1 Samuel 14:38-52

New American Standard Bible 1995

³⁸ Saul said, “^(A)Draw near here, all you ^[a]chiefs of the people, and investigate and see how this sin has happened today. ³⁹ For ^(B)as the Lord lives, who delivers Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But not one of all the people answered him. ⁴⁰ Then he said to all Israel, “You shall be on one side and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good ^[b]to you.” ⁴¹ Therefore, Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel, “^(C)Give a perfect lot.” And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped. ⁴² Saul said, “Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son.” And Jonathan was taken.

⁴³ Then Saul said to Jonathan, “^(D)Tell me what you have done.” So Jonathan told him and said, “^(E)I indeed tasted a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am, I must die!” ⁴⁴ Saul said, “^(F)May God do ^[c]this to me and more also, for ^(G)you shall surely die, Jonathan.” ⁴⁵ But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die, who has ^[d]brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Far from it! As the Lord lives, ^(H)not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for ^(I)he has worked with God this day.” So the people ^[e]rescued Jonathan and he did not die. ⁴⁶ Then Saul went up from ^[f]pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.

Constant Warfare

⁴⁷ Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, ^(J)the sons of Ammon, Edom, ^(K)the kings of Zobah, and ^(L)the Philistines; and wherever he turned, he ^[g]inflicted punishment. ⁴⁸ He acted valiantly and ^[h](M)defeated the Amalekites, and delivered Israel from the hands of ^[i]those who plundered them.

⁴⁹ Now ^(N)the sons of Saul were Jonathan and Ishvi and Malchi-shua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn ^(O)Merab and the name of the younger ^(P)Michal. ⁵⁰ The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And ^(Q)the name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. ^51 (R)Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.

⁵² Now the war against the Philistines was severe all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw any mighty man or any valiant man, he ^[j](S)attached him to ^[k]his staff.