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.