1 Samuel 14:1-18

1That same day Saul’s son Jonathan said to the attendant who carried his weapons, “Come on, let’s cross over to the Philistine garrison on the other side.” However, he did not tell his father.

2Saul was staying under the pomegranate tree in Migron on the outskirts of Gibeah. The troops with him numbered about six hundred.

3Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod, was also there. He was the son of Ahitub, the brother of Ichabod son of Phinehas, son of Eli the Lord’s priest at Shiloh. But the troops did not know that Jonathan had left.

4There were sharp columns of rock on both sides of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine garrison. One was named Bozez and the other Seneh;

5one stood to the north in front of Michmash and the other to the south in front of Geba.

6Jonathan said to the attendant who carried his weapons, “Come on, let’s cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will help us. Nothing can keep the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.”

7His armor-bearer responded, “Do what is in your heart. Go ahead! I’m completely with you.”

8“All right,” Jonathan replied, “we’ll cross over to the men and then let them see us.

9If they say, ‘Wait until we reach you,’ then we will stay where we are and not go up to them.

10But if they say, ‘Come on up,’ then we’ll go up, because the Lord has handed them over to us — that will be our sign.”

11They let themselves be seen by the Philistine garrison, and the Philistines said, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they’ve been hiding!”

12The men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armor-bearer. “Come on up, and we’ll teach you a lesson!” they said. “Follow me,” Jonathan told his armor-bearer, “for the Lord has handed them over to Israel.”

13Jonathan climbed up using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer behind him. Jonathan cut them down, and his armor-bearer followed and finished them off.

14In that first assault Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck down about twenty men in a half-acre field.

15Terror spread through the Philistine camp and the open fields to all the troops. Even the garrison and the raiding parties were terrified. The earth shook, and terror spread from God.

16When Saul’s watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, they saw the panicking troops scattering in every direction.

17So Saul said to the troops with him, “Call the roll and determine who has left us.” They called the roll and saw that Jonathan and his armor-bearer were gone.

18Saul told Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God,” for it was with the Israelites at that time.