I Samuel 14 · The Lantern

Then on a day Ionathan the sonne of Saul sayde vnto the yong man that bare his armour, Come and let vs goe ouer towarde the Philistims garison, that is yonder on the other side, but he tolde not his father.

And Saul taried in the border of Gibeah vnder a pomegranate tree, which was in Migron, and the people that were with him, were about sixe hundreth men.

And Ahiah the sonne of Ahitub, Ichabods brother, the sonne of Phinehas, the sonne of Eli, was the Lordes Priest in Shiloh, and ware an Ephod: and the people knewe not that Ionathan was gone.

Nowe in the way whereby Ionathan sought to go ouer to the Philistims garison, there was a sharpe rocke on the one side, and a sharpe rocke on the other side: the name of the one was called Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

The one rocke stretched from the North towarde Michmash, and the other was from the South toward Gibeah.

And Ionathan saide to the yong man that bare his armour, Come, and let vs goe ouer vnto the garison of these vncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will worke with vs: for it is not hard to the Lord to saue with many, or with fewe.

And he that bare his armour, saide vnto him, Doe all that is in thine heart: goe where it pleaseth thee: beholde, I am with thee as thine heart desireth.

Then said Ionathan, Beholde, we goe ouer vnto those men, and will shewe our selues vnto them.

If they say on this wise to vs, Tarie vntill we come to you, then we will stand still in our place, and not goe vp to them.

But if they say, Come vp vnto vs, then we will goe vp: for the Lord hath deliuered them into our hande: and this shall be a signe vnto vs.

So they both shewed themselues vnto the garison of the Philistims: and the Philistims said, See, the Ebrewes come out of the holes wherein they had hid themselues.

In these circumstances [with few weapons and Saul's fearful army], Jonathan, with an audacious design and with his armor bearer as his only companion, entered the camp of the enemy, and having slain about twenty of them, [he] spread a terror throughout the whole army.

What is the meaning of Jonathan being said to appear to the Philistines with his armor-bearer, if not that the teacher himself must first display the good that he strives to teach others? For he cannot be received with reverence in preaching if he does not first exhibit the honor of his ministry through the light of a good life.

Both appeared to the garrison of the Philistines, etc. Although the Philistines mockingly speak true things mystically; clearly the spiritual Hebrews, that is, those crossing over from vices, are defended from the assaults of enemies by the safest fortresses of the Scriptures, and refreshed by the consolation of these, proceed to public works of virtues to overcome the same mos…

And the men of the garison answered Ionathan, and his armour bearer, and said, Come vp to vs: for we will shewe you a thing. Then Ionathan said vnto his armour bearer, Come vp after me: for the Lord hath deliuered them into the hand of Israel.

So Ionathan went vp vpon his hands and vpon his feete, and his armour bearer after him: and some fell before Ionathan, and his armour bearer slewe others after him.

So the first slaughter which Ionathan and his armour bearer made, was about twentie men, as it were within halfe an acre of land which two oxen plowe.

And there was a feare in the hoste, and in the field, and among all the people: the garison also, and they that went out to spoyle, were afraid themselues: and the earth trembled: for it was striken with feare by God.

Then the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Beniamin sawe: and beholde, the multitude was discomfited, and smitten as they went.

Therefore saide Saul vnto the people that were with him, Search nowe and see, who is gone from vs. And when they had nombred, beholde, Ionathan and his armour bearer were not there.

And Saul said vnto Ahiah, Bring hither the Arke of God (for the Arke of God was at that time with the children of Israel)

And while Saul talked vnto the Priest, the noyse that was in the hoste of the Philistims, spred farther abroade, and encreased: therefore Saul said vnto the Priest, Withdraw thine hand.

And Saul was assembled with all the people that were with him, and they came to the battell: and behold, euery mans sworde was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.

Moreouer, the Ebrewes that were with the Philistims beforetime, and were come with them into all partes of the hoste, euen they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Ionathan.

Who are the Hebrews who had been with the Philistines, if not sinners who have fallen from a religious way of life? Of whom it was said not far above: "The Hebrews crossed the Jordan." They are Hebrews indeed by the order of religion, but they are with the Philistines, and they go up with them, as long as they are deceived by harmful suggestions and advance in wicked conduct.

And the Hebrews who had been with the Philistines yesterday and the day before, etc. Many, having been seduced by heretics and fighting against the Church with them, when they perceived the dissonance of their doctrine, and saw their dialectical subtleties surpassed by the simplicity of the Catholic faith, as if by the act of Jonathan, returned to be reconciled to the Catholic…

Also all the men of Israel which had hid themselues in mount Ephraim, when they heard, that the Philistims were fled, they followed after them in the battell.

And so the Lord saued Israel that day: and the battell continued vnto Beth-auen.

And at that time the men of Israel were pressed with hunger: for Saul charged the people with an othe, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth foode till night, that I may be auenged of mine enemies: so none of the people tasted any sustenance.

And all they of the land came to a wood, where hony lay vpon the ground.

