1 Samuel 14:32-52 ▼

32 The army grabbed the spoil, took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground, and then the army ate them with the blood.

33 Someone reported this to Saul: |Right now the army is sinning against the LORD by eating meat with the blood.| He said, |You have acted treacherously. Roll a large stone to me today.|

34 Then Saul said, |Disperse yourselves among the soldiers and say to them, 'Let each man bring his ox and his sheep to me, and you are to slaughter them here and eat. But don't sin against the LORD by eating meat with the blood.'| So every soldier brought his ox with him that night, and they slaughtered them there.

35 Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first altar that he built to the LORD.

36 Saul said, |Let's go down after the Philistines tonight and plunder them until dawn, and let's not leave a single one of them alive.| They said, |Do whatever seems good to you!| But the priest said, |Let's draw near to God here.|

37 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 Saul said, |All you army officers are to come here to find out what constitutes this sin today.

39 Indeed, as the LORD who delivers Israel lives, even if the sin is with my son Jonathan, he will surely die!| Not a single one of the soldiers answered him.

40 Then he told all Israel, |You will be on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other side.| The people told Saul, |Do what seems good to you.|

41 Then Saul told the LORD God of Israel, |Judge us properly.| Jonathan and Saul were selected, but the army was cleared.

42 Saul said, |Cast lots between me and my son Jonathan,| and Jonathan was selected.

43 Saul told Jonathan, |Tell me what you've done.| So Jonathan spoke to him: |I did taste a little honey from the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am; I'm ready to die!|

44 Saul said, |May God do this to me and even more, if you don't surely die, Jonathan!|

45 Then the army told Saul, |Shall Jonathan die, who brought about this great deliverance in Israel? As the LORD lives, not one hair of his head will fall to the ground, because today he did this with God's help.|

46 Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went back to their territory.

47 When Saul became king over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side—against Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Everywhere he turned he was victorious.

48 He acted valiantly, defeated Amalek, and delivered Israel from those who had been plundering them.

49 Saul's sons included Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchi-shua. Of his two daughters, the firstborn was named Merab, and the younger one was named Michal.

50 Saul's wife was Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz, while the commander of his army was Saul's uncle Ner's son Abner.

51 Saul's father Kish and Abner's father Ner were sons of Abiel.

52 There was intense fighting against the Philistines during Saul's entire reign, and whenever Saul discovered a strong or valiant warrior, he would enlist him for service.