1 Samuel 14 · WEB
Jonathan's Faith and Saul's Rash Oath
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Now the day came that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, let's go over to the Philistines' garrison that is on the other side." But he didn't tell his father.
2Saul was staying in the outskirts of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron; and the people who were with him were about six hundred men.
3Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of Yahweh in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. The people didn't know that Jonathan had gone.
4Between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines' garrison, there was a rocky crag on one side and a rocky crag on the other side. The name of the one was Bozez and the name of the other Seneh.
5The one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba.
6Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, let's go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men. It may be that Yahweh will work for us; for there is no restraint to Yahweh to save by many or by few."
7His armor bearer said to him, "Do all that is in your heart. Turn and behold, I am with you as your heart is."
8Then Jonathan said, "Behold, we will pass over to the men and we will reveal ourselves to them.
9If they say this to us, 'Wait until we come to you;' then we will stand still in our place and will not go up to them.
10But if they say, 'Come up to us;' then we will go up; for Yahweh has delivered them into our hand. This shall be the sign to us."
11Both of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines; and the Philistines said, "Behold, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they had hidden themselves."
12The men of the garrison spoke to Jonathan and his armor bearer and said, "Come up to us, and we will show you something." Jonathan said to his armor bearer, "Come up after me, for Yahweh has delivered them into the hand of Israel."
13Jonathan climbed up on his hands and his feet, and his armor bearer after him; and they fell before Jonathan; and his armor bearer killed them after him.
14That first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor bearer made, was about twenty men within about half an acre of land.
15There was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and the raiders trembled. The earth quaked also so that it was a very great trembling.
16Now Saul's watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude was melting away here and there.
17Then Saul said to the people who were with him, "Count now and see who has gone from us." When they had counted, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.
18Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God here." For the ark of God was with the children of Israel at that time.
19While Saul talked to the priest, the tumult in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased; and Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand."
20Saul and all the people who were with him assembled themselves and came to the battle; and behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was very great confusion.
21Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before that time, who went up with them into the camp from the surrounding area, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.
22Likewise, all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.
23So Yahweh saved Israel that day; and the battle passed over to Beth Aven.
24The men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, "Cursed is the man who eats any food until it is evening, and I am avenged on my enemies." So none of the people tasted food.
25All the people of the land came to the forest; and there was honey on the ground.
26When the people had come to the forest, behold, the honey dropped; but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.
27But Jonathan didn't hear when his father commanded the people with the oath; therefore he put out the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes brightened.
28Then one of the people answered and said, "Your father strictly commanded the people with an oath, saying, 'Cursed is the man who eats food today.'" And the people were faint.
29Then Jonathan said, "My father has troubled the land. Look now how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.
30How much more if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now has there not been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?"
31They struck the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon; and the people were very faint.
32The people pounced on the spoil and took sheep, cattle, and calves, and killed them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood.
33Then they told Saul, "Behold, the people are sinning against Yahweh in that they eat with the blood." He said, "You have dealt treacherously. Roll a great stone to me today."
34Saul said, "Disperse yourselves among the people and tell them, 'Every man bring his ox and every man his sheep, and kill them here, and eat; and don't sin against Yahweh by eating with the blood.'" All the people brought every man his ox with him that night and killed them there.
35Saul built an altar to Yahweh. That was the first altar that he built to Yahweh.
36Saul said, "Let's go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the morning light, and let's not leave a man of them." They said, "Do whatever seems good to you." The priest said, "Let's draw near to God here."
37Saul asked of God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?" But he didn't answer him that day.
38Saul said, "Draw near here, all you chiefs of the people; and know and see in which this sin has been today.
39For as Yahweh lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die." But there was not a man among all the people who answered him.
40Then he said to all Israel, "You be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side." The people said to Saul, "Do what seems good to you."
41Therefore Saul said to Yahweh, the God of Israel, "Show the right." Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot; but the people escaped.
42Saul said, "Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son." Jonathan was taken.
43Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." Jonathan told him and said, "I certainly did taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and behold, I must die."
44Saul answered, "God do so to me and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan."
45The people said to Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As Yahweh lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he worked with God today." So the people rescued Jonathan, and he didn't die.
46Then Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place.
47So Saul took the kingdom over Israel and fought against all his enemies on every side: against Moab, against the children of Ammon, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he put them to the worse.
48He acted valiantly and struck the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them.
49Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal.
50The name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.
51Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
52There was severe war against the Philistines all the days of Saul. When Saul saw any mighty man or any valiant man, he took him to himself.
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Summary
Jonathan, acting in bold faith with only his armor bearer, launches a surprise attack on the Philistine garrison at Michmash. God confirms the venture with a divine sign and triggers an earthquake that throws the Philistine camp into chaos, routing the entire army. Saul's impulsive oath — forbidding food all day — weakens his troops and nearly costs Jonathan his life when the lot falls on him. The people intervene and save Jonathan. The chapter ends with a summary of Saul's military victories and family.
Themes
- Bold faith that acts on God's ability to save with any means
- Rash vows and the damage impulsive leadership causes
- Contrasting characters: Jonathan's faith vs. Saul's fear-driven control
- The people's protection of the innocent against unjust authority
Key verses
- 1 Sam 14:29 — “My father has troubled the land. Look now how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.”
- 1 Sam 14:45 — “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it!”
- 1 Sam 14:6 — “There is no restraint to Yahweh to save by many or by few.”
Context & background
The pass at Michmash (modern Mukhmas, West Bank) was a narrow, rocky defile — still visible today — where two crags (Bozez and Seneh) flanked the path. Jonathan's two-man assault up a cliff face was physically daring as well as spiritually audacious. The forest where honey was found was likely in the hill country of Benjamin. Saul's oath was militarily counterproductive and nearly resulted in the execution of the hero of the day. The contrast between Jonathan's simple, trusting faith ("it may be that Yahweh will work") and Saul's controlling, oath-enforcing leadership is the theological heart of the chapter.
Cross-references
- 1 Sam 20:1-42 — Jonathan's loyal friendship with David further demonstrates his noble character.
- Eccl 5:2 — "Don't be rash with your mouth... let your words be few" — Saul's rash oath illustrates this warning.
- Judg 7:4-7 — God similarly told Gideon the size of the army did not matter; He would save with few.
- Lev 17:10-14 — Eating blood was strictly forbidden; the people violated this out of Saul's oath-induced hunger.
- Ps 20:7 — "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we remember the name of Yahweh our God."