and
caves:" and they said to Jonathan and to his armor-bearer, "Come on,
ascend up to us, that we may inflict a just punishment upon you, for
your rash attempt upon us." So Saul's son accepted of that invitation,
as what signified to him victory, and he immediately came out of the
place whence they were seen by their enemies: so he changed his place,
and came to the rock, which had none to guard it, because of its own
strength; from thence they crept up with great labor and difficulty, and
so far overcame by force the nature of the place, till they were able
to fight with their enemies. So they fell upon them as they were asleep,
and slew about twenty of them, and thereby filled them with disorder and
surprise, insomuch that some of them threw away their entire armor and
fled; but the greatest part, not knowing one another, because they were
of different nations, suspected one another to be enemies, [for they
did not imagine there were only two of the Hebrews that came up,] and
so they fought one against another; and some of them died in the battle,
and some, as they were flying away, were thrown down from the rock
headlong.

3. Now Saul's watchmen told the king that the camp of the Philistines
was in confusion; then he inquired whether any body was gone away from
the army; and when he heard that his son, and with him his armor-bearer,
were absent, he bade the high priest take the garments of his high
priesthood, and prophesy to him what success they should have; who said
that they should get the victory, and prevail against their enemies.
So he went out after the Philistines, and set upon them as they were
slaying one another. Those also who had fled to dens and caves, upon
hearing that Saul was gaining a victory, came running to him. When,
therefore, the number of the Hebrews that came to Saul amounted to about
ten thousand, he pursued the enemy, who were scattered all over the
country; but then he fell into an action, which was a very unhappy one,
and liable to be very much blamed; for, whether out of ignorance or
whether out of joy for a victory gained so strangely, [for it frequently
happens that persons so fortunate are not then able to use their reason
consistently,] as he was desirous to avenge himself, and to exact a
due punishment of the Philistines, he denounced a curse [13] upon the
Hebrews: That if any one put a stop to his slaughter of the enemy, and
fell on eating, and left off the slaughter or the pursu