1 Samuel 14:34-44

34 Sha'ul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them, Bring me here every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and kill them here, and eat; and don't sin against the LORD in eating with the blood. All the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and killed them there.

35 Sha'ul built an altar to the LORD: the same was the first altar that he built to the LORD.

36 Sha'ul said, Let us go down after the Pelishtim by night, and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. They said, Do whatever seems good to you. Then said the Kohen, Let us draw near here to God.

37 Sha'ul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Pelishtim? will you deliver them into the hand of Yisra'el? But he didn't answer him that day.

38 Sha'ul said, Draw near here, all you chiefs of the people; and know and see in which this sin has been this day.

39 For, as the LORD lives, who saves Yisra'el, though it be in Yonatan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people who answered him.

40 Then said he to all Yisra'el, Be you on one side, and I and Yonatan my son will be on the other side. The people said to Sha'ul, Do what seems good to you.

41 Therefore Sha'ul said to the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, Show the right. Yonatan and Sha'ul were taken [by lot]; but the people escaped.

42 Sha'ul said, Cast [lots] between me and Yonatan my son. Yonatan was taken.

43 Then Sha'ul said to Yonatan, Tell me what you have done. Yonatan told him, and said, I did certainly taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and, behold, I must die.

44 Sha'ul said, God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Yonatan.

1 Samuel 14:34-44 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 14

This chapter gives an account of an adventure of Jonathan and his armourbearer smiting a garrison of the Philistines, 1Sa 14:1-14, which with other circumstances struck terror into the whole army; which being observed by Saul's spies, he and his men went out against them, and being joined by others, pursued them, and obtained a complete victory, 1Sa 14:15-23, but what sullied the glory of the day was a rash oath of Saul's, adjuring the people not to eat any food till evening which Jonathan not hearing of ignorantly broke, 1Sa 14:24-31 and which long fasting made the people so ravenous, that they slew their cattle, and ate them with the blood, contrary to the law of God, for which they were reproved by Saul, 1Sa 14:32-34, upon which he built an altar, and inquired of the Lord whether he should pursue the Philistines all that night till morning, but had no answer; which made him conclude sin was committed, and which he inquired after, declaring that if it was his own son Jonathan that had committed it he should surely die, 1Sa 14:35-39, the people being silent, he cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonathan; who had it not been for the resolution of the people that rescued him out of his hands, because of the great salvation he had wrought, must have died, 1Sa 14:40-46 and the chapter is cited with an account of Saul's battles with the neighbouring nations in general, and of his family, 1Sa 14:47-52.