1Samuel 14:52 - Prayer Tents

14That 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.H3117H3129H1121H7586H559H5288H5375H3627H3212H5674H6430H4673H5676H1975H5046H12Saul was staying under the pomegranate tree in Migron on the outskirts of Gibeah. The troops with him numbered about 600.H7586H3427H7097H1390H7416H4051H5971H8337H3967H3763Ahijah, 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.H281H1121H285H350H251H1121H6372H1121H5941H3068H3548H7887H5375H646H5971H3045H3129H19804There 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;H4569H3129H1245H5674H6430H4673H8127H5553H5676H8127H5553H5676H8034H259H949H8034H259H55735one stood to the north in front of Michmash and the other to the south in front of Geba.H8127H259H4690H6828H4136H4363H259H5045H4136H13876Jonathan 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."H3083H559H5288H5375H3627H3212H5674H4673H6189H3068H6213H4622H3068H3467H7227H45927His armor-bearer responded, "Do what is in your heart. You choose. I'm right here with you whatever you decide."H5375H3627H559H6213H3824H5186H38248"All right," Jonathan replied, "we'll cross over to the men and then let them see us.H559H3083H5674H582H15409If they say, 'Wait until we reach you,' then we will stay where we are and not go up to them.H559H1826H5060H5975H592710But 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."H559H5927H5927H3068H5414H3027H22611They 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!"H8147H1540H4673H6430H6430H559H5680H3318H2356H224412The 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."H582H4675H6030H3129H5375H3627H559H5927H3045H1697H3129H559H5375H3627H5927H310H3068H5414H3027H347813Jonathan went 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.H3129H5927H3027H7272H5375H3627H310H5307H6440H3129H5375H3627H4191H31014In that first assault Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck down about 20 men in a half-acre field.H7223H4347H3129H5375H3627H5221H6242H376H2677H4618H7704H6776

A Defeat for the Philistines

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 from God spread.H2731H4264H7704H5971H4673H7843H2729H776H7264H430H273116When Saul's watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, they saw the panicking troops scattering in every direction.H6822H7586H1390H1144H7200H1995H4127H3212H198617So 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.H559H7586H5971H6485H7200H1980H6485H3129H5375H362718Saul told Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God," for it was with the Israelites at that time.H7586H559H281H5066H727H430H727H430H3117H1121H347819While Saul spoke to the priest, the panic in the Philistine camp increased in intensity. So Saul said to the priest, "Stop what you're doing."H7586H1696H3548H1995H4264H6430H3212H1980H7227H7586H559H3548H622H302720Saul and all the troops with him assembled and marched to the battle, and there, the Philistines were fighting against each other in great confusion!H7586H5971H2199H935H4421H376H2719H7453H3966H1419H410321There were Hebrews from the area who had gone earlier into the camp to join the Philistines, but even they joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.H5680H6430H865H8032H5927H4264H5439H3478H7586H312922When all the Israelite men who had been hiding in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they also joined Saul and Jonathan in the battle.H376H3478H2244H2022H669H8085H6430H5127H1692H310H4421

