1 Samuel 14:38-52

New American Standard Bible

³⁸ Then Saul said, “^(A)[a]Come here, all you ^[b]leaders of the people, and investigate and see how this sin has happened today. ³⁹ For ^(B)as the Lord lives, who saves Israel, even if it is in my son Jonathan, he shall assuredly 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 my son Jonathan will be on the other side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good ^[c]to you.” ⁴¹ Therefore, Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel, “^(C)Give a ^[d]perfect lot.” And Jonathan and Saul were selected by lot, but the people ^[e]were exonerated. ⁴² Then Saul said, “Cast lots between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was selected by lot.

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

Constant Warfare

⁴⁷ Now when Saul had taken control of 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 ^[j]inflicted punishment. ⁴⁸ And he acted valiantly and ^[k](M)defeated the Amalekites, and saved Israel from the hands of ^[l]those who plundered them.

⁴⁹ Now ^(N)the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchi-shua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn was ^(O)Merab, and the name of the younger, ^(P)Michal. ⁵⁰ And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And ^(Q)the name of the commander 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 warrior or any valiant man, he ^[m](S)attached him to his staff.