1 Samuel 14:24-46
Legacy Standard Bible
Saul’s Oath Makes the People Weary
24 Now the men of Israel were hard-pressed on that day. And Saul had (A)put the people under oath, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food [a]before evening and until I have avenged myself on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food. 25 Now all the people of the land entered the forest, and there was honey on the ground. 26 So the people entered the forest, and behold, (B)there was a flow of honey; but no man put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the sworn oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard when his father put the people under a sworn oath; therefore, (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 brightened. 28 Then one of the people answered and said, “Your father strictly put the people under a sworn 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, how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much more, if only the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now the slaughter among the Philistines has not been great.”
31 Then they struck among the Philistines that day from (F)Michmash to (G)Aijalon. And the people were very weary. 32 (H)So the people [b]rushed greedily upon the spoil, and they took sheep and oxen and calves and slaughtered them on the ground; and the people ate them (I)with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, saying, “Behold, the people are (J)sinning against Yahweh by eating with the blood.” And he said, “You have acted treacherously; roll a great stone to me today.” 34 And Saul said, “Scatter 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 Yahweh by eating with the blood.’” So all the people that night brought each one his ox [c]with him and slaughtered it there. 35 And (K)Saul built an altar to Yahweh; it was the first altar that he built to Yahweh.
36 Then Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them.” And they said, “Do whatever seems good in your eyes.” So (L)the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.” 37 And Saul (M)asked of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You give them into the hand of Israel?” But (N)He did not answer him on that day. 38 And Saul said, “(O)Draw near here, all you [d]chiefs of the people, and know and see how this sin has happened today. 39 For (P)as Yahweh lives, who saves Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely 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 Jonathan my son will be on the other side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good in your eyes.” 41 Therefore, Saul said to Yahweh, the God of Israel, “(Q)Give a perfect lot.” And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped. 42 And Saul said, “Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son.” And Jonathan was taken.
43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, “(R)Tell me what you have done.” So Jonathan told him and said, “(S)I indeed tasted 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 [e]this to me and more also, for (U)you shall surely die, Jonathan.” 45 But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die, who has [f]brought about this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As Yahweh lives, (V)not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for (W)he has worked with God this day.” So the people [g]redeemed Jonathan, and he did not die. 46 Then Saul went up from [h]pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 14:24 Lit until
- 1 Samuel 14:32 Lit did with regard to the spoil
- 1 Samuel 14:34 Lit in his hand
- 1 Samuel 14:38 Lit corners
- 1 Samuel 14:44 Lit thus
- 1 Samuel 14:45 Lit worked
- 1 Samuel 14:45 Lit ransomed
- 1 Samuel 14:46 Lit after
1 Samuel 14:24-46
Common English Bible
24 Now the Israelite soldiers were in a difficult situation that day because Saul had bound the troops by a solemn pledge: “Anyone who eats anything before evening when I have taken revenge on my enemies is doomed.” So none of the army ate anything. 25 The troops[a] came across a honeycomb with honey on the ground. 26 But even when they came across the honeycomb with the honey still flowing, no one ate any of it because the troops were afraid of the solemn pledge. 27 But Jonathan hadn’t heard his father make the people swear the pledge, so he dipped the end of the staff he was carrying into the honeycomb. When he ate some his eyes lit up. 28 Then one of the soldiers spoke up: “Your father bound the troops by a solemn pledge: ‘Anyone who eats food today is doomed.’ That’s why the troops are exhausted.”
29 Jonathan said, “My father has brought trouble to the land. Look how my eyes lit up when I tasted just a bit of that honey! 30 It would have been even better if the troops had eaten some of their enemies’ plunder today when they found it! But now the Philistine defeat isn’t as thorough as it might have been.”
31 That day, after they had fought the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, the troops were completely exhausted. 32 So the troops tore into the plunder, taking sheep, cattle, and calves. They slaughtered them right on the ground and devoured them with the blood still in them. 33 When it was reported to Saul, “The troops are sinning against the Lord by eating meat with blood in it,” Saul said, “All of you are traitors! Roll a large stone over here right now. 34 Go among the troops and say to them, ‘Everyone must bring their ox or sheep, and slaughter them here with me. Don’t sin against the Lord by eating meat with blood still in it.’” So everyone brought whatever they had and slaughtered it there.[b] 35 And Saul built an altar to the Lord. It was the first altar he had built to the Lord.
36 “Let’s go after the Philistines tonight and plunder them until morning,” Saul said. “We won’t leave them a single survivor!”
“Do whatever you think is best,” the troops replied.
But the priest said, “Let’s ask God first.”
37 So Saul questioned God: “Should I go after the Philistines? Will you hand them over to Israel?” But God did not answer him that day.
38 Then Saul said, “All you officers in the army, come forward! Let’s find out what sin was committed today. 39 As surely as the Lord lives—the one who has saved Israel—even if it’s my own son Jonathan, that person will be executed.” Not one of the soldiers answered him. 40 So Saul said to all Israel, “You be on one side, and my son Jonathan and I will be on the other.”
“Do whatever you think is best,” the troops said.
41 Then Saul asked the Lord God of Israel, “Why haven’t you answered your servant today? If the wrongdoing is mine or my son Jonathan’s, respond with Urim, but if the wrongdoing belongs to your people Israel, respond with Thummim.”[c] Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the troops were cleared.
42 Then Saul said, “Decide between me and my son Jonathan.”[d] And Jonathan was selected.
43 “Tell me what you’ve done,” Saul said to Jonathan.
So Jonathan told him. “I only took a very small taste of honey on the end of my staff,” he said. “And now I’m supposed to die?”
44 “May God deal harshly with me and worse still if you don’t die today!”[e] Saul swore.
45 But the troops said to Saul, “Why should Jonathan die when he has won this great victory for Israel? No way! As surely as the Lord lives, not one hair off his head will fall to the ground, because he did this today with God’s help.” So the troops rescued Jonathan, and he wasn’t executed.
46 Then Saul stopped chasing the Philistines, and the Philistines went back to their own country.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 14:25 MT land
- 1 Samuel 14:34 LXX; MT brought their ox and slaughtered it there that night.
- 1 Samuel 14:41 LXX, Vulg; MT Saul asked the Lord God of Israel, “Give the right answer.” Urim and Thummim were sacred lots carried by the priest.
- 1 Samuel 14:42 LXX adds Whoever the Lord selects will die. The army said to Saul, “Don’t do this!” But Saul forced them, so they decided between him and Jonathan his son.
- 1 Samuel 14:44 LXX; MT if you don’t die, Jonathan
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