Saul’s Rash Oath

23So the LORD saved Israel that day. The battle extended beyond Beth-aven,H3068H3467H3478H3117H4421H5674H100724and the men of Israel were worn out that day, for Saul had placed the troops under an oath: "Cursed is the man who eats food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies." So none of the troops tasted [any] food.H376H3478H5065H3117H7586H422H5971H559H779H376H398H3899H6153H5358H341H5971H2938H389925Everyone went into the forest, and there was honey on the ground.H776H935H3293H1706H6440H770426When the troops entered the forest, they saw the flow of honey, but none of them ate any of it because they feared the oath.H5971H935H3293H1706H1982H5381H3027H6310H5971H3372H762127However, Jonathan had not heard his father make the troops swear the oath. He reached out with the end of the staff he was carrying and dipped it into the honeycomb. When he ate the honey, he had renewed energy.H3129H8085H1H7650H5971H7650H7971H7097H4294H3027H2881H3295H1706H7725H3027H6310H5869H21528Then, one of the troops said, "Your father made the troops solemnly swear, 'Cursed is the man who eats food today,' and the troops are exhausted."H6030H376H5971H559H1H7650H7650H5971H7650H559H779H376H398H3899H3117H5971H577429Jonathan replied, "My father has brought trouble to the land. Just look at how I have renewed energy because I tasted a little honey.H559H3129H1H5916H776H7200H5869H215H2938H4592H170630How much better if the troops had eaten freely today from the plunder they took from their enemies! Then the slaughter of the Philistines would have been much greater."H637H3863H5971H398H398H3117H7998H341H4672H7235H4347H643031The Israelites struck down the Philistines that day from Michmash all the way to Aijalon. Since the Israelites were completely exhausted,H5221H6430H3117H4363H357H5971H3966H577432they rushed to the plunder, took sheep, cattle, and calves, slaughtered them on the ground, and ate [meat] with the blood [still in it.]H5971H5860H6213H7998H3947H6629H1241H1121H7819H776H5971H398H181833Some reported to Saul: "Look, the troops are sinning against the LORD by eating [meat] with the blood [still in it.]" Saul said, "You have been unfaithful. Roll a large stone over here at once."H5046H7586H559H5971H2398H3068H398H1818H559H898H1556H1419H68H311734He then said, "Go among the troops and say to them, 'Each man must bring me his ox or his sheep. Do the slaughtering here and then you can eat. Don't sin against the LORD by eating [meat] with the blood [in it.]' " So every one of the troops brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there.H7586H559H6327H5971H559H5066H376H7794H376H7716H7819H398H2398H3068H398H1818H5971H5066H376H7794H3027H3915H781935Then Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first time he had built an altar to the LORD.H7586H1129H4196H3068H2490H4196H1129H306836Saul said, "Let's go down after the Philistines tonight and plunder them until morning. Don't let even one remain!" "Do whatever you want," the troops replied. But the priest said, "We must consult God here."H7586H559H3381H310H6430H3915H962H1242H216H7604H376H559H6213H5869H2896H559H3548H7126H1988H43037So Saul inquired of God, "Should I go after the Philistines? Will You hand them over to Israel?" But God did not answer him that day.H7586H7592H430H3381H310H6430H5414H3027H3478H6030H311738Saul said, "All you leaders of the troops, come here. Let us investigate how this sin has occurred today.H7586H559H5066H1988H6438H5971H3045H7200H4100H2403H311739As surely as the LORD lives who saves Israel, even if it is because of my son Jonathan, he must die!" Not one of the troops answered him.H3068H2416H3467H3478H3426H3129H1121H4191H4191H5971H603040So he said to all Israel, "You will be on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other side." And the troops replied, "Do whatever you want."H559H3478H259H5676H3129H1121H259H5676H5971H559H7586H6213H5869H289641So Saul said to the LORD, "God of Israel, give us the right [decision]." Jonathan and Saul were selected, and the troops were cleared [of the charge].H7586H559H3068H430H3478H3051H8549H7586H3129H3920H5971H331842Then Saul said, "Cast [the lot] between me and my son Jonathan," and Jonathan was selected.H7586H559H5307H3129H1121H3129H392043Saul commanded him, "Tell me what you did." Jonathan told him, "I tasted a little honey with the end of the staff I was carrying. I am ready to die!"H7586H559H3129H5046H6213H3129H5046H559H2938H2938H4592H1706H7097H4294H3027H2009H419144Saul declared to him, "May God punish me severely if you do not die, Jonathan!"H7586H559H430H6213H3254H4191H4191H312945But the people said to Saul, "Must Jonathan die, who accomplished such a great deliverance for Israel? No, as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for he worked with God's help today." So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.H5971H559H7586H3129H4191H6213H1419H3444H3478H2486H3068H2416H8185H7218H5307H776H6213H430H3117H5971H6299H3129H419146Then Saul gave up the pursuit of the Philistines, and the Philistines returned to their own territory.H7586H5927H310H6430H6430H1980H4725

Summary of Saul’s Kingship

47When Saul assumed the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies in every direction: against Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he caused havoc.H7586H3920H4410H3478H3898H341H5439H4124H1121H5983H123H4428H6678H6430H6437H756148He fought bravely, defeated the Amalekites, and delivered Israel from the hand of those who plundered them.H6213H2428H5221H6002H5337H3478H3027H815449Saul's sons were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. The names of his two daughters were: Merab, his firstborn, and Michal, the younger.H1121H7586H3129H3440H4444H8034H8147H1323H8034H1067H4764H8034H6996H432450The name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of his army was Abner son of Saul's uncle Ner.H8034H7586H802H293H1323H290H8034H8269H6635H74H1121H5369H7586H173051Saul's father was Kish. Abner's father was Ner son of Abiel.H7027H1H7586H5369H1H74H1121H2252The conflict with the Philistines was fierce all of Saul's days, so whenever Saul noticed any strong or brave man, he enlisted him.H2389H4421H6430H3117H7586H7586H7200H1368H376H2428H1121H622