26 Then Joshua [a]charged them at that time, saying, (A)“Cursed be the man before the Lord who rises up and builds this city Jericho; he shall lay its foundation with his firstborn, and with his youngest he shall set up its gates.”

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Footnotes

  1. Joshua 6:26 warned

26 At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath:(A) “Cursed(B) before the Lord is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho:

“At the cost of his firstborn son
    he will lay its foundations;
at the cost of his youngest
    he will set up its gates.”(C)

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34 In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation [a]with Abiram his firstborn, and with his youngest son Segub he set up its gates, (A)according to the word of the Lord, which He had spoken through Joshua the son of Nun.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 16:34 At the cost of the life of

34 In Ahab’s time, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He laid its foundations at the cost of his firstborn son Abiram, and he set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, in accordance with the word of the Lord spoken by Joshua son of Nun.(A)

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13 (A)Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists (B)took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, [a]“We [b]exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul (C)preaches.”

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 19:13 NU I
  2. Acts 19:13 adjure, solemnly command

13 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits(A) tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus(B) whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.”

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63 But (A)Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, (B)“I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!”

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63 But Jesus remained silent.(A)

The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath(B) by the living God:(C) Tell us if you are the Messiah,(D) the Son of God.”(E)

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19 And the priest shall put her under oath, and say to the woman, “If no man has lain with you, and if you have not gone astray to uncleanness while under your husband’s authority, be free from this bitter water that brings a curse. 20 But if you have gone astray while under your husband’s authority, and if you have defiled yourself and some man other than your husband has lain with you”— 21 then the priest shall (A)put the woman under the oath of the curse, and he shall say to the woman—(B)“the Lord make you a curse and an oath among your people, when the Lord makes your thigh [a]rot and your belly swell;

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 5:21 Lit. fall away

19 Then the priest shall put the woman under oath and say to her, “If no other man has had sexual relations with you and you have not gone astray(A) and become impure while married to your husband, may this bitter water that brings a curse(B) not harm you. 20 But if you have gone astray(C) while married to your husband and you have made yourself impure by having sexual relations with a man other than your husband”— 21 here the priest is to put the woman under this curse(D)—“may the Lord cause you to become a curse[a] among your people when he makes your womb miscarry and your abdomen swell.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 5:21 That is, may he cause your name to be used in cursing (see Jer. 29:22); or, may others see that you are cursed; similarly in verse 27.

Even though Edom has said,
“We have been impoverished,
But we will return and build the desolate places,”

Thus says the Lord of hosts:

“They may build, but I will (A)throw down;
They shall be called the Territory of Wickedness,
And the people against whom the Lord will have indignation forever.

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Edom(A) may say, “Though we have been crushed, we will rebuild(B) the ruins.”

But this is what the Lord Almighty says: “They may build, but I will demolish.(C) They will be called the Wicked Land, a people always under the wrath of the Lord.(D)

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Saul’s Rash Oath

24 And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had (A)placed the people under oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food until evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food. 25 (B)Now all the people of the land came to a forest; and there was (C)honey on the ground. 26 And when the people had come into the woods, there was the honey, dripping; but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath; therefore he stretched out the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his [a]countenance brightened. 28 Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food this day.’ ” And the people were faint.

29 But Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. Look now, how my countenance has brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now would there not have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?”

31 Now they had [b]driven back the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. So the people were very faint. 32 And the people rushed on the [c]spoil, and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground; and the people ate them (D)with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, saying, “Look, the people are sinning against the Lord by eating with the blood!”

So he said, “You have dealt treacherously; roll a large stone to me this day.” 34 Then Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, ‘Bring me here every man’s ox and every man’s sheep, slaughter them here, and eat; and do not sin against the Lord by eating with the blood.’ ” So every one of the people brought his ox with him that night, and slaughtered it there. 35 Then Saul (E)built an altar to the Lord. This was the first altar that he built to the Lord.

36 Now Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and plunder them until the morning light; and let us not leave a man of them.”

And they said, “Do whatever seems good to you.”

Then the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.”

37 So Saul (F)asked counsel of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But (G)He did not answer him that day. 38 And Saul said, (H)“Come over here, all you chiefs of the people, and know and see what this sin was today. 39 For (I)as the Lord lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But not a man among all the people answered him. 40 Then he said to all Israel, “You be on one side, and my son Jonathan and I will be on the other side.”

And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.”

41 Therefore Saul said to the Lord God of Israel, (J)“Give[d] a perfect lot.(K)So Saul and Jonathan were taken, but the people escaped. 42 And Saul said, “Cast lots between my son Jonathan and me.” So Jonathan was taken. 43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, (L)“Tell me what you have done.”

And Jonathan told him, and said, (M)“I only tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand. So now I must die!”

44 Saul answered, (N)“God do so and more also; (O)for you shall surely die, Jonathan.”

45 But the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has accomplished this great deliverance in Israel? Certainly not! (P)As the Lord lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked (Q)with God this day.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.

46 Then Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 14:27 Lit. eyes
  2. 1 Samuel 14:31 Lit. struck
  3. 1 Samuel 14:32 plunder
  4. 1 Samuel 14:41 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Vg. Why do You not answer Your servant today? If the injustice is with me or Jonathan my son, O Lord God of Israel, give proof; and if You say it is with Your people Israel, give holiness.

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.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 14:27 Or his strength was renewed; similarly in verse 29
  2. 1 Samuel 14:41 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have “Why … at fault.

16 So the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?”

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16 The king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?”

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