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The Blue Letter Bible

1 Samuel 14 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

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Jonathan’s Daring Plan

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:1

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:1 - One day Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come on, let’s go over to where the Philistines have their outpost.” But Jonathan did not tell his father what he was doing.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:2

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:2 - Meanwhile, Saul and his 600 men were camped on the outskirts of Gibeah, around the pomegranate tree[fn] at Migron.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:3

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:3 - Among Saul’s men was Ahijah the priest, who was wearing the ephod, the priestly vest. Ahijah was the son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, the priest of the LORD who had served at Shiloh.
No one realized that Jonathan had left the Israelite camp.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:4

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:4 - To reach the Philistine outpost, Jonathan had to go down between two rocky cliffs that were called Bozez and Seneh.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:5

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:5 - The cliff on the north was in front of Micmash, and the one on the south was in front of Geba.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:6

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:6 - “Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer. “Perhaps the LORD will help us, for nothing can hinder the LORD. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!”

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:7

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:7 - “Do what you think is best,” the armor bearer replied. “I’m with you completely, whatever you decide.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:8

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:8 - “All right then,” Jonathan told him. “We will cross over and let them see us.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:9

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:9 - If they say to us, ‘Stay where you are or we’ll kill you,’ then we will stop and not go up to them.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:10

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:10 - But if they say, ‘Come on up and fight,’ then we will go up. That will be the LORD’s sign that he will help us defeat them.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:11

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:11 - When the Philistines saw them coming, they shouted, “Look! The Hebrews are crawling out of their holes!”

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:12

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:12 - Then the men from the outpost shouted to Jonathan, “Come on up here, and we’ll teach you a lesson!”
“Come on, climb right behind me,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “for the LORD will help us defeat them!”

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:13

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:13 - So they climbed up using both hands and feet, and the Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer killed those who came behind them.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:14

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:14 - They killed some twenty men in all, and their bodies were scattered over about half an acre.[fn]

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:15

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:15 - Suddenly, panic broke out in the Philistine army, both in the camp and in the field, including even the outposts and raiding parties. And just then an earthquake struck, and everyone was terrified.
Israel Defeats the Philistines

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:16

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:16 - Saul’s lookouts in Gibeah of Benjamin saw a strange sight—the vast army of Philistines began to melt away in every direction.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:17

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:17 - “Call the roll and find out who’s missing,” Saul ordered. And when they checked, they found that Jonathan and his armor bearer were gone.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:18

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:18 - Then Saul shouted to Ahijah, “Bring the ephod here!” For at that time Ahijah was wearing the ephod in front of the Israelites.[fn]

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:19

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:19 - But while Saul was talking to the priest, the confusion in the Philistine camp grew louder and louder. So Saul said to the priest, “Never mind; let’s get going!”[fn]

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:20

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:20 - Then Saul and all his men rushed out to the battle and found the Philistines killing each other. There was terrible confusion everywhere.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:21

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:21 - Even the Hebrews who had previously gone over to the Philistine army revolted and joined in with Saul, Jonathan, and the rest of the Israelites.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:22

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:22 - Likewise, the men of Israel who were hiding in the hill country of Ephraim joined the chase when they saw the Philistines running away.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:23

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:23 - So the LORD saved Israel that day, and the battle continued to rage even beyond Beth-aven.
Saul’s Foolish Oath

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:24

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:24 - Now the men of Israel were pressed to exhaustion that day, because Saul had placed them under an oath, saying, “Let a curse fall on anyone who eats before evening—before I have full revenge on my enemies.” So no one ate anything all day,

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:25

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:25 - even though they had all found honeycomb on the ground in the forest.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:26

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:26 - They didn’t dare touch the honey because they all feared the oath they had taken.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:27

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:27 - But Jonathan had not heard his father’s command, and he dipped the end of his stick into a piece of honeycomb and ate the honey. After he had eaten it, he felt refreshed.[fn]

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:28

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:28 - But one of the men saw him and said, “Your father made the army take a strict oath that anyone who eats food today will be cursed. That is why everyone is weary and faint.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:29

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:29 - “My father has made trouble for us all!” Jonathan exclaimed. “A command like that only hurts us. See how refreshed I am now that I have eaten this little bit of honey.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:30

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:30 - If the men had been allowed to eat freely from the food they found among our enemies, think how many more Philistines we could have killed!”

