11. So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine troops. The Philistines said, “Look, some Hebrews are coming out of the holes they were hiding in.”
12. “Come up here,” the men of the military post said to Jonathan and his armorbearer. “We have something to show you.”Jonathan told his armorbearer, “Follow me up ⌊to the military post⌋ because the Lord has handed the troops over to Israel.”
13. Jonathan climbed up ⌊the cliff⌋, and his armorbearer followed him. Jonathan struck down the Philistines. His armorbearer, who was behind him, finished killing them.
14. In their first slaughter Jonathan and his armorbearer killed about twenty men within about a hundred yards.
15. There was panic among the army in the field and all the troops in the military post. The raiding party also trembled ⌊in fear⌋. The earth shook, and there was a panic sent from God.
16. Saul’s watchmen at Gibeah in Benjamin could see the crowd ⌊in the Philistine camp⌋ dispersing in all directions.
17. “Look around,” Saul told the troops who were with him, “and see who has left ⌊our camp⌋.” They looked and found that Jonathan and his armorbearer were not there.
18. Then Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the priestly ephod,” because Ahijah carried the ephod in front of Israel that day.
19. While Saul was talking to the priest, the confusion in the Philistine camp grew worse and worse. Then Saul said to the priest, “Remove your hand ⌊from the ephod⌋.”
20. Saul and all the troops with him assembled and went into battle. They found Philistine soldiers killing their fellow soldiers in wild confusion.
21. The Hebrews who had been with the Philistines before this and had been stationed in the camp now joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.
22. When all the men of Israel who had been hiding in the mountains of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they also pursued the Philistines in battle.
23. So the Lord saved Israel that day.Now, the battle moved beyond Beth Aven.
24. Israel’s soldiers were driven hard that day. Saul made the troops swear, “Cursed is anyone who eats food before the evening comes and before I’ve gotten revenge on my enemies.” So none of his troops tasted any food.
25. The entire land had honeycombs, and there was honey on the ground.
26. When the troops entered the woods, the honey was flowing. But no one put his hand to his mouth, because the troops were afraid of violating their oath.
27. Jonathan hadn’t heard that his father forced the troops to take an oath. So he stretched out the tip of the staff he had in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb. When he put it to his mouth, his eyes lit up.