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1 Samuel 14:24-46
New American Standard Bible
1 Samuel 14:24-46
New American Standard Bible
Saul’s Foolish Order
24 Now the men of Israel were hard-pressed on that day, for Saul had (A)put the people under oath, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food [a]before evening, and before I have avenged myself on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food. 25 All the people of the land entered the forest, and there was honey on the ground. 26 When the people entered the forest, behold, (B)there was honey dripping; but no man put his hand to his mouth, because the people feared the oath. 27 However, Jonathan had not heard it when his father put the people under oath; so (C)he put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth, and (D)his eyes [b]brightened. 28 Then one of the people responded and said, “Your father strictly put the people under oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food today.’” And the people were weary. 29 Then Jonathan said, “(E)My father has troubled the land. See now that my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much more, if only the people had freely eaten today of the spoils of their enemies which they found! For now the defeat among the Philistines has not been great.”
31 They attacked the Philistines that day from (F)Michmash to (G)Aijalon. But the people were very tired. 32 So (H)the people loudly rushed upon the spoils, and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground; and the people ate them (I)with the blood. 33 Then observers informed Saul, saying, “Look, the people are (J)sinning against the Lord by eating meat with the blood.” And he said, “You have acted treacherously; roll a large rock to me today.” 34 Then Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, ‘Each one of you bring me his ox or his sheep, and slaughter it here and eat; and do not sin against the Lord by eating it with the blood.’” So all the people brought them that night, each one his ox [c]with him, and they slaughtered them there. 35 And (K)Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first altar that he built to the Lord.
36 Then Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines by night and take plunder among them until the morning light, and let’s not leave a man among them alive.” And they said, “Do whatever seems good [d]to you.” So (L)the priest said, “Let’s approach God here.” 37 So Saul (M)inquired of God: “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You hand them over to Israel?” But (N)He did not answer him on that day. 38 Then Saul said, “(O)[e]Come here, all you [f]leaders of the people, and investigate and see how this sin has happened today. 39 For (P)as the Lord lives, who saves Israel, even if it is in my son Jonathan, he shall assuredly die!” But not one of all the people answered him. 40 Then he said to all Israel, “You shall be on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good [g]to you.” 41 Therefore, Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel, “(Q)Give a [h]perfect lot.” And Jonathan and Saul were selected by lot, but the people [i]were exonerated. 42 Then Saul said, “Cast lots between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was selected by lot.
43 So Saul said to Jonathan, “(R)Tell me what you have done.” And Jonathan told him, and said, “(S)I did indeed taste a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am, I must die!” 44 And Saul said, “(T)May God do the same to me and more also, for (U)you shall certainly die, Jonathan!” 45 But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die, he who has [j]brought about this great [k]victory in Israel? Far from it! As the Lord lives, (V)not even a hair of his head shall fall to the ground, because (W)he has worked with God this day.” So the people [l]rescued Jonathan and he did not die. 46 Then Saul went up from [m]pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 14:24 Lit until
- 1 Samuel 14:27 As in some mss and ancient versions; MT saw
- 1 Samuel 14:34 Lit with his hand
- 1 Samuel 14:36 Lit in your eyes
- 1 Samuel 14:38 Lit Approach here
- 1 Samuel 14:38 Lit cornerstones
- 1 Samuel 14:40 Lit in your eyes
- 1 Samuel 14:41 I.e., a clear answer
- 1 Samuel 14:41 Lit got out
- 1 Samuel 14:45 Lit worked
- 1 Samuel 14:45 Lit deliverance
- 1 Samuel 14:45 Lit ransomed
- 1 Samuel 14:46 Lit after
1 Samuel 14:24-46
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
1 Samuel 14:24-46
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Saul’s Rash Oath
24 Now Saul committed a very rash act on that day.[a] He had laid an oath on the troops, saying, “Cursed be anyone who eats food before it is evening and I have been avenged on my enemies.” So none of the troops tasted food.(A) 25 All the troops[b] came upon a honeycomb, and there was honey on the ground. 26 When the troops came upon the honeycomb, the honey was dripping out, but they did not put their hands to their mouths, for they feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the troops with the oath, so he extended the staff that was in his hand and dipped the tip of it in the honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.(B) 28 Then one of the soldiers said, “Your father strictly charged the troops with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be anyone who eats food this day.’ And so the troops are faint.” 29 Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land; see how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.(C) 30 How much better if today the troops had eaten freely of the spoil taken from their enemies, for now the defeat of the Philistines has not been great.”
