1 Samuel 14:24-46

Evangelical Heritage Version

²⁴ The men of Israel were pushed to their limits that day, because Saul had imposed an oath on the people: “Cursed is the man who eats any food until it is evening and I have been avenged on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted any food.

²⁵ The entire army had come into a forest, and there was honey on the ground. ²⁶ When the army came into the forest, they saw the honey dripping, but no one put his hand to his mouth, because the people were afraid as a result of the oath. ²⁷ Jonathan, however, had not heard his father put the people under oath. So he stuck out the tip of the staff that was in his hand, dipped it into the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth, and he was revived.^[a]

²⁸ Then one of the soldiers responded and said, “Your father specifically placed the people under an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’ That is why the people are so weak.”

²⁹ Then Jonathan said, “My father has caused trouble for the land. See how I have been revived, because I tasted a little of this honey. ³⁰ How much better it would have been today if the people had eaten freely from the plunder taken from their enemies. The slaughter among the Philistines would have been even greater.”

³¹ The Israelites struck down the Philistines that day from Mikmash to Aijalon. The troops were very weak, ³² so they pounced on the plunder. They took sheep, cattle, and calves and slaughtered them on the spot, and they ate them with the blood still in them. ³³ Saul was told, “Look, the people are sinning against the Lord. They are eating meat with the blood still in it.”

Saul said, “You have acted unfaithfully. Roll a large stone over here to me right now!” ³⁴ Then he said, “Spread out among the people and tell them, ‘Have each man bring his ox or his sheep here to me. Kill them here, and eat them, but do not sin against the Lord by eating meat with the blood still in it.’” So that night each person brought his ox with him, and together they killed them there.

³⁵ Saul built an altar to the Lord. This was the first altar which he built to the Lord. ³⁶ Saul said, “We will pursue the Philistines by night and take plunder from them until the morning light. We will not allow a man of them to survive.”

The people responded, “Do whatever seems good to you.”

But the priest said, “We should consult God here.”

³⁷ So Saul inquired of God, “Shall I pursue the Philistines? Will you deliver them into Israel’s hand?” But God did not answer him that day. ³⁸ So Saul said, “Come over here, all you pillars^[b] of the people, and let us find out what sin has been committed today. ³⁹ For, as the Lord lives, who saves Israel, even if it is my son Jonathan, he must surely die.” But there was not a man among all the people who responded to him. ⁴⁰ Then Saul said to all Israel, “You stand on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other side.”

The people said to Saul, “Do whatever seems good to you.”

⁴¹ So Saul said 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 fault is with the men of Israel,⎦^[c] respond with Thummim.”

Then Jonathan and Saul were chosen, and the people were not chosen.

⁴² Saul said, “Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. ⎣The person the Lord identifies by lot shall be put to death.”

But the people said to Saul, “Absolutely not.” But Saul overruled the people, so they cast lots between him and Jonathan his son,⎦^[d] and Jonathan was selected by lot.

⁴³ Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done!”

Jonathan told him, “I just tasted a little honey with the tip of the staff that was in my hand, and now I must die?”

⁴⁴ Saul said, “May God punish me severely and double it,^[e] if you are not put to death, Jonathan.”

⁴⁵ The people said to Saul, “Should Jonathan die? He has accomplished this great deliverance for Israel. Absolutely not!^[f] As the Lord lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, because he has worked with God today!” So the people rescued Jonathan, so that he did not die. ⁴⁶ Then Saul gave up pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went back to their own places.