Atlas Biblica

    1 Samuel · 52 verses

    1 Samuel 14

    Every verse links to the people and places named in it, and to the passages readers connect it with.

    The chapter

    What happens here

    Atlas's own reading, written from this chapter and nothing else, and published only once a person has approved it. Each scene names the verses it covers; the names inside it link to the people and places they name.

    An army passes through a forest where honey is flowing on the ground, and not one soldier dares touch it—until Jonathan, who has not heard the oath, dips his staff into the comb and finds that his eyes have brightened.

    Jonathan crosses the passvv. 1–23

    Jonathan slips away from Saul with only his armor-bearer, choosing a pass flanked by Bozez and Seneh. The two climb towards the Philistine outpost on hands and feet, which is not a dignified mode of arrival but proves effective: about twenty men fall in half an acre. Panic then does the rest. The earth quakes, the Philistines turn their swords on one another, hidden Israelites emerge, and Saul arrives in time to find the enemy already in total confusion. Israel pursues them beyond Beth-aven.

    The honey and the oathvv. 24–46

    Saul has forbidden food until evening, so the troops march through honey with empty hands. Jonathan, uninformed, tastes some and immediately reports improved eyesight. The famished army later falls upon the plunder and eats meat with the blood still in it, forcing Saul to impose order with a large stone and an altar—the first he has built to the LORD. When God gives no answer about a further pursuit, Saul investigates the offence and swears that even Jonathan must die. The lot selects Jonathan; the people, rather sensibly, decline to let the sentence proceed, because he has brought about such a great deliverance. The Philistines escape back to their own land.

    Saul’s wars and householdvv. 47–52

    After assuming kingship, Saul fights on every side against Moab, Ammon, Edom, Zobah, and the Philistines, and defeats the Amalekites as well. His household is named—Jonathan, Ishvi, Malchishua, Merab, and Michal—and Abner is named commander of the army. The war with the Philistines remains fierce throughout Saul’s days, so every strong or brave man he notices is enlisted.

    The text

    Read it

    Berean Standard Bible, public domain. Names the Hebrew and Greek put in the verse link to the person, place or people they name; the address beside each verse is a link to that verse, which is what a reader copies and shares.

    1. 1 Sam 14:1One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the Philistine outpost on the other side.” But Jonathan did not tell his father.

    2. 1 Sam 14:2Meanwhile, Saul was staying under the pomegranate tree in Migron on the outskirts of Gibeah. And the troops who were with him numbered about six hundred men,

    3. 1 Sam 14:3including Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was the son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli the priest of the LORD in Shiloh. But the troops did not know that Jonathan had left.

    4. 1 Sam 14:4Now there were cliffs on both sides of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost. One was named Bozez and the other Seneh.

    5. 1 Sam 14:5One cliff stood to the north toward Michmash, and the other to the south toward Geba.

    6. 1 Sam 14:6Jonathan said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the outpost of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will work on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.”

    7. 1 Sam 14:7His armor-bearer replied, “Do all that is in your heart. Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.”

    8. 1 Sam 14:8“Very well,” said Jonathan, “we will cross over toward these men and show ourselves to them.

    9. 1 Sam 14:9If they say, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stay where we are and will not go up to them.

    10. 1 Sam 14:10But if they say, ‘Come on up,’ then we will go up, because this will be our sign that the LORD has delivered them into our hands.”

    11. 1 Sam 14:11So the two of them showed themselves to the outpost of the Philistines, who exclaimed, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes in which they were hiding!”

    12. 1 Sam 14:12So the men of the outpost called out to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come on up, and we will teach you a lesson!” “Follow me,” Jonathan told his armor-bearer, “for the LORD has delivered them into the hand of Israel.”

    13. 1 Sam 14:13So Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer behind him. And the Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and finished them off.

    14. 1 Sam 14:14In that first assault, Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck down about twenty men in about half an acre of land.

    15. 1 Sam 14:15Then panic struck the Philistines in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even those in the outposts and raiding parties trembled. Indeed, the earth quaked, and panic spread from God.

    16. 1 Sam 14:16Now when Saul’s watchmen at Gibeah in Benjamin looked and saw the troops melting away and scattering in every direction,

    17. 1 Sam 14:17Saul said to the troops who were with him, “Call the roll and see who has left us.” And when they had called the roll, they saw that Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there.

    18. 1 Sam 14:18Then Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” (For at that time it was with the Israelites.)

    19. 1 Sam 14:19While Saul was talking to the priest, the commotion in the Philistine camp continued to increase. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”

    20. 1 Sam 14:20Then Saul and all his troops assembled and marched to the battle, and they found the Philistines in total confusion, with each man wielding the sword against his neighbor.

    21. 1 Sam 14:21And the Hebrews who had previously gone up into the surrounding camps to join the Philistines now went over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.

    22. 1 Sam 14:22When all the Israelites who had been hiding in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they also joined the battle in close pursuit.

    23. 1 Sam 14:23So the LORD saved Israel that day, and the battle moved on beyond Beth-aven.

    24. 1 Sam 14:24Now the men of Israel were in distress that day, for Saul had placed the troops under an oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the troops tasted any food.

    25. 1 Sam 14:25Then all the troops entered the forest, and there was honey on the ground.

    26. 1 Sam 14:26And when they entered the forest and saw the flowing honey, not one of them put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath.

    27. 1 Sam 14:27Jonathan, however, had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath. So he reached out the end of the staff in his hand, dipped it into the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.

    28. 1 Sam 14:28Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the troops with a solemn oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’ That is why the people are faint.”

