Bible Verses About The Armies of Israel: Strict discipline observed in

So Y'hoshua got up early in the morning and had Isra'el come forward, one tribe at a time; and the tribe of Y'hudah was taken.

He had the families of Y'hudah come forward and took the family of the Zarchi. He had the Zarchi family come forward by household leaders, and Zavdi was taken.

He had his household come forward, one person at a time; and 'Akhan the son of Karmi, the son of Zavdi, the son of Zerach, of the tribe of Y'hudah, was taken.

Y'hoshua said to 'Akhan, "My son, swear to ADONAI, the God of Isra'el, that you will tell the truth and confess to him. Tell me, now, what did you do? Don't hide anything from me."

'Akhan answered Y'hoshua, "It is true: I have sinned against ADONAI, the God of Isra'el. Here is exactly what I did:

when I saw there with the spoil a beautiful robe from Shin'ar, five pounds of silver shekels and a one-and-a-quarter-pound wedge of gold, I really wanted them. So I took them. You will find them hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath."

Isra'el's soldiers had been driven to exhaustion that day; but Sha'ul issued this warning to the people: "A curse on any man who eats any food until evening, when I will have finished taking vengeance on my enemies." So none of the people even tasted food.

Now the people came to a forest where there was a honeycomb on the ground.

When the people had entered the forest, they saw there the honeycomb with honey dripping out; but no one put his hand to his mouth, because the people feared the oath.

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.

But one of the people said in response, "Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, 'A curse on any man who eats any food today'; even though the people are fainting with hunger."

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.

How much greater would the slaughter of the P'lishtim have been today, then, if the people had eaten freely of the spoil they found with their enemies!"

That day they had attacked the P'lishtim from Mikhmas to Ayalon; but the people were very exhausted.

So the people rushed at the spoil, seizing sheep, cows and calves, slaughtering them on the ground, and eating the flesh with the blood.

Sha'ul was told, "Look how the people are sinning against ADONAI, eating with the blood." He said, "You have not kept faith! Roll a big stone to me immediately!

Now," Sha'ul said, "go around among the people and tell them, 'Each of you is to bring his cow and his sheep and slaughter them here. Then eat. Don't sin against ADONAI by eating with the blood." So each person brought his animal with him that evening and killed it there.

Sha'ul erected an altar to ADONAI; it was the first altar that he erected to ADONAI.

Sha'ul said, "Let's go after the P'lishtim by night. We'll plunder them until dawn; we won't leave one of them alive." They answered, "Do whatever seems good to you." But the cohen said, "Let's approach God here."

Sha'ul consulted God: "Should I go down in pursuit of the P'lishtim? Will you hand them over to Isra'el?" But he didn't answer him that day.

Sha'ul said, "Come here, all you heads of the people. Think carefully: who has committed this sin today?

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.