1 Samuel 14:24-35

Saul’s Rash Vow

24 And the men of Israel had been hard pressed that day, ¹so Saul had laid an oath on the people, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies. ” So none of the people had tasted food.

25 Now when all the people^[a] came to the forest, behold, there was honey on the ground.

26 And when the people entered the forest, behold, the honey was dropping, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.

27 But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath, ²so he put out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes became bright.

28 Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food this day. ’” And the people were ³faint.

29 Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. See how my eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey.

30 How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies that they found. For now the defeat among the Philistines has not been great. ”

31 They struck down the Philistines that day from ⁴Michmash to ⁵Aijalon. And the people were very ⁶faint.

32 The people ⁷pounced on the spoil and took sheep and oxen and calves and slaughtered them on the ground. And the people ate them ⁸with the blood.

33 Then they told Saul, “Behold, the people are sinning against the Lord by eating ⁹with the blood. ” And he said, “You have dealt treacherously; roll a great stone to me here. ” ^[b]

34 And Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, ‘Let every man bring his ox or his sheep and slaughter them here and eat, and do not sin against the Lord by eating with the blood. ’” So every one of the people brought his ox with him that night and they slaughtered them there.

35 And Saul ¹⁰built an altar to the Lord; it was the first altar that he built to the Lord.

1 Samuel 14:24-35 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.

Cross References

• 1. 14:24 [Josh. 6:26]
• 2. 14:27 ver. 43
• 3. 14:28 Judg. 8:4, 5
• 4. 14:31 ch. 13:2
• 5. 14:31 Josh. 10:12
• 6. 14:31 [See ver. 28 above]
• 7. 14:32 ch. 15:19
• 8. 14:32 [Lev. 3:17]
• 9. 14:33 [See ver. 32 above]
• 10. 14:35 [ch. 7:12, 17]

Footnotes

• [a] 14:25 Hebrew 'land'
• [b] 14:33 Septuagint; Hebrew 'this day'