31 After they had struck down the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon, the troops were very faint, 32 so the troops flew upon the spoil and took sheep and oxen and calves and slaughtered them on the ground, and the troops ate them with the blood.(D) 33 Then it was reported to Saul, “Look, the troops are sinning against the Lord by eating with the blood.” And he said, “You have dealt treacherously; roll a large stone before me here.”[c] 34 Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the troops and say to them: Let all bring their oxen or their sheep, and slaughter them here and eat, and do not sin against the Lord by eating with the blood.” So all of the troops brought their oxen with them that night and slaughtered them there. 35 And Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first altar that he built to the Lord.(E)
Jonathan in Danger of Death
36 Then Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and despoil them until the morning light; let us not leave one of them.” They said, “Do whatever seems good to you.” But the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.” 37 So Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?” But he did not answer him that day.(F) 38 Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the people, and let us find out how this sin has arisen today.(G) 39 For as the Lord lives who saves Israel, even if it is in my son Jonathan, he shall surely die!” But there was no one among all the people who answered him.(H) 40 He said to all Israel, “You shall be on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other side.” The people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.” 41 Then Saul said, “O Lord God of Israel, why have you not answered your servant today? If this guilt is in me or in my son Jonathan, O Lord God of Israel, give Urim, but if this guilt is in your people Israel,[d] give Thummim.” And Jonathan and Saul were indicated by the lot, but the people were cleared.(I) 42 Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was taken.
43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honey with the tip of the staff that was in my hand; here I am; I will die.”(J) 44 Saul said, “God do so to me and more also; you shall surely die, Jonathan!”(K) 45 Then the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has accomplished this great victory in Israel? Far from it! As the Lord lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God today.” So the people ransomed Jonathan, and he did not die.(L) 46 Then Saul withdrew from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.
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1 Samuel 14:24-46
New International Version
1 Samuel 14:24-46
New International Version
Jonathan Eats Honey
24 Now the Israelites were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath,(A) saying, “Cursed be anyone who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the troops tasted food.
25 The entire army entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground. 26 When they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out; yet no one put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath, so he reached out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb.(B) He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.[a] 28 Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the army under a strict oath, saying, ‘Cursed be anyone who eats food today!’ That is why the men are faint.”
29 Jonathan said, “My father has made trouble(C) for the country. See how my eyes brightened when I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better it would have been if the men had eaten today some of the plunder they took from their enemies. Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?”
31 That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Mikmash(D) to Aijalon,(E) they were exhausted. 32 They pounced on the plunder(F) and, taking sheep, cattle and calves, they butchered them on the ground and ate them, together with the blood.(G) 33 Then someone said to Saul, “Look, the men are sinning against the Lord by eating meat that has blood(H) in it.”
“You have broken faith,” he said. “Roll a large stone over here at once.” 34 Then he said, “Go out among the men and tell them, ‘Each of you bring me your cattle and sheep, and slaughter them here and eat them. Do not sin against the Lord by eating meat with blood still(I) in it.’”
So everyone brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there. 35 Then Saul built an altar(J) to the Lord; it was the first time he had done this.
36 Saul said, “Let us go down and pursue the Philistines by night and plunder them till dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive.”
“Do whatever seems best to you,” they replied.
But the priest said, “Let us inquire(K) of God here.”
37 So Saul asked God, “Shall I go down and pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel’s hand?” But God did not answer(L) him that day.
38 Saul therefore said, “Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed(M) today. 39 As surely as the Lord who rescues Israel lives,(N) even if the guilt lies with my son Jonathan,(O) he must die.”(P) But not one of them said a word.
40 Saul then said to all the Israelites, “You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here.”
“Do what seems best to you,” they replied.
41 Then Saul prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the men of Israel are at fault,[b] respond with Thummim.” Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared. 42 Saul said, “Cast the lot(Q) between me and Jonathan my son.” And Jonathan was taken.
43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.”(R)
So Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honey(S) with the end of my staff. And now I must die!”
44 Saul said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely,(T) if you do not die, Jonathan.(U)”
45 But the men said to Saul, “Should Jonathan die—he who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Never! As surely as the Lord lives, not a hair(V) of his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today with God’s help.” So the men rescued(W) Jonathan, and he was not put to death.
46 Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they withdrew to their own land.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 14:27 Or his strength was renewed; similarly in verse 29
- 1 Samuel 14:41 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have “Why … at fault.
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