1En dag sagde Jonatan til den unge mand, som bar hans våben: „Kom, lad os snige os over til filistrenes udpost på den anden side af bjergpasset.” Men han sagde ikke til sin far, at han tog af sted.2Saul og hans 600 mænd lå i lejr ved granatæbletræet på bakken[1] ved Migron.3Blandt mændene var også præsten Ahija, som bar den hellige efod. Hans far var Ahitub, Ikabods bror, hans farfar var Pinehas, og hans oldefar var Eli, som havde været Herrens præst i Shilo. Ingen havde lagt mærke til, at Jonatan havde forladt lejren.4For at nå frem til filistrene måtte Jonatan igennem et pas, som lå i en kløft med et stort klippefremspring på hver side. De to klippeformationer var kendt under navnene Botzetz og Sene.5Den ene lå mod nord i retning af Mikmas, og den anden mod syd i retning af Geba.6„Kom, lad os gå over til de uomskårne og ugudelige filistre,” sagde Jonatan til sin våbenbærer. „Måske vil Herren hjælpe os. Herren kan give os sejr, hvad enten vi er mange eller få.”7„Gør, som du vil!” svarede våbendrageren. „Jeg går med dig, lige meget hvad du finder på.”8-10„Godt, så hør her,” fortsatte Jonatan. „Vi sørger for, at de opdager os, når vi går derover. Hvis de siger: ‚Bliv stående, vi kommer ned til jer,’ så går vi ikke derop. Men hvis de siger: ‚Kom herop!’ så går vi derop, for så er det et signal fra Herren om, at han vil give os sejr.”11Da filistrene nu fik øje på dem, råbte de til hinanden: „Se! Nogle af hebræerne er krøbet frem fra deres skjulesteder.”12Så råbte de til Jonatan: „Kom herop, så skal vi give jer en lærestreg.” „Følg efter mig!” sagde Jonatan til våbendrageren. „For Herren vil give Israels folk sejren.”13Så klatrede de op ad skrænten på hænder og fødder, og Jonatan huggede filistrene ned, mens våbendrageren fulgte i hælene på ham og dræbte dem, Jonatan havde såret.14Under dette første slag dræbte de 20 filistre på et ca. 2000 kvadratmeter stort areal.15Samtidig sendte Gud et jordskælv, som skabte rædsel og panik blandt filistrene, både i selve lejren og udenfor blandt udkigsposterne og kampstyrkerne.16Sauls udkigsposter i Geba[2] lagde mærke til den forvirring, der opstod i fjendens rækker.17„Find ud af, om nogen af vores mænd har forladt lejren,” befalede Saul, og det viste sig, at Jonatan og hans våbendrager manglede.18„Hent den hellige vest frem!” råbte Saul til præsten Ahija. På den tid var det nemlig Ahija, der havde ansvar for den hellige vest,[3] som man brugte, når man ville spørge Herren til råds.19Men mens Saul talte med Ahija, blev tumulten og støjen i filistrenes lejr værre og værre. „Lad det bare være!” råbte Saul til ham.20Så kastede Saul og hans 600 mænd sig ind i kampen, og forvirringen var så stor blandt filistrene, at de rask væk huggede hinanden ned.21De hebræere, der før kæmpede på filistrenes side, gjorde nu mytteri og gik over på israelitternes side.22Til sidst kom resten af de israelitiske soldater frem fra deres skjulesteder i bjergene og deltog i forfølgelsen af de flygtende filistre.23Den dag frelste Herren Israel, og israelitterne forfulgte filistrene helt til den anden side af Bet-Aven.
