1 Samuel 14:24-52
1599 Geneva Bible
24 And at that time the men of Israel were pressed with hunger: for Saul charged the people with an oath, saying, [a]Cursed be the man that eateth [b]food till night, that I may be avenged of mine enemies: so none of the people tasted any sustenance.
25 And all they of the land came to a wood, where honey lay upon the ground.
26 And the people came into the wood, and behold, the honey dropped, and no man moved his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the [c]oath.
27 But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honey comb, and put his hand to his mouth, and his [d]eyes received sight.
28 Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father made the people to swear, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth sustenance this day: and the people were [e]faint.
29 Then said Jonathan, My father hath [f]troubled the land: see now how mine eyes are made clear, because I have tasted a little of this honey:
30 How much more, if the people had eaten today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a greater slaughter among the Philistines?
31 ¶ And they smote the Philistines that day, from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were exceeding faint.
32 So the people turned to the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves and slew them on the ground, and the people did eat them (A)with the blood.
33 Then men told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the Lord, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have trespassed: [g]roll a great stone unto me this day.
34 Again Saul said, Go abroad among the people, and bid them bring me every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat, and sin not against the Lord in eating with the blood. And the people brought every man his ox in his hand that night, and slew them there.
35 Then Saul made an altar unto the Lord, and that [h]was the first altar that he made unto the Lord.
36 ¶ And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morning shine, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever thou thinkest best. Then said the Priest, Let us [i]draw near hither unto God.
37 So Saul asked of God, saying, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hands of Israel? But he answered him not at that time.
38 ¶ And Saul said, (B)All [j]ye chief of the people, come ye hither, and know, and see by whom this sin is done this day.
39 For as the Lord liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be done by Jonathan my son, he shall die the death. But none of all the people answered him.
40 Then he said unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, Do what thou thinkest best.
41 Then Saul said unto the Lord God of Israel, Give [k]a perfect lot. And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped.
42 And Saul said, Cast lot between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.
43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I tasted a little honey with the end of the rod, that was in mine hand, and lo, I must die.
44 Again Saul answered, God do so and more also, unless thou die the death, Jonathan.
45 And the people said unto Saul, [l]Shall Jonathan die, who hath so mightily delivered Israel? God forbid. As the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground: for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people delivered Jonathan that he died not.
46 Then Saul came up from the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place.
47 ¶ So Saul held the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the Kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he went, he [m]handled them as wicked men.
48 He gathered also an host and smote [n]Amalek, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.
49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, [o]and Jishui, and Malchishua: and the names of his two daughters, the elder was called Merab, and the younger was named [p]Michal.
50 And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of his chief captain was [q]Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.
51 And Kish was Saul’s father: and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
52 And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and [r]whomsoever Saul saw to be a strong man, and meet for the war, he took him unto him.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 14:24 Such was his hypocrisy and arrogancy, that he thought to attribute to his policy that which God had given by the hand of Jonathan.
- 1 Samuel 14:24 Hebrew, bread.
- 1 Samuel 14:26 That is, the punishment, if they break their oath.
- 1 Samuel 14:27 Which were dim before for weariness and hunger.
- 1 Samuel 14:28 Or, weary.
- 1 Samuel 14:29 By making this cruel law.
- 1 Samuel 14:33 That the blood of the beast that shall be slain, may be pressed out upon it.
- 1 Samuel 14:35 Or, of that stone began he to build an altar.
- 1 Samuel 14:36 To ask counsel of him.
- 1 Samuel 14:38 Hebrew, corners.
- 1 Samuel 14:41 Cause the lot to fall on him that hath broken the oath: but he doth not consider his presumption in commanding the same oath.
- 1 Samuel 14:45 The people thought it their duty to rescue him, who of ignorance had but broken a rash law, and by whom they had received so great a benefit.
- 1 Samuel 14:47 Or, overcame them.
- 1 Samuel 14:48 As the Lord had commanded, Deut. 25:17.
- 1 Samuel 14:49 Called also Abinadab, 1 Sam. 31:2.
- 1 Samuel 14:49 Which was the Wife of David, 1 Sam. 18:27.
- 1 Samuel 14:50 Whom Joab the captain of David slew, 2 Sam. 3:27.
- 1 Samuel 14:52 As Samuel had forewarned, 1 Sam. 8:11.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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