1 Samuel 14:25

25 And all [they of] the land have come into a forest, and there is honey on the face of the field;

1 Samuel 14:25 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 14:25

And all they of the land came to a wood
Which lay between Bethaven and Aijalon; by whom are meant not all the inhabitants of the land of Israel, but all that came with Saul and Jonathan, and that joined them in the pursuit:

and there was honey upon the ground;
which dropped upon it, as in the following verse, or where it was produced by bees; for Aristotle ^F18 reports, that bees in some places make their combs upon the ground; this was wild honey, which Diodorus Siculus ^F19 speaks of as common in Arabia, and which perhaps John the Baptist ate of, ( Matthew 3:4 ) . Jarchi says, this was the honey of canes, or sugar canes, which grew in the land of Israel; and affirms from Nathan an Ishmaelite, that in the Ishmaelitish or Arabic language they call honey, sugar; but neither of these can be proved.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F18 Hist. Animal. l. 5. c. 22.
F19 Bibliothec. l. 19. p. 731.

1 Samuel 14:25 In-Context

23 And Jehovah saveth Israel on that day, and the battle hath passed over to Beth-Aven.

24 And the men of Israel have been distressed on that day, and Saul adjureth the people, saying, `Cursed [is] the man who eateth food till the evening, and I have been avenged of mine enemies;' and none of the people hath tasted food.

25 And all [they of] the land have come into a forest, and there is honey on the face of the field;

26 and the people come in unto the forest, and lo, the honey dropped, and none is moving his hand unto his mouth, for the people feared the oath.

27 And Jonathan hath not heard of his father's adjuring the people, and putteth forth the end of the rod, which [is] in his hand, and dippeth it in the honeycomb, and bringeth back his hand unto his mouth -- and his eyes see!