    29. 1 Sam 14:29“My father has brought trouble to the land,” Jonathan replied. “Just look at how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.

    30. 1 Sam 14:30How much better it would have been if the troops had eaten freely today from the plunder they took from their enemies! Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been much greater?”

    31. 1 Sam 14:31That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, the people were very faint.

    32. 1 Sam 14:32So they rushed greedily to the plunder, taking sheep, cattle, and calves. They slaughtered them on the ground and ate meat with the blood still in it.

    33. 1 Sam 14:33Then someone reported to Saul: “Look, the troops are sinning against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.” “You have broken faith,” said Saul. “Roll a large stone over here at once.”

    34. 1 Sam 14:34Then he said, “Go among the troops and tell them, ‘Each man must bring me his ox or his sheep, slaughter them in this place, and then eat. Do not sin against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.’” So that night everyone brought his ox and slaughtered it there.

    35. 1 Sam 14:35Then Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first time he had built an altar to the LORD.

    36. 1 Sam 14:36And Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until dawn, leaving no man alive!” “Do what seems good to you,” the troops replied. But the priest said, “We must consult God here.”

    37. 1 Sam 14:37So Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You give them into the hand of Israel?” But God did not answer him that day.

    38. 1 Sam 14:38Therefore Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the troops, and let us investigate how this sin has occurred today.

    39. 1 Sam 14:39As surely as the LORD who saves Israel lives, even if it is my son Jonathan, he must die!” But not one of the troops said a word.

    40. 1 Sam 14:40Then Saul said to all Israel, “You stand on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will stand on the other side.” “Do what seems good to you,” the troops replied.

    41. 1 Sam 14:41So Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Why have You not answered Your servant this day? If the fault is with me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the fault is with the men of Israel, respond with Thummim.” And Jonathan and Saul were selected, but the people were cleared of the charge.

    42. 1 Sam 14:42Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was selected.

    43. 1 Sam 14:43“Tell me what you have done,” Saul commanded him. So Jonathan told him, “I only tasted a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. And now I must die?”

    44. 1 Sam 14:44And Saul declared, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if you, Jonathan, do not surely die!”

    45. 1 Sam 14:45But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die—he who accomplished such a great deliverance for Israel? Never! As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for with God’s help he has accomplished this today.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.

    46. 1 Sam 14:46Then Saul gave up his pursuit of the Philistines, and the Philistines returned to their own land.

    47. 1 Sam 14:47After Saul had assumed the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side—the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he routed them.

    48. 1 Sam 14:48He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands of its plunderers.

    49. 1 Sam 14:49Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. His two daughters were named Merab (his firstborn) and Michal (his younger daughter).

    50. 1 Sam 14:50His wife’s name was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of his army was Abner, the son of Saul’s uncle Ner.

    51. 1 Sam 14:51Saul’s father Kish and Abner’s father Ner were sons of Abiel.

    52. 1 Sam 14:52And the war with the Philistines was fierce for all the days of Saul. So whenever he noticed any strong or brave man, Saul would enlist him.

    01 — Also here

    Who else the chapter reaches

    Names written in the English are linked in the text above. These are the ones that are not: an entity the Hebrew or Greek names under a spelling the translation does not use, or one reached only by an assertion about a verse of this chapter.

    Named in the Hebrew or Greek somewhere in this chapter, under a form the English renders differently — the registry's Ludim against the translation's Ludites — so there is no word in the sentence to hang the link on.

    Reached by an assertion Atlas extracted from a verse of this chapter rather than by a name written in it — a pronoun, a title, or a participant the sentence carries without naming. This layer is model-read and measured at 88.6–90.3% precision, and it is kept separate from the names above for that reason.

    02 — Read alongside

    Where this is echoed

    Readers' own connections, from OpenBible's crowd-voted cross-references — agreement about relevance, and not scholarly confidence. 278 passages were voted onto 45 verses of this chapter; the 16 shown lead on votes, and each is listed at the verse it was voted onto most strongly.

    • 6Matthew 19:26Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
    • 6Romans 8:31What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
    • 371 Samuel 28:6He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.
    • 45Luke 21:18Yet not even a hair of your head will perish.
    • 452 Samuel 14:11“Please,” she replied, “may the king invoke the LORD your God to prevent the avenger of blood from increasing the devastation, so that my son may not be destroyed!” “As surely as the LORD lives,” he vowed, “not a hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground.”
    • 45Acts 27:34So for your own preservation, I urge you to eat something, because not a single hair of your head will be lost.”
    • 23Exodus 14:30That day the LORD saved Israel from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the shore.
    • 41Acts 1:24And they prayed, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen
    • 6Zechariah 4:6So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts.
    • 211 Samuel 29:4But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with Achish and told him, “Send that man back and let him return to the place you assigned him. He must not go down with us into battle only to become our adversary during the war. What better way for him to regain the favor of his master than with the heads of our men?
    • 351 Samuel 7:17Then he would return to Ramah because his home was there, and there he judged Israel and built an altar to the LORD.
    • 31 Samuel 22:20But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar, and he fled to David.
    • 31 Samuel 4:21And she named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,” because the ark of God had been captured and her father-in-law and her husband had been killed.
    • 31 Samuel 2:28And out of all the tribes of Israel I selected your father to be My priest, to offer sacrifices on My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in My presence. I also gave to the house of your father all the food offerings of the Israelites.
    • 41 Samuel 13:23And a garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass at Michmash.
    • 6Deuteronomy 32:30How could one man pursue a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?

    Onward

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