1 Samuel 14:1-23

1Now the day came that Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to the young man who was carrying his armor, “Come, and let’s cross over to the Philistines’ garrison that is on the other side.” But he did not tell his father. 2Saul was staying on the outskirts of 1Gibeah under the pomegranate tree that is in 2Migron. And the people who were with him numbered 3about six hundred men; 3and Ahijah, the 4son of Ahitub, 5Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of the Lord at 6Shiloh, 7was 8wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan had gone. 4Now 9between the gorges by which Jonathan sought to cross over to the Philistines’ garrison there was a rocky crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side; and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other, Seneh. 5The one crag rose on the north opposite Michmash, and the other on the south opposite Geba.

6Then Jonathan said to the young man who was carrying his armor, “Come, and let’s cross over to the garrison of 10these uncircumcised men; perhaps the Lord will work for us, because 11the Lord is not limited to saving by many or by few!” 7His armor bearer said to him, “Do everything that is in your heart; turn yourself to it, and here I am with you, as your heart desires.” 8Then Jonathan said, “12Behold, we are going to cross over to the men and reveal ourselves to them. 9If they 13say to us, ‘Wait until we come to you’; then we will stand in our place and not go up to them. 10But if they 14say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for the Lord has handed them over to us; and 15this shall be the sign to us.” 11When the two of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines, the Philistines said, “Behold, 16Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have kept themselves hidden.” 12So the men of the garrison responded to Jonathan and his armor bearer and said, “Come up to us and 17we will inform you of something.” And Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come up after me, for 18the Lord has handed them over to Israel.” 13Then Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, with his armor bearer behind him; and the men fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer put some to death after him. 14Now that first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor bearer inflicted was about twenty men within about half a furrow in an acre of land. 15And there was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even the garrison and 19the raiders trembled, and 20the earth quaked so 21that it became a 22great trembling.

16Now Saul’s watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude dissolved; they went here and there. 17So Saul said to the people who were with him, “Look carefully now and see who has left us.” And when they had looked, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there. 18Then Saul said to Ahijah, “23Bring the ark of God here.” For at that time the ark of God was with the sons of Israel. 1924While Saul talked to the priest, the commotion in the camp of the Philistines continued and increased; so Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.” 20Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and came to the battle; and behold, 25every man’s sword was against his fellow Philistine, and there was very great confusion. 21Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines previously, who went up with them all around in the camp, even 26they also returned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22When all the 27men of Israel who had kept themselves hidden in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, they also closely pursued them in the battle. 23So 28the Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle 29spread beyond 30Beth-aven.