21
And the servants who had been before with the Philistines, who had gone up to the army, turned themselves also to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.
22
And all the Israelites who were hidden in mount Ephraim heard also that the Philistines fled; and they also gather themselves after them to battle: and the Lord saved Israel in that day; and the war passed through Bamoth; and all the people with Saul were about ten thousand men.
23
And the battle extended itself to every city in the mount Ephraim.
24
And Saul committed a great trespass of ignorance in that day, and he lays a curse on the people, saying, Cursed the man who shall eat bread before the evening; so I will avenge myself on my enemy: and none of the people tasted bread, though all the land was dining.
25
And Jaal was a wood abounding in swarms of bees on the face of the ground.
26
And the people went into the place of the bees, and, behold, they continued speaking; and, behold, there was none that put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath of the Lord.
27
And Jonathan had not heard when his father adjured the people; and he reached forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, an dipped it into the honeycomb, and returned his hand to his mouth, and his eyes recovered their sight.
28
And one of the people answered and said, Thy father solemnly adjured the people, saying, Cursed the man who shall eat bread to-day. And the people were very faint,
29
and Jonathan knew it, and said, My father has destroyed the land: see how my eyes have received sight that I have tasted a little of this honey.
30
Surely if the people had this day eaten freely of the spoils of their enemies which they found, the slaughter among the Philistines would have been greater.
31
And on that day he smote some of the Philistines in Machmas; and the people were very weary.