1 Samuel 13:15-14

New International Version

¹⁵ Then Samuel left Gilgal^[a] and went up to Gibeah^(A) in Benjamin, and Saul counted the men who were with him. They numbered about six hundred.^(B)

Israel Without Weapons

¹⁶ Saul and his son Jonathan and the men with them were staying in Gibeah^[b](C) in Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Mikmash. ¹⁷ Raiding^(D) parties went out from the Philistine camp in three detachments. One turned toward Ophrah^(E) in the vicinity of Shual, ¹⁸ another toward Beth Horon,^(F) and the third toward the borderland overlooking the Valley of Zeboyim^(G) facing the wilderness.

¹⁹ Not a blacksmith^(H) could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!^(I)” ²⁰ So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plow points, mattocks, axes and sickles^[c] sharpened. ²¹ The price was two-thirds of a shekel^[d] for sharpening plow points and mattocks, and a third of a shekel^[e] for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads.

²² So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan^(J) had a sword or spear^(K) in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

Jonathan Attacks the Philistines

²³ Now a detachment of Philistines had gone out to the pass^(L) at Mikmash.^(M) 14 ¹ One day Jonathan son of Saul said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side.” But he did not tell his father.

² Saul was staying^(N) on the outskirts of Gibeah^(O) under a pomegranate tree^(P) in Migron.^(Q) With him were about six hundred men, ³ among whom was Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod’s^(R) brother Ahitub^(S) son of Phinehas, the son of Eli,^(T) the Lord’s priest in Shiloh.^(U) No one was aware that Jonathan had left.

⁴ On each side of the pass^(V) that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost was a cliff; one was called Bozez and the other Seneh. ⁵ One cliff stood to the north toward Mikmash, the other to the south toward Geba.^(W)

⁶ Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised^(X) men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing^(Y) can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many^(Z) or by few.^(AA)”

⁷ “Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.”

⁸ Jonathan said, “Come on, then; we will cross over toward them and let them see us. ⁹ If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are and not go up to them. ¹⁰ But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will climb up, because that will be our sign^(AB) that the Lord has given them into our hands.^(AC)”

¹¹ So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the Philistines. “The Hebrews^(AD) are crawling out of the holes they were hiding^(AE) in.” ¹² The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come up to us and we’ll teach you a lesson.^(AF)”

So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Climb up after me; the Lord has given them into the hand^(AG) of Israel.”

¹³ Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. ¹⁴ In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre.

Israel Routs the Philistines

¹⁵ Then panic^(AH) struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding^(AI) parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God.^[f]