nathan said: Behold we will go over to these men. And when
we shall be seen by them,
14:9. If they shall speak thus to us: Stay till we come to you: let us
stand still in our place, and not go up to them.
14:10. But if they shall say: Come up to us: let us go up, because the
Lord hath delivered them into our hands, this shall be a sign unto us.
This shall be a sign... It is likely Jonathan was instructed by divine
inspiration to make a choice of this sign: otherwise the observation of
omens is superstitious and sinful.
14:11. So both of them discovered themselves to the garrison of the
Philistines: and the Philistines said: Behold the Hebrews come forth out
of the holes wherein they were hid.
14:12. And the men of the garrison spoke to Jonathan, and to his
armourbearer, and said: Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And
Jonathan said to his armourbearer: Let us go up, follow me: for the Lord
hath delivered them into the hands of Israel.
14:13. And Jonathan went up creeping on his hands and feet, and his
armourbearer after him. And some fell before Jonathan, others his
armourbearer slew as he followed him.
14:14. And the first slaughter which Jonathan and his armourbearer made,
was of about twenty men, within half an acre of land, which a yoke of
oxen is wont to plough in a day.
14:15. And there was a miracle in the camp, in the fields: and all the
people of their garrison, who had gone out to plunder, were amazed, and
the earth trembled: and it happened as a miracle from God.
14:16. And the watchmen of Saul, who were in Gabaa of Benjamin looked,
and behold a multitude overthrown, and fleeing this way and that.
14:17. And Saul said to the people that were with him: Look, and see who
is gone from us. And when they had sought, it was found that Jonathan
and his armourbearer were not there.
14:18. And Saul said to Achias: Bring the ark of the Lord. (For the ark
of God was there that day with the children of Israel.)
14:19. And while Saul spoke to the priest, there arose a great uproar in
the camp of the Philistines: and it increased by degrees, and was heard
more clearly. And Saul said to the priest: Draw in thy hand.
14:20. Then Saul, and all the people that were with him, shouted
together, and they came to the place of the fight: and behold every
man's sword was turned upon his neighbour, and there was a very great
slaughter.
14:21. Moreover, the Hebrews that had been with the Philist
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