faint,

29 and Jonathan knew it, and said, My father has destroyed the land: see how my eyes have received sight now that I have tasted a little of this honey.

E medio sustulit. עכר probably read as עבר.

30 Surely if the people had this day eaten freely of the spoils of their enemies which they found, the slaughter among the Philistines would have been greater.

31 And on that day he smote some of the Philistines in Machmas; and the people were very weary.

32 And the people turned to the spoil; and the people took flocks, and herds, and calves, and slew them on the ground, and the people ate with the blood.

33 And it was reported to Saul, saying, The people have sinned against the Lord, eating with the blood: and Saul said, Out of Getthaim roll a great stone to me hither.

34 And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them to bring hither every one his calf, and every one his sheep: and let them slay it on this stone and sin not against the Lord in eating with the blood: and the people brought each one that which was in his hand, and they slew them there.

35 And Saul built an altar there to the Lord: this was the first altar that Saul built to the Lord.

36 And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines this night, and let us plunder among them till the day break, and let us not leave a man among them. And they said, Do all that is good in thy sight: and the priest said, Let us draw nigh hither to God.

37 And Saul enquired of God, If I go down after the Philistines, wilt thou deliver them into the hands of Israel? And he answered him not in that day.

38 And Saul said, Bring hither all the chiefs of Israel, and know and see by whom this sin has been committed this day.

corners. See Zech. 10. 4.

39 For as the Lord lives who has saved Israel, if answer should be against my son Jonathan, he shall surely die. And there was no one that answered out of all the people.

if he should answer or give sentence.

40 And he said to all the men of Israel, Ye shall be under subjection, and I and Jonathan my son will be under subjection: and the people said to Saul, Do that which is good in thy sight.

become slaves, if proved guilty; but the LXX. might easily read לעבר as if לעבב.

41 And Saul said, O Lord God of Israel, why hast thou not answered thy servant this day? is the iniquity in me, or in Jonathan my son? Lord God of Israel, give clear manifestations ; and if the lot should declare this, give, I pray thee, to thy people Israel, give, I pray, holiness. And Jonathan and Saul are taken, and the people escaped.

חמיס scil. 'that I or Jonathan are guilty, then let the people be considered guiltless.'

42 And Saul said, Cast lots between me and my son Jonathan: whomsoever the Lord shall cause to be taken by lot, let him die: and the people said to Saul, This thing is not to be done : and Saul prevailed against the people, and they cast lots between him and Jonathan his son, and Jonathan is taken by lot.

43 And Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done: and Jonathan told him, and said, I did indeed taste a little honey, with the end of my staff that was in my hand, and, lo! I am to die.

44 And Saul said to him, God do so to me, and more also, thou shalt surely die to-day.

45 And the people said to Saul, Shall he that has wrought this great salvation in Israel be put to death this day? As the Lord lives, there shall not fall to the ground one of the hairs of his head; for the people of God have wrought successfully this day. And the people prayed for Jonathan in that day, and he died not.

46 And Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines departed to their place.

47 And Saul received the kingdom, by lot he inherits the office of ruling over Israel: and he fought against all his enemies round about, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against the children of Edom, and against Bæthæor, and against the king of Suba, and against the Philistines: whithersoever he turned, he was victorious.

48 And he wrought valiantly, and smote Amalec, and rescued Israel out of the hand of them that trampled on him.

49 And the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Jessiu, and Melchisa: and these were the names of his two daughters, the name of the first-born Merob, and the name of the second Melchol.

50 And the name of his wife was Achinoom, the daughter of Achimaa: and the name of his captain of the host was Abenner, the son of Ner, son of a kinsman of Saul.

51 And Kis was the father of Saul, and Ner, the father of Abenner, was son of Jamin, son of Abiel.

52 And the war was vehement against the Philistines all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw any mighty man, and any valiant man, then he took them to himself.