Jonathan

when he chose three thousand of Isra'el's men. Two thousand of them were with Sha'ul in Mikhmas and in the hills of Beit-El, and a thousand were with Y'honatan in Giv'at-Binyamin. The rest of the people he sent back to their respective tents.

Y'honatan assassinated the governor of the P'lishtim in Geva. The P'lishtim heard of it; so Sha'ul had the shofar sounded throughout the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear!"

Sha'ul, Y'honatan his son and the men with him took up quarters at Giv'at-Binyamin, while the P'lishtim remained in camp at Mikhmas.

Thus when the time came to fight, no one in the army of Sha'ul and Y'honatan was equipped with either sword or spear; although Sha'ul and Y'honatan his son did have them.

One day Y'honatan the son of Sha'ul said to the young man carrying his armor, "Come, let's go across to the garrison of the P'lishtim on the other side. But he didn't tell his father.

Achiyah the son of Achituv, I-Khavod's brother, the son of Pinchas the son of 'Eli, the cohen of ADONAI in Shiloh, was carrying a ritual vest. No one knew that Y'honatan had gone.

Between the passes by which Y'honatan was trying to cross to the garrison of the P'lishtim, there was a rocky spur on one side and another rocky spur on the other side; the name of the one was Botzetz, and of the other, Seneh.

Y'honatan said to his armor-bearer, "Come on, let's go across to the garrison of these uncircumcised people. Maybe ADONAI will do something for us, since ADONAI can rescue with a few people as easily as with many."

Y'honatan said, "Here, we'll cross over to those men and let them know we're there.

Then the men of the garrison said to Y'honatan and his armor-bearer, "Come up to us; we want to show you something." Y'honatan told his armor-bearer, "Come on up after me, for ADONAI has handed them over to Isra'el."

Y'honatan climbed up, using his hands as well as his feet, with his armor-bearer behind him. The P'lishtim fell before Y'honatan, and his armor-bearer following him finished them off.

That first slaughter, of about twenty men, was accomplished by Y'honatan and his armor bearer in a space only half as long as one side of the area a pair of oxen could plow in a day [about 200 yards].

Sha'ul ordered the forces with him to call the roll and see who was missing. So they called the roll, and found Y'honatan and his armor-bearer not present.

The Hebrews from the surrounding countryside who had previously been with the P'lishtim and had gone up with them into the camp deserted and went over to Isra'el with Sha'ul and Y'honatan.

But Y'honatan hadn't heard his father charging the people with the oath, so he put out the end of the staff in his hand, dipped it in the honeycomb and raised it to his mouth; whereupon his eyes lit up.

Y'honatan answered, "My father has brought trouble to the land. Just look how my eyes have lit up because I tasted a little of this honey.

For, as ADONAI Isra'el's deliverer lives, even if it proves to be Y'honatan my son, he must be put to death." But no one among all the people answered him.

Then he said to all Isra'el, "You be on one side, and I and Y'honatan my son will be on the other side." The people replied to Sha'ul, "Do what seems good to you."

Sha'ul said to ADONAI the God of Isra'el, "Who is right?" Y'honatan and Sha'ul were chosen by lot, and the people went free.

Sha'ul said, "Cast lots between me and Y'honatan my son."Y'honatan was chosen.

Then Sha'ul said to Y'honatan, "Tell me what you did."Y'honatan told him, "Yes, I tasted a little honey with the end of the staff in my hand. Here I am; I'm ready to die."

Sha'ul said, "May God do the same to me and more also if you are not put to death, Y'honatan!"

But the people said to Sha'ul, "Must Y'honatan die, who has accomplished this great deliverance in Isra'el? Heaven forbid! As ADONAI lives, not one hair of his head will fall to the ground; because he worked with God today!" In this way the people rescued Y'honatan, so that he didn't die.

The sons of Sha'ul were Y'honatan, Yishvi and Malkishua, while the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the older, Merav, and of the younger, Mikhal.

By the time David had finished speaking to Sha'ul, Y'honatan found himself inwardly drawn by David's character, so that Y'honatan loved him as he did himself.