1 Samuel 14:33

33 Some reported to Saul: "Look, the troops are sinning against the Lord by eating [meat] with the blood [still in it.]"^[a] Saul said, "You have been unfaithful. Roll a large stone over here at once."

1 Samuel 14:33 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 14:33

Then they told Saul
Some that were more conscientious and religious, were more circumspect, and strictly attended to the laws forbidding the eating of blood, and were concerned at the indecent behaviour of others, and therefore thought fit to acquaint Saul with it, to restrain it:

behold, the people sin against the Lord, in that they eat with the
blood;
by breaking the laws of God respecting the eating of blood in ( Genesis 9:4 ) ( Leviticus 3:17 ) ( Leviticus 7:26 Leviticus 7:27 ) ( Leviticus 17:10 Leviticus 17:11 ) , especially in ( Leviticus 19:26 )

and he said, ye have transgressed;
the above laws of God; that is, Saul said to some persons who were accused of the breach of them, and were ordered to come before him, and did come:

roll a great stone unto me this day;
pointing, perhaps, at one which lay at some distance from him, and which he ordered to be rolled to him; this was done, that the creatures might be slain on it, and their blood drawn out from them, or to offer sacrifice upon, and indeed for both.

1 Samuel 14:33 In-Context

31 The Israelites struck down the Philistines that day from Michmash all the way to Aijalon. Since the Israelites were completely exhausted,

32 they rushed to the plunder, took sheep, cattle, and calves, slaughtered them on the ground, and ate [meat] with the blood [still in it.]

33 Some reported to Saul: "Look, the troops are sinning against the Lord by eating [meat] with the blood [still in it.]" Saul said, "You have been unfaithful. Roll a large stone over here at once."

34 He then said, "Go among the troops and say to them, 'Each man must bring me his ox or his sheep. Do the slaughtering here and then you can eat. Don't sin against the Lord by eating [meat] with the blood [in it.]' " So every one of the troops brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there.

35 Then Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first time he had built an altar to the Lord.

Footnotes

• [a]. Gn 9:4; Lv 17:10-12