1 Samuel 14:26

26 When the people were come to the forest, behold, the honey dropped: but no man put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath.

1 Samuel 14:26 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 14:26

And when the people came into the wood, behold, the honey
dropped
Either from trees, which produced it; so Diodorus Siculus

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 speaks of trees in some countries which produce honey; or from the sugar canes, as Jarchi; or rather from the honeycombs which were framed in trees by bees; so Hesiod ^F21 speaks of bees making their nests or combs in trees. Ben Gersom thinks that bee hives were placed here in rows by the wayside, from whence the honey flowed; or "went" ^F23, or there was a going of it; perhaps the combs being pressed by the Philistines as they fled: the land of Canaan was a land flowing with milk and honey:

but no man put his hand to his mouth;
that is, took not any of the honey and ate it, though it was so near at hand, and there was plenty of it:

for the people feared the oath:
Saul adjured them by, or the imprecation he made on the person that should eat any food that day.

F20 Bibliothec. l. 17. p. 548.
F21 Hesiod, Theogon. ver. 230. Vid. Diodor. Sic. ut supra. (Bibliothec. l. 17. p. 548.)
F23 (vbd Klh) "ambulatio mellis", Montanus; "itio mellis", Drusius; so in Ovid. Metamorph. l. 1. fab. 3. "----jam flumina nectaris ibant".

1 Samuel 14:26 In-Context

24 The men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man who eats any food until it be evening, and I be avenged on my enemies. So none of the people tasted food.

25 All the people came into the forest; and there was honey on the ground.

26 When the people were come to the forest, behold, the honey dropped: but no man put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath.

27 But Jonathan didn't hear when his father charged the people with the oath: therefore he put forth the end of the rod who was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.

28 Then answered one of the people, and said, Your father directly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man who eats food this day. The people were faint.