Jonathan Surprises the Philistines

1 Now it came to passe vpon a day, that Ionathan the sonne of Saul said vnto the yong man that bare his armour, Come, and let vs goe ouer to the Philistines garison, that is on the other side: but hee told not his father.

2 And Saul taried in the vttermost part of Gibeah, vnder a Pomegranate tree, which is in Migron: and the people that were with him, were about sixe hundred men:

3 And Ahiah the sonne of Ahitub, Ichabods brother, the sonne of Phinehas, the sonne of Eli, the Lords Priest in Shiloh, wearing an Ephod: and the people knew not that Ionathan was gone.

4 ¶ And betweene the passages, by which Ionathan sought to go ouer vnto the Philistines garison, there was a sharpe rocke on the one side, and a sharp rocke on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

5 The forefront of the one was situate Northward ouer against Michmash, and the other Southward ouer against Gibeah.

6 And Ionathan said to the young 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 for vs: for there is no restraint to the Lord, to saue by many, or by few.

7 And his armour bearer sayd vnto him, Doe all that is in thine heart: turne thee, behold, I am with thee, according to thy heart.

8 Then said Ionathan, Behold, we will passe ouer vnto these men, and we will discouer our selues vnto them.

9 If they say thus vnto vs, Tary vntill we come to you: then wee will stand still in our place, and will not goe vp vnto them.

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

11 And both of them discouered themselues vnto the garison of the Philistines: and the Philistines sayd, Behold, the Hebrewes come foorth out of the holes, where they had hid themselues.

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

13 And Ionathan climed vp vpon his hands, and vpon his feete, and his armour bearer after him: and they fell before Ionathan; and his armour bearer slew after him.

14 And that first slaughter which Ionathan and his armour-bearer made, was about twentie men, within as it were an halfe acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.

15 And there was trembling in the hoste, in the field, and among all the people: the garison and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.

16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Beniamin looked: and behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating downe one another.

17 Then said Saul vnto the people that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from vs. And when they had numbred, behold, Ionathan and his armour bearer were not there.

18 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.)

19 ¶ And it came to passe while Saul talked vnto the Priest, that the noise that was in the hoste of the Philistines went on, and increased: And Saul said vnto the Priest, Withdraw thine hand.

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

21 Moreouer, the Hebrewes that were with the Philistines before that time, which went vp with them into the campe from the countrey round about; euen they also turned to be with the Israelites, that were with Saul and Ionathan.

22 Likewise all the men of Israel, which had hid themselues in mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, euen they also followed hard after them in the battell.

23 So the Lord saued Israel that day: and the battell passed ouer vnto Beth-auen.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

Agere Sequitur Esse