Study Desk

"Here I am; testify against me before the LORD and His anointed. Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I exploited? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to close my eyes with it? I will return it to you."

So he said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day that you have found nothing in my hand." And they said, "He is witness."

"If you will fear the LORD and serve Him, and listen to His voice and not rebel against the command of the LORD, then both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God.

"For the LORD will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because the LORD has been pleased to make you a people for Himself.

Now Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel, of whom two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, while a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah of Benjamin. But he sent the rest of the people away, each to his tent.

"But now your kingdom shall not endure. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you."

Now Saul, his son Jonathan, and the people who were present with them were staying in Geba of Benjamin while the Philistines camped at Michmash.

So all Israel went down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, and his hoe.

So it came about on the day of battle that neither sword nor spear was found in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan, but they were found with Saul and his son Jonathan.

Now the day came that Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to the young man who was carrying his armor, "Come, and let's cross over to the Philistines' garrison that is on the other side." But he did not tell his father.

Then Jonathan said to the young man who was carrying his armor, "Come, and let's cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men; perhaps the LORD will work for us, because the LORD is not limited to saving by many or by few!"

His armor bearer said to him, "Do everything that is in your heart; turn yourself to it, and here I am with you, as your heart desires."

So the men of the garrison responded to Jonathan and his armor bearer and said, "Come up to us and we will inform you of something." And Jonathan said to his armor bearer, "Come up after me, for the LORD has handed them over to Israel."

Then Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, with his armor bearer behind him; and the men fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer put some to death after him.

Now that first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor bearer inflicted was about twenty men within about half a furrow in an acre of land.

So Saul said to the people who were with him, "Look carefully now and see who has left us." And when they had looked, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.

Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and came to the battle; and behold, every man's sword was against his fellow Philistine, and there was very great confusion.

When the people entered the forest, behold, there was honey dripping; but no man put his hand to his mouth, because the people feared the oath.

However, Jonathan had not heard it when his father put the people under oath; so he put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.

Then Saul said, "Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, 'Each one of you bring me his ox or his sheep, and slaughter it here and eat; and do not sin against the LORD by eating it with the blood.'" So all the people brought them that night, each one his ox with him, and they slaughtered them there.