And the people came into the wood, and beholde, the hony dropped, and no man mooued his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the othe.

But Ionathan heard not when his father charged the people with the othe: wherefore he put foorth the ende of the rod that was in his hand, and dipt it in an hony combe, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes receiued sight.

Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father made the people to sweare, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth sustenance this day: and the people were faint.

Then said Ionathan, My father hath troubled the land: see nowe howe mine eyes are made cleare, because I haue tasted a litle of this honie:

Howe much more, if the people had eaten to day of the spoyle of their enemies which they found? for had there not bene nowe a greater slaughter among the Philistims?

And they smote the Philistims that day, from Michmash to Aiialon: and the people were exceeding faint.

So the people turned to the spoile, and tooke sheepe, and oxen, and calues, and slewe them on the ground, and the people did eate them with the blood.

Then men tolde Saul, saying, Beholde, the people sinne against the Lord, in that they eate with the blood. And he saide, Ye haue trespassed: roule a great stone vnto me this day.

It is proper to the preachers of the holy Church both to rebuke committed faults and to show how those rebuked faults ought to be avoided. Once rebuked, they become known, but if people do not know how to avoid them, once exposed they are repeated. What is shown in this eating of blood, if not the hidden poison of pride? But hidden vices are not cured unless they are exposed.

They reported to Saul, saying that the people had sinned against the Lord, etc. The diligent leaders, knowing the negligence of idle teachers, wherein the people sin against the Lord, baptizing those who have not yet been purified from carnality nor fully instructed in faith, immediately rebuke such transgressors and command that the rule of heavenly life be openly proposed wit…

Againe Saul said, Goe abroade among the people, and bid them bring me euery man his oxe, and euery man his sheepe, and slay them here, and eate and sinne not against the Lord in eating with the blood. And ye people brought euery man his oxe in his hand that night, and slew them there.

Then Saul made an altar vnto the Lord, and that was the first altar that he made vnto the Lord.

And Saul saide, Let vs goe downe after the Philistims by night, and spoyle them vntill the morning shine, and let vs not leaue a man of them. And they saide, Doe whatsoeuer thou thinkest best. Then saide the Priest, Let vs drawe neere hither vnto God.

So Saul asked of God, saying, Shall I goe downe after ye Philistims? wilt thou deliuer them into the hands of Israel? But he answered him not at that time.

And Saul said, All ye chiefe of the people, come ye hither, and knowe, and see by whom this sinne is done this day.

For as the Lord liueth, which saueth Israel, though it be done by Ionathan my sonne, he shall dye the death. But none of all the people answered him.

Then he saide vnto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Ionathan my sonne will be on the other side. And the people saide vnto Saul, Doe what thou thinkest best.

Then Saul said vnto the Lord God of Israel, Giue a perfite lot. And Ionathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped.

And Saul saide, Cast lot betweene me and Ionathan my sonne. And Ionathan was taken.

Then Saul said to Ionathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Ionathan tolde him, and said, I tasted a litle hony with the ende of the rod, that was in mine hand, and loe, I must die.

Jonathan tasted of a honeycomb on a rod, and his eyes were enlightened, and his life was in danger because he acted through ignorance. For Scripture testifies to the fact that he did not know that his father had given strict orders that no one was to taste any food until the victory of the Lord was accomplished.

It is no light sin, as I have said, to violate the appointed fast. In order to demonstrate this briefly by examples, we read in the book of Kings [Samuel] that when Saul the king of Israel was waging war against the foreigners he proclaimed a fast for his entire army, and when all were abstaining he began to fight against the opposing forces.

For what is it that the captive is interrogated, except because faults which seem to have been detected by signs or conjectures are not yet to be struck? For it is as though the wound is already held, but it is still covered. Let it therefore be uncovered, so that it may be able to be healed and cured.

Againe Saul answered, God doe so and more also, vnlesse thou die the death, Ionathan.

And the people said vnto Saul, Shall Ionathan die, who hath so mightily deliuered Israel? God forbid. As the Lord liueth, there shall not one heare of his head fall to the ground: for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people deliuered Ionathan that he dyed not.

Then Saul came vp from the Philistims: and the Philistims went to their owne place.

So Saul helde the kingdome ouer Israel, and fought against all his enemies on euery side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the Kings of Zobah, and against the Philistims: and whithersoeuer he went, he handled them as wicked men.

He gathered also an hoste and smote Amalek, and deliuered Israel out of the handes of them that spoyled them.

Nowe the sonnes of Saul were Ionathan, and Ishui, and Malchishua: and the names of his two daughters, the elder was called Merab, and the yonger was named Michal.

And the name of Sauls wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of his chiefe captaine was Abner the sonne of Ner, Sauls vncle.

And Kish was Sauls father: and Ner the father of Abner was the sonne of Abiel.

And there was sore warre against the Philistims all the dayes of Saul: and whomsoeuer Saul sawe to be a strong man, and meete for the warre, he tooke him vnto him.

I Samuel14