1 Samuel 14:32-52 ▼

32 Then the people rushed greedily on the spoil, and took sheep and oxen and calves, and slew them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood.

33 Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people have sinned against the LORD in eating flesh with blood. And Saul said, You have transgressed; roll a great stone to me this day.

34 And Saul said, Go round about among the people and say to them, Bring every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and do not sin against the LORD in eating flesh with the blood. So all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there.

35 And Saul built there an altar to the LORD; thus he began to build his first altar to the LORD.

36 And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and plunder them until the morning, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatever seems good to you.

37 And Saul said to God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? Wilt thou deliver them into the hands of Israel? But the LORD did not answer him that day.

38 And Saul said, Bring here all the families of the people; and know and see wherein this sin has been committed this day.

39 For, as the LORD lives, who saved Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was no one of all the people that answered him.

40 Then Saul said to all Israel, Be you on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said to Saul, Do whatever seems good to you.

41 Therefore Saul said, O LORD God of Israel, give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken; but the people were not taken.

42 And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.

43 Then Saul said to Jonathan. Tell me what you have done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did taste a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand, and on account of that must I die?

44 And Saul said, God do so to me and more also, unless you shall surely die, Jonathan.

45 And the people said to Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who has wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid; as the LORD lives, there shall not a hair of his head fall to the ground; for he has saved the people of God this day. So the people delivered Jonathan and he did not die.

46 Then Saul returned from following the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own country.

47 And Saul took the kingship over Israel, and he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab and against the children of Ammon and against Edom and against the kingdom of Zobah and against the Philistines; and wherever he turned he was victorious.

48 And he mobilized an army and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hand of those who plundered them.

49 Now these were the sons of Saul: Jonathan, Ishui, Melchi-shua, and Ashbashul; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the elder Nadab, and the name of the younger Malchel;

50 And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz; and the name of the general of his army was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.

51 And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner, the father of Abner, was the son of Abiel.

52 And there was severe war against the Philistines all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw any valiant man or any strong man, he took him to himself.