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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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Footnotes

  1. 14.24 Gk: Heb The Israelites were distressed that day
  2. 14.25 Heb land
  3. 14.33 Gk: Heb me this day
  4. 14.41 Gk OL: Heb Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel

Jonathan Violates Saul’s Oath

24 Now the men of Israel were hard pressed that day, for Saul had made the army agree to this oath: “Cursed be the man who eats food before evening. I will get my vengeance on my enemies!” So no one in the army ate anything.

25 Now the whole army[a] entered the forest, and there was honey on the ground.[b] 26 When the army entered the forest, they saw[c] the honey flowing, but no one ate any of it,[d] for the army was afraid of the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard about the oath his father had made the army take. He extended the end of his staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb. When he ate it,[e] his eyes gleamed.[f] 28 Then someone from the army informed him, “Your father put the army under a strict oath[g] saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food today.’ That is why the army is tired.” 29 Then Jonathan said, “My father has caused trouble for the land. See how my eyes gleamed[h] when I tasted just a little of this honey. 30 Certainly if the army had eaten some of the enemies’ provisions that they came across today, would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?”

31 On that day the army struck down the Philistines from Micmash to Aijalon, and they became very tired. 32 So the army rushed greedily on[i] the[j] plunder, confiscating sheep, cattle, and calves. They slaughtered them right on the ground, and the army ate them, blood and all.

33 Now it was reported to Saul, “Look, the army is sinning against the Lord by eating even the blood.” He said, “All of you have broken the covenant![k] Roll a large stone over here[l] to me.” 34 Then Saul said, “Scatter out among the army and say to them, ‘Each of you bring to me your ox and sheep and slaughter them in this spot and eat. But don’t sin against the Lord by eating the blood.” So that night each one brought his ox and slaughtered it there.[m] 35 Then Saul built an altar for the Lord; it was the first time he had built an altar for the Lord.

36 Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines at night; we will rout[n] them until the break of day.[o] We won’t leave any of them alive!”[p] They replied, “Do whatever seems best to you.”[q] But the priest said, “Let’s approach God here.” 37 So Saul asked God, “Should I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But he did not answer him that day.

38 Then Saul said, “All you leaders of the army come here. Find out[r] how this sin occurred today. 39 For as surely as the Lord, the deliverer of Israel, lives, even if it turns out to be my own son Jonathan, he will certainly die!” But no one from the army said anything.[s]

40 Then he said to all Israel, “You will be on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other side.” The army replied to Saul, “Do whatever you think is best.”

41 Then Saul said, “O Lord God of Israel! If this sin has been committed by me or by my son Jonathan, then, O Lord God of Israel, respond with Urim. But if this sin has been committed by your people Israel, respond with Thummim.”[t] Then Jonathan and Saul were indicated by lot, while the army was exonerated.[u] 42 Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan!”[v] Jonathan was indicated by lot.

43 So Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” Jonathan told him, “I used the end of the staff that was in my hand to taste a little honey. I must die!”[w] 44 Saul said, “God will punish me severely if Jonathan doesn’t die!”[x]

45 But the army said to Saul, “Should Jonathan, who won this great victory in Israel, die? May it never be! As surely as the Lord lives, not a single hair of his head will fall to the ground, for it is with the help of God that he has acted today.” So the army rescued Jonathan from death.[y]

46 Then Saul stopped chasing the Philistines, and the Philistines went back home.[z]

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 14:25 tn Heb “all the land.”
  2. 1 Samuel 14:25 tn Heb “the surface of the field.”
  3. 1 Samuel 14:26 tn Heb “and the army entered the forest, and look!”
  4. 1 Samuel 14:26 tn Heb “and there was no one putting his hand to his mouth.”
  5. 1 Samuel 14:27 tn Heb “and he returned his hand to his mouth.”
  6. 1 Samuel 14:27 tc The translation follows the Qere and several medieval Hebrew mss in reading “gleamed,” rather than the Kethib, “saw.”
  7. 1 Samuel 14:28 tn Heb “your father surely put the army under an oath.” The infinitive absolute is used before the finite verb to emphasize the solemn nature of the oath.
  8. 1 Samuel 14:29 tc The LXX reads “saw.” See v. 27.
  9. 1 Samuel 14:32 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading “and they rushed greedily upon,” rather than the Kethib, “and they did.”
  10. 1 Samuel 14:32 tc The translation reads with the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss הַשָּׁלָל (hashalal, “the spoil”) rather than following the Kethib reading, שָׁלָל (shalal, “spoil”).
  11. 1 Samuel 14:33 tn Heb “You have acted deceptively.” In this context the verb refers to violating an agreement, in this case the dietary and sacrificial regulations of the Mosaic law. The verb form is second masculine plural; apparently Saul here addresses those who are eating the animals.
  12. 1 Samuel 14:33 tc The translation follows the LXX reading ἐνταῦθα (entautha, “here”) for הֲלֹם (halom, “here”) rather than the MT’s הַיּוֹם (hayyom, “today”).
  13. 1 Samuel 14:34 tn Heb “and all the army brought near, each his ox by his hand, and they slaughtered there.”
  14. 1 Samuel 14:36 tn Heb “plunder.”
  15. 1 Samuel 14:36 tn Heb “until the light of the morning.”
  16. 1 Samuel 14:36 tn Heb “and there will not be left among them a man.”
  17. 1 Samuel 14:36 tn Heb “all that is good in your eyes.” So also in v. 40.
  18. 1 Samuel 14:38 tn Heb “know and see.”
  19. 1 Samuel 14:39 tn Heb “and there was no one answering from all the army.”
  20. 1 Samuel 14:41 tc Heb “to the Lord God of Israel: ‘Give what is perfect.’” The Hebrew textual tradition has accidentally omitted several words here. The present translation follows the LXX (as do several English versions, cf. NAB, NRSV, TEV). See P. K. McCarter, I Samuel (AB), 247-48, and R. W. Klein, 1 Samuel (WBC), 132.sn The Urim and Thummim were used for lot casting in ancient Israel. Their exact identity is uncertain; they may have been specially marked stones drawn from a bag. See Exod 28:30; Lev 8:8, and Deut 33:8, as well as the discussion in R. W. Klein, 1 Samuel (WBC), 140.
  21. 1 Samuel 14:41 tn Heb “went out.”
  22. 1 Samuel 14:42 tc The LXX includes the following words: “Whomever the Lord will indicate by the lot, let him die! And the people said to Saul, ‘It is not this word.’ But Saul prevailed over the people, and they cast lots between him and between Jonathan his son.”
  23. 1 Samuel 14:43 tn Heb “Look, I, I will die.” Apparently Jonathan is acquiescing to his anticipated fate of death. However, the words may be taken as sarcastic (“Here I am about to die!”) or as a question, “Must I now die?” (cf. NAB, NIV, NCV, NLT).
  24. 1 Samuel 14:44 tn Heb “So God will do and so he will add, surely you will certainly die, Jonathan.”
  25. 1 Samuel 14:45 tn Heb “and he did not die.”
  26. 1 Samuel 14:46 tn Heb “to their place.”