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:31

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:31 - They chased and killed the Philistines all day from Micmash to Aijalon, growing more and more faint.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:32

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:32 - That evening they rushed for the battle plunder and butchered the sheep, goats, cattle, and calves, but they ate them without draining the blood.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:33

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:33 - Someone reported to Saul, “Look, the men are sinning against the LORD by eating meat that still has blood in it.”
“That is very wrong,” Saul said. “Find a large stone and roll it over here.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:34

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:34 - Then go out among the troops and tell them, ‘Bring the cattle, sheep, and goats here to me. Kill them here, and drain the blood before you eat them. Do not sin against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.’”
So that night all the troops brought their animals and slaughtered them there.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:35

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:35 - Then Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first of the altars he built to the LORD.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:36

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:36 - Then Saul said, “Let’s chase the Philistines all night and plunder them until sunrise. Let’s destroy every last one of them.”
His men replied, “We’ll do whatever you think is best.”
But the priest said, “Let’s ask God first.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:37

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:37 - So Saul asked God, “Should we go after the Philistines? Will you help us defeat them?” But God made no reply that day.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:38

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:38 - Then Saul said to the leaders, “Something’s wrong! I want all my army commanders to come here. We must find out what sin was committed today.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:39

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:39 - I vow by the name of the LORD who rescued Israel that the sinner will surely die, even if it is my own son Jonathan!” But no one would tell him what the trouble was.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:40

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:40 - Then Saul said, “Jonathan and I will stand over here, and all of you stand over there.”
And the people responded to Saul, “Whatever you think is best.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:41

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:41 - Then Saul prayed, “O LORD, God of Israel, please show us who is guilty and who is innocent.[fn]” Then they cast sacred lots, and Jonathan and Saul were chosen as the guilty ones, and the people were declared innocent.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:42

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:42 - Then Saul said, “Now cast lots again and choose between me and Jonathan.” And Jonathan was shown to be the guilty one.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:43

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:43 - “Tell me what you have done,” Saul demanded of Jonathan.
“I tasted a little honey,” Jonathan admitted. “It was only a little bit on the end of my stick. Does that deserve death?”

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:44

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:44 - “Yes, Jonathan,” Saul said, “you must die! May God strike me and even kill me if you do not die for this.”

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:45

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:45 - But the people broke in and said to Saul, “Jonathan has won this great victory for Israel. Should he die? Far from it! As surely as the LORD lives, not one hair on his head will be touched, for God helped him do a great deed today.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:46

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:46 - Then Saul called back the army from chasing the Philistines, and the Philistines returned home.
Saul’s Military Successes

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:47

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:47 - Now when Saul had secured his grasp on Israel’s throne, he fought against his enemies in every direction—against Moab, Ammon, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. And wherever he turned, he was victorious.[fn]

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:48

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:48 - He performed great deeds and conquered the Amalekites, saving Israel from all those who had plundered them.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:49

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:49 - Saul’s sons included Jonathan, Ishbosheth,[fn] and Malkishua. He also had two daughters: Merab, who was older, and Michal.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:50

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:50 - Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. The commander of Saul’s army was Abner, the son of Saul’s uncle Ner.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:51

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:51 - Saul’s father, Kish, and Abner’s father, Ner, were both sons of Abiel.

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Unchecked Copy Box 1Sa 14:52

Unchecked Copy Box1Sa 14:52 - The Israelites fought constantly with the Philistines throughout Saul’s lifetime. So whenever Saul observed a young man who was brave and strong, he drafted him into his army.
See the NLT Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).
NLT Footnotes
Or around the rock of Rimmon; compare Judg 20:45, 47; 21:13.
Hebrew half a yoke; a “yoke” was the amount of land plowed by a pair of yoked oxen in one day.
As in some Greek manuscripts; Hebrew reads “Bring the Ark of God.” For at that time the Ark of God was with the Israelites.
Hebrew Withdraw your hand.
Or his eyes brightened; similarly in 14:29.
Greek version adds If the fault is with me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim; but if the men of Israel are at fault, respond with Thummim.
As in Greek version; Hebrew reads he acted wickedly.
Hebrew Ishvi, a variant name for Ishbosheth; also known as Esh-baal.
NLT

Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Full copyright information is provided here. Visit the New Living Translation website.

For more information on this translation, see the NLT Preface.

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1 Samuel Chapter 14 — Additional Translations:

King James Version New King James Version New International Version English Standard Version Christian Standard Bible New American Standard Bible 2020 New American Standard Bible 1995 Legacy Standard Bible Amplified Bible New English Translation Revised Standard Version American Standard Version Young's Literal Translation Darby Translation Webster's Bible Hebrew Names Version Latin Vulgate Westminster Leningrad Codex Septuagint Smith Van Dyck Arabic Bible Open New Arabic Version Brenton's English Septuagint Reina Valera 1909 Reina-Valera 1960 Bible in Basic English Chinese Traditional Union Espanol Moderno Korean Holy Bible Louis Segond German Luther Russian Synodal Translation Sagradas Escrituras