glad. And the men of Jabesh said to Nahash the Ammonite To-morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good to you. And it came to pass on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and smote the Ammonites until the heat of the day; and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together. Then all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before Jehovah in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed peace-offerings before Jehovah; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly. CHAPTER I. I. SAMUEL, xiii., xiv., xvi. PSALMS, viii., xix., xxix. KING SAUL. Jonathan Smites a Philistine Garrison-A Philistine Invasion-Jonathan in the Camp of the Philistines-The Battle of MichmashSaul's Curse-Jonathan and the Honeycomb-The Oracle is Silent-Decision by Urim and Thummim-Jonathan Condemned to Death-Rescued by the Army-Saul's Victories-Saul's Madness-David before Saul-David's Music-The Glory of Jehovah-Sunrise-The Song of Seven Thunders. In those days the Philistines mightily oppressed Israel. There was no smith found throughout the land of Israel ; for the Philistines said: Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears: but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. So the Israelites were servants unto the Philistines; and there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people, save only with Saul and Jonathan his son. Then Jonathan (Jah hath given), Saul's son, smote a garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it, and gathered together to fight with Israel, three thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people like the sand which is on the seashore in multitude; and they came up, and pitched by Michmash, eastward from Beth-aven. Then the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, and the people hid themselves in caves, and thickets, and rocks, and holes, and cisterns. And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gilead; but Saul and Jonathan his son, and the people that were with them, about six hundred men, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin. And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies one company took the road toward Ophrah; and another company took the road toward Beth-horon; and another company took the road of the hills looking down upon the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. And it came to pass one day, that Jonathan, Saul's son, said to the young man that bare his armor: Come and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on the other side yonder. But he told not his father. And Saul abode in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone. Now on either side of the pass which Jonathan must cross to come unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side; and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. The one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Gibeah. And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armor: Come and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised; if perchance Jehovah will work for us; for nought is impossible to Jehovah, to save by many or by few. And his armor-bearer said to him: Do all that thine heart biddeth thee; behold, I am with thee; as thy heart, so my heart. Then said Jonathan Behold, we will pass over toward the men, and discover ourselves unto them. If they say thus to us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not |