Sauls dumhed
24-26Israelitterne var helt udmattede, fordi Saul havde erklæret: „Forbandet være den, som tager sig tid til at spise noget i dag, for jeg vil have fuldstændig hævn over mine fjender.” De var alle så bange for forbandelsen, at ingen turde spise noget hele dagen, ikke engang den smule honning, de fandt rundt omkring,27Men Jonatan, der ikke havde hørt sin fars erklæring, stak sin stav i en bikage og fiskede lidt honning frem, og da han havde spist honningen, følte han sig stærk igen.28En af mændene, som så ham gøre det, sagde: „Din far tog hele hæren i ed og sagde: ‚Forbandet være den, som spiser noget i dag.’ Det er derfor, vi alle er så udmattede.”29„Sådan en befaling skader os kun,” udbrød Jonatan. „Se bare, hvor frisk jeg er nu efter at have spist en smule honning.30Forestil jer, hvor mange flere fjender vi kunne have dræbt, hvis vores mænd havde spist noget af den mad, de fandt i fjendens lejr. Men nu slipper filistrene væk i stedet.”31Efter at have kæmpet mod filistrene hele dagen fra Mikmas til Ajjalon, var krigerne så udmattede og sultne,32at de kastede sig over krigsbyttet og begyndte at slagte får og geder, køer og kalve på den bare jord og spise kødet uden først at lade blodet løbe fra.33Da Saul blev underrettet om, at hans hær havde syndet imod Herren ved at spise kød med blodet i, sagde han: „Det er forfærdeligt! Folket overtræder jo Guds bud! Skynd jer og rul en stor sten herhen!34Gå så ud til krigerne og giv dem ordre til at føre køerne, gederne og fårene hertil, så vi kan slagte dem her og lade blodet løbe fra. I må ikke synde imod Herren!” I nattens løb kom krigerne med det kvæg, de havde taget i krigsbytte, og det blev slagtet efter forskrifterne.35Der byggede Saul et alter for Herren. Det var første gang han byggede et alter.36Bagefter opfordrede Saul sine mænd til at genoptage forfølgelsen. „Lad os forfølge filistrene hele natten og udrydde dem rub og stub,” sagde han. „Som du vil,” svarede de. Men præsten Ahija indvendte: „Lad os først spørge Gud til råds.”37Så spurgte Saul Gud: „Skal vi forfølge filistrene? Vil du fortsat hjælpe os med at slå dem?” Men Herren gav ikke noget svar.38Da sammenkaldte Saul alle sine officerer og sagde til dem: „Der er noget galt, siden Gud ikke svarer os. Vi må finde ud af, hvilken synd der er begået i dag.39Jeg sværger ved Gud på, at om så synderen er min egen søn Jonatan, skal han dø.” Men ingen turde fortælle ham sagens rette sammenhæng.40Saul forlangte nu, at de skulle stille sig på den ene side, mens han selv og Jonatan stillede sig på den anden side. Det gjorde de.41Så bad han denne bøn: „Herre, Israels Gud, vis os nu, hvem der har skylden. Er det Jonatan og mig, eller ligger skylden hos hæren?” Da faldt det hellige lod på Saul og Jonatan, mens hæren gik fri.42„Okay,” fortsatte Saul, „så kast lod mellem mig og Jonatan.” Da faldt loddet på Jonatan.43„Sig mig, hvad du har gjort,” forlangte Saul. „Jeg spiste lidt honning fra spidsen af min stav,” svarede Jonatan. „Så lad mig da dø.”44„Jeg har svoret en ed,” svarede Saul. „Derfor skal du dø for din ulydighed.”45Men de omkringstående protesterede: „Ikke tale om! Det er jo Jonatan, vi kan takke for den sejr, vi har vundet i dag. Vi sværger ved den levende Gud, at vi ikke vil tillade, at der krummes et hår på hans hoved, for det var ved Guds hjælp, at han vandt sejren for os i dag.” Derved reddede mændene Jonatan fra at blive henrettet.46Da opgav Saul at genoptage forfølgelsen, og filistrene vendte hjem til deres eget land.
Sauls militære sejre
47Nu da Saul havde styrket sin position som konge i Israel, førte han krig mod sine fjender i alle retninger: moabitterne og ammonitterne mod øst, edomitterne mod syd, Zobas konger[4] mod nord og filistrene mod vest. Hvor som helst han kom frem, vandt han sejr over sine fjender. (2.Sam 10,8; 1.Krøn 19,6)48Han udførte store heltegerninger ved blandt andet at besejre amalekitterne og dermed frelse Israels folk fra deres plageånder.49Saul havde sønnerne Jonatan, Jishvi og Malkishua, og døtrene Merab og Mikal.50Sauls kone hed Ahinoam og var en datter af Ahima’atz. Sauls hærfører var hans fætter Abner, en søn af hans farbror, Ner.51Ner og Sauls far, Kish, var altså brødre, og deres far hed Abiel.52Krigen mod filistrene stod på, så længe Saul levede. Hver gang Saul så en tapper og stærk ung mand, hvervede han ham til sin hær.
