1 Samuel 14:28

28 But one of the people said in response, "Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, 'A curse on any man who eats any food today'; even though the people are fainting with hunger."

1 Samuel 14:28 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 14:28

Then answered one of the people, and said
To Jonathan, who might direct and encourage the people to do as he had done, at least so he did by his example, if not by words; the latter is not improbable: and therefore one of the men that came along with Saul, and had now joined Jonathan, and who heard what Saul had said, replied,

thy father straitly charged the people with an oath;
gave them a strict charge, with an oath or imprecation annexed to it:

saying, cursed be the man that eateth any food this day;
that is, until the evening, as in ( 1 Samuel 14:24 )

and the people were faint;
which is either the observation of the writer of the book; or it may be the words of the man, imputing the faintness of the people to this adjuration of Saul restraining them from food; or as taking notice how strictly the people observed it, though they were hungry, faint, and weary.

1 Samuel 14:28 In-Context

26 When the people had entered the forest, they saw there the honeycomb with honey dripping out; but no one put his hand to his mouth, because the people feared the oath.

27 But Y'honatan hadn't heard his father charging the people with the oath, so he put out the end of the staff in his hand, dipped it in the honeycomb and raised it to his mouth; whereupon his eyes lit up.

28 But one of the people said in response, "Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, 'A curse on any man who eats any food today'; even though the people are fainting with hunger."

29 Y'honatan answered, "My father has brought trouble to the land. Just look how my eyes have lit up because I tasted a little of this honey.

30 How much greater would the slaughter of the P'lishtim have been today, then, if the people had eaten freely of the spoil they found with their enemies!"