Samuel & King Saul

The one rocke stretched from the North towarde Michmash, and the other was from the South toward Gibeah.

And Ionathan saide to the yong man that bare his armour, Come, and let vs goe ouer vnto the garison of these vncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will worke with vs: for it is not hard to the Lord to saue with many, or with fewe.

And he that bare his armour, saide vnto him, Doe all that is in thine heart: goe where it pleaseth thee: beholde, I am with thee as thine heart desireth.

Then said Ionathan, Beholde, we goe ouer vnto those men, and will shewe our selues vnto them.

If they say on this wise to vs, Tarie vntill we come to you, then we will stand still in our place, and not goe vp to them.

But if they say, Come vp vnto vs, then we will goe vp: for the Lord hath deliuered them into our hande: and this shall be a signe vnto vs.

So they both shewed themselues vnto the garison of the Philistims: and the Philistims said, See, the Ebrewes come out of the holes wherein they had hid themselues.

And the men of the garison answered Ionathan, and his armour bearer, and said, Come vp to vs: for we will shewe you a thing. Then Ionathan said vnto his armour bearer, Come vp after me: for the Lord hath deliuered them into the hand of Israel.

So Ionathan went vp vpon his hands and vpon his feete, and his armour bearer after him: and some fell before Ionathan, and his armour bearer slewe others after him.

So the first slaughter which Ionathan and his armour bearer made, was about twentie men, as it were within halfe an acre of land which two oxen plowe.

And there was a feare in the hoste, and in the field, and among all the people: the garison also, and they that went out to spoyle, were afraid themselues: and the earth trembled: for it was striken with feare by God.

Then the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Beniamin sawe: and beholde, the multitude was discomfited, and smitten as they went.

Therefore saide Saul vnto the people that were with him, Search nowe and see, who is gone from vs. And when they had nombred, beholde, Ionathan and his armour bearer were not there.

And Saul said vnto Ahiah, Bring hither the Arke of God (for the Arke of God was at that time with the children of Israel)

And while Saul talked vnto the Priest, the noyse that was in the hoste of the Philistims, spred farther abroade, and encreased: therefore Saul said vnto the Priest, Withdraw thine hand.

And Saul was assembled with all the people that were with him, and they came to the battell: and behold, euery mans sworde was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.

Moreouer, the Ebrewes that were with the Philistims beforetime, and were come with them into all partes of the hoste, euen they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Ionathan.

Also all the men of Israel which had hid themselues in mount Ephraim, when they heard, that the Philistims were fled, they followed after them in the battell.

And so the Lord saued Israel that day: and the battell continued vnto Beth-auen.

And at that time the men of Israel were pressed with hunger: for Saul charged the people with an othe, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth foode till night, that I may be auenged of mine enemies: so none of the people tasted any sustenance.

And all they of the land came to a wood, where hony lay vpon the ground.

And the people came into the wood, and beholde, the hony dropped, and no man mooued his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the othe.

But Ionathan heard not when his father charged the people with the othe: wherefore he put foorth the ende of the rod that was in his hand, and dipt it in an hony combe, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes receiued sight.

Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father made the people to sweare, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth sustenance this day: and the people were faint.

Then said Ionathan, My father hath troubled the land: see nowe howe mine eyes are made cleare, because I haue tasted a litle of this honie: