14:1 有一日，掃羅的兒子約拿單對拿他兵器的少年人說：「我們不如過到那邊，到非利士人的防營那裡去。」但他沒有告訴父親。
14:2 掃羅在基比亞的儘邊，坐在米磯崙的石榴樹下，跟隨他的約有六百人。
14:3 在那裡有亞希突的兒子亞希亞，穿著以弗得。（亞希突是以迦博的哥哥，非尼哈的兒子，以利的孫子。以利從前在示羅作耶和華的祭司。）約拿單去了，百姓卻不知道。
14:4 約拿單要從隘口過到非利士防營那裡去。這隘口兩邊各有一個山峰：一名播薛，一名西尼；
14:5 一峰向北，與密抹相對，一峰向南，與迦巴相對。
14:6 約拿單對拿兵器的少年人說：「我們不如過到未受割禮人的防營那裡去，或者耶和華為我們施展能力；因為耶和華使人得勝，不在乎人多人少。」
14:7 拿兵器的對他說：「隨你的心意行吧。你可以上去，我必跟隨你，與你同心。」
14:8 約拿單說：「我們要過到那些人那裡去，使他們看見我們。
14:9 他們若對我們說：『你們站住，等我們到你們那裡去』，我們就站住，不上他們那裡去。
14:10 他們若說：『你們上到我們這裡來』，這話就是我們的證據；我們便上去，因為耶和華將他們交在我們手裡了。」
14:11 二人就使非利士的防兵看見。非利士人說：「希伯來人從所藏的洞穴裡出來了！」
14:12 防兵對約拿單和拿兵器的人說：「你們上到這裡來，我們有一件事指示你們。」約拿單就對拿兵器的人說：「你跟隨我上去，因為耶和華將他們交在以色列人手裡了。」
14:13 約拿單就爬上去，拿兵器的人跟隨他。約拿單殺倒非利士人，拿兵器的人也隨著殺他們。
14:14 約拿單和拿兵器的人起頭所殺的約有二十人，都在一畝地的半犁溝之內。
14:15 於是在營中、在田野、在眾民內都有戰兢，防兵和掠兵也都戰兢，地也震動，戰兢之勢甚大。
14:16 在便雅憫的基比亞，掃羅的守望兵看見非利士的軍眾潰散，四圍亂竄。
14:17 掃羅就對跟隨他的民說：「你們查點查點，看從我們這裡出去的是誰？」他們一查點，就知道約拿單和拿兵器的人沒有在這裡。
14:18 那時上帝的約櫃在以色列人那裡。掃羅對亞希亞說：「你將上帝的約櫃運了來。」
14:19 掃羅正與祭司說話的時候，非利士營中的喧嚷越發大了；掃羅就對祭司說：「停手吧！」
14:20 掃羅和跟隨他的人都聚集，來到戰場，看見非利士人用刀互相擊殺，大大惶亂。
14:21 從前由四方來跟隨非利士軍的希伯來人現在也轉過來，幫助跟隨掃羅和約拿單的以色列人了。
14:22 那藏在以法蓮山地的以色列人聽說非利士人逃跑，就出來緊緊地追殺他們。
14:23 那日，耶和華使以色列人得勝，一直戰到伯‧亞文。
14:24 掃羅叫百姓起誓說，凡不等到晚上向敵人報完了仇吃甚麼的，必受咒詛。因此這日百姓沒有吃甚麼，就極其困憊。
14:25 眾民進入樹林，見有蜜在地上。
14:26 他們進了樹林，見有蜜流下來，卻沒有人敢用手取蜜入口，因為他們怕那誓言。
14:27 約拿單沒有聽見他父親叫百姓起誓，所以伸手中的杖，用杖頭蘸在蜂房裡，轉手送入口內，眼睛就明亮了。
14:28 百姓中有一人對他說：「你父親曾叫百姓嚴嚴地起誓說，今日吃甚麼的，必受咒詛；因此百姓就疲乏了。」
14:29 約拿單說：「我父親連累你們了。你看，我嘗了這一點蜜，眼睛就明亮了。
14:30 今日百姓若任意吃了從仇敵所奪的物，擊殺的非利士人豈不更多嗎？」
14:31 這日，以色列人擊殺非利士人，從密抹直到亞雅崙。百姓甚是疲乏，
14:32 就急忙將所奪的牛羊和牛犢宰於地上，肉還帶血就吃了。
14:33 有人告訴掃羅說：「百姓吃帶血的肉，得罪耶和華了。」掃羅說：「你們有罪了，今日要將大石頭滾到我這裡來。」
14:34 掃羅又說：「你們散在百姓中，對他們說，你們各人將牛羊牽到我這裡來宰了吃，不可吃帶血的肉得罪耶和華。」這夜，百姓就把牛羊牽到那裡宰了。
14:35 掃羅為耶和華築了一座壇，這是他初次為耶和華築的壇。
14:36 掃羅說：「我們不如夜裡下去追趕非利士人，搶掠他們，直到天亮，不留他們一人。」眾民說：「你看怎樣好就去行吧！」祭司說：「我們先當親近上帝。」
14:37 掃羅求問上帝說：「我下去追趕非利士人可以不可以？你將他們交在以色列人手裡不交？」這日上帝沒有回答他。
14:38 掃羅說：「你們百姓中的長老都上這裡來，查明今日是誰犯了罪。
14:39 我指著救以色列─永生的耶和華起誓，就是我兒子約拿單犯了罪，他也必死。」但百姓中無一人回答他。
14:40 掃羅就對以色列眾人說：「你們站在一邊，我與我兒子約拿單也站在一邊。」百姓對掃羅說：「你看怎樣好就去行吧！」
14:41 掃羅禱告耶和華─以色列的上帝說：「求你指示實情。」於是掣籤掣出掃羅和約拿單來；百姓盡都無事。
14:42 掃羅說：「你們再掣籤，看是我，是我兒子約拿單」，就掣出約拿單來。
14:43 掃羅對約拿單說：「你告訴我，你做了甚麼事？」約拿單說：「我實在以手裡的杖，用杖頭蘸了一點蜜嘗了一嘗。這樣我就死嗎（或譯：吧！）？」
14:44 掃羅說：「約拿單哪，你定要死！若不然，願上帝重重地降罰與我。」
14:45 百姓對掃羅說：「約拿單在以色列人中這樣大行拯救，豈可使他死呢？斷乎不可！我們指著永生的耶和華起誓，連他的一根頭髮也不可落地，因為他今日與上帝一同做事。」於是百姓救約拿單免了死亡。
14:46 掃羅回去，不追趕非利士人；非利士人也回本地去了。
14:47 掃羅執掌以色列的國權，常常攻擊他四圍的一切仇敵，就是摩押人、亞捫人、以東人，和瑣巴諸王，並非利士人。他無論往何處去，都打敗仇敵。
14:48 掃羅奮勇攻擊亞瑪力人，救了以色列人脫離搶掠他們之人的手。
14:49 掃羅的兒子是約拿單、亦施韋、麥基舒亞。他的兩個女兒：長女名米拉，次女名米甲。
14:50 掃羅的妻名叫亞希暖，是亞希瑪斯的女兒。掃羅的元帥名叫押尼珥，是尼珥的兒子；尼珥是掃羅的叔叔。
14:51 掃羅的父親基士，押尼珥的父親尼珥，都是亞別的兒子。
14:52 掃羅平生常與非利士人大大爭戰。掃羅遇見有能力的人或勇士，都招募了來跟隨他。
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 on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron. With
him were about six hundred men, 3 among whom was Ahijah, who
was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub son of Phinehas,
the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest
in Shiloh. No one was aware that Jonathan had left.
4 On
each side of the pass 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.
6 Jonathan
said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those
uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord
will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord
from saving, whether by many or by few.”
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 that the Lord has given them into our hands.”
11 So
both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the
Philistines. “The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding 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.”
So
Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Climb up after me; the Lord has given them into the hand 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.
15 Then
panic struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the
outposts and raiding parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God.
16 Saul’s
lookouts at Gibeah in Benjamin saw the army melting away in all directions. 17 Then
Saul said to the men who were with him, “Muster the forces and see who has left
us.” When they did, it was Jonathan and his armor-bearer who were not there.
18 Saul
said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” (At that time it was with the
Israelites.) 19 While
Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the Philistine camp increased
more and more. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”
20 Then
Saul and all his men assembled and went to the battle. They found the
Philistines in total confusion, striking each other with their swords. 21 Those
Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and had gone up with them
to their camp went over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 When
all the Israelites who had hidden in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the
Philistines were on the run, they joined the battle in hot pursuit. 23 So
on that day the Lord saved Israel,
and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven.