1One day Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the Philistine garrison on the other side.” But he did not tell his father.2Saul was staying in the outskirts of Gibeah in the pomegranate cave[1] at Migron. The people who were with him were about six hundred men, (1.Sam 13,15; 1.Sam 13,23)3including Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, the priest of the Lord in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan had gone. (Josva 18,1; 1.Sam 2,28; 1.Sam 4,21; 1.Sam 22,9; 1.Sam 22,11; 1.Sam 22,20)4Within the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistine garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side and a rocky crag on the other side. The name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. (1.Sam 13,23)5The one crag rose on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba. (1.Sam 13,3; 1.Sam 13,16)6Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.” (Dom 7,4; Dom 7,7; Dom 14,3; 1.Sam 17,26; 2.Krøn 14,11)7And his armor-bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Do as you wish.[2] Behold, I am with you heart and soul.”8Then Jonathan said, “Behold, we will cross over to the men, and we will show ourselves to them.9If they say to us, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stand still in our place, and we will not go up to them.10But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for the Lord has given them into our hand. And this shall be the sign to us.”11So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, “Look, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden themselves.” (1.Sam 13,6)12And the men of the garrison hailed Jonathan and his armor-bearer and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you a thing.” And Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Come up after me, for the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.”13Then Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, and his armor-bearer after him. And they fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer killed them after him.14And that first strike, which Jonathan and his armor-bearer made, killed about twenty men within as it were half a furrow’s length in an acre[3] of land.15And there was a panic in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and even the raiders trembled, the earth quaked, and it became a very great panic.[4] (1.Sam 13,17)16And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude was dispersing here and there.[5] (Josva 2,9)17Then Saul said to the people who were with him, “Count and see who has gone from us.” And when they had counted, behold, Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there.18So Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God here.” For the ark of God went at that time with the people[6] of Israel.19Now while Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the camp of the Philistines increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.” (4.Mos 27,21)20Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and went into the battle. And behold, every Philistine’s sword was against his fellow, and there was very great confusion. (Dom 7,22; 2.Krøn 20,23)21Now the Hebrews who had been with the Philistines before that time and who had gone up with them into the camp, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. (1.Sam 29,4)22Likewise, when all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they too followed hard after them in the battle. (Josva 24,33; 1.Sam 13,6; 1.Sam 14,11)23So the Lord saved Israel that day. And the battle passed beyond Beth-aven. (2.Mos 14,30; 1.Sam 13,5)
Saul’s Rash Vow
24And the men of Israel had been hard pressed that day, so Saul had laid an oath on the people, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies.” So none of the people had tasted food. (Josva 6,26)25Now when all the people[7] came to the forest, behold, there was honey on the ground.26And when the people entered the forest, behold, the honey was dropping, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.27But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath, so he put out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes became bright. (1.Sam 14,43)28Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food this day.’” And the people were faint. (Dom 8,4)29Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. See how my eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey.30How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies that they found. For now the defeat among the Philistines has not been great.”31They struck down the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. And the people were very faint. (Josva 10,12; 1.Sam 13,2; 1.Sam 14,28)32The people pounced on the spoil and took sheep and oxen and calves and slaughtered them on the ground. And the people ate them with the blood. (3.Mos 3,17; 1.Sam 15,19)33Then they told Saul, “Behold, the people are sinning against the Lord by eating with the blood.” And he said, “You have dealt treacherously; roll a great stone to me here.”[8] (1.Sam 14,32)34And Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, ‘Let every man bring his ox or his sheep and slaughter them here and eat, and do not sin against the Lord by eating with the blood.’” So every one of the people brought his ox with him that night and they slaughtered them there.35And Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first altar that he built to the Lord. (1.Sam 7,12; 1.Sam 7,17)36Then Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the morning light; let us not leave a man of them.” And they said, “Do whatever seems good to you.” But the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.” (1.Sam 14,3; 1.Sam 14,18)37And Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?” But he did not answer him that day. (1.Sam 28,6)38And Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the people, and know and see how this sin has arisen today.39For as the Lord 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. (Ruth 3,13; 1.Sam 14,44)40Then he said to all Israel, “You shall be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.”41Therefore Saul said, “O Lord God of Israel, why have you not answered your servant this day? If this guilt is in me or in Jonathan my son, O Lord, God of Israel, give Urim. But if this guilt is in your people Israel, give Thummim.”[9] And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped. (Josva 7,16; 1.Sam 10,20; Ap G 1,24)42Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was taken. (1.Sam 14,41)43Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” And Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honey with the tip of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am; I will die.” (Josva 7,19; 1.Sam 14,27)44And Saul said, “God do so to me and more also; you shall surely die, Jonathan.” (Ruth 1,17; 1.Sam 14,39)45Then the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As the Lord lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.” So the people ransomed Jonathan, so that he did not die. (1.Sam 14,39; 2.Sam 14,11; 1.Kong 1,52; Matt 10,30; Luk 12,7; Luk 21,18; Ap G 27,34)46Then Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.
Saul Fights Israel’s Enemies
47When Saul had taken the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, against the Ammonites, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned he routed them. (1.Sam 11,11; 2.Sam 8,3; 2.Sam 10,6)48And he did valiantly and struck the Amalekites and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them. (1.Sam 15,3; 1.Sam 15,7)49Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchi-shua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn was Merab, and the name of the younger Michal. (1.Sam 18,17; 1.Sam 18,19; 1.Sam 31,2; 2.Sam 2,8; 1.Krøn 8,33; 1.Krøn 9,39)50And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. (1.Sam 10,14; 2.Sam 2,8)51Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. (1.Sam 9,1)52There was hard fighting against the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he attached him to himself. (1.Sam 8,11)