24 Now
the Israelites were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people
under an oath, saying, “Cursed be anyone who eats food before evening comes,
before I have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the troops tasted food.
25 The
entire army entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground. 26 When
they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out; yet no one put his
hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath. 27 But
Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath, so
he reached out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the
honeycomb. He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened. 28 Then
one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the army under a strict oath,
saying, ‘Cursed be anyone who eats food today!’ That is why the men are faint.”
29 Jonathan
said, “My father has made trouble for the country. See how my eyes brightened
when I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better it
would have been if the men had eaten today some of the plunder they took from
their enemies. Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even
greater?”
31 That
day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Mikmash to
Aijalon, they were exhausted. 32 They pounced on the plunder
and, taking sheep, cattle and calves, they butchered them on the ground and ate
them, together with the blood. 33 Then someone said to Saul,
“Look, the men are sinning against the Lord
by eating meat that has blood in it.”
“You
have broken faith,” he said. “Roll a large stone over here at once.” 34 Then
he said, “Go out among the men and tell them, ‘Each of you bring me your cattle
and sheep, and slaughter them here and eat them. Do not sin against the Lord by eating meat with blood still in
it.’”
So
everyone brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there. 35 Then
Saul built an altar to the Lord;
it was the first time he had done this.
36 Saul
said, “Let us go down and pursue the Philistines by night and plunder them till
dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive.”
“Do
whatever seems best to you,” they replied.
But
the priest said, “Let us inquire of God here.”
37 So
Saul asked God, “Shall I go down and pursue the Philistines? Will you give them
into Israel’s hand?” But God did not answer him that day.
38 Saul
therefore said, “Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us
find out what sin has been committed today. 39 As surely as the
Lord who rescues Israel lives,
even if the guilt lies with my son Jonathan, he must die.” But not one of them
said a word.
40 Saul
then said to all the Israelites, “You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son
will stand over here.”
“Do
what seems best to you,” they replied.
41 Then
Saul prayed to the Lord, the God
of Israel, “Why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me
or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the men of Israel are at fault, respond
with Thummim.” Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared. 42 Saul
said, “Cast the lot between me and Jonathan my son.” And Jonathan was taken.
43 Then
Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.”
So
Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honey with the end of my staff. And now I
must die!”
44 Saul
said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you do not die,
Jonathan.”
45 But
the men said to Saul, “Should Jonathan die—he who has brought about this great
deliverance in Israel? Never! As surely as the Lord
lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today
with God’s help.” So the men rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.
46 Then
Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they withdrew to their own land.
47 After
Saul had assumed rule over Israel, he fought against their enemies on every
side: Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah,
and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment on them. 48 He
fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands
of those who had plundered them.
49 Saul’s
sons were Jonathan, Ishvi and Malki-Shua. The name of his older daughter was
Merab, and that of the younger was Michal. 50 His wife’s name
was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of Saul’s army was
Abner son of Ner, and Ner was Saul’s uncle. 51 Saul’s father
Kish and Abner’s father Ner were sons of Abiel.
52 All
the days of Saul there was bitter war with the Philistines, and whenever Saul
saw a mighty or brave man, he took him into his service.
***************
掃羅雖然貴為以色列的國王，卻展現出他的無知、不敬畏上帝、沒有領導力、處事不當、...等等！雖然最後還是在上帝的保守下打勝仗，但是他的一切缺點全部暴露出來了！
當然，不是要我們批評掃羅，而是要以此為借鏡。因為，我們若不好好讀聖經，我們是無法明白人常常是處於愚蠢和無知的狀態，甚至於常常自以為是、自以為敬虔、自以為有愛心、自以為有才幹、自以為有能力可以領導別人、…許多的自以為，其實常常是利用上帝和別人，最後的結果只是害人與害己，就如同掃羅一樣！
聖經常常如同一面鏡子，藉著所描寫的人物的行徑，讓我們看了也反思自己的狀態，是不是像聖經所描寫的人物，一直活在錯誤之中，卻自我感覺良好，以為自己是很偉大（「掃羅」的字義就是偉大），然而事實並非如此！在這樣的情況下，自己都無法改變自己，只能在上帝面前承認自己的不是，求上帝的大能徹底改變我們，是我們完全更新！
因此，我們需要「重生」！需要透過耶穌基督的拯救，使我們有新的生命，活出上帝真正要我們活的樣式！
