1 Samuel 14:33

33 So they reported [it] to Saul, saying, "Look! The troops [are] sinning against Yahweh by eating [the animals] with the blood!" And he said, "You have dealt treacherously! Roll to me a large stone {today}!"

1 Samuel 14:33 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 14:33

Then they told Saul
Some that were more conscientious and religious, were more circumspect, and strictly attended to the laws forbidding the eating of blood, and were concerned at the indecent behaviour of others, and therefore thought fit to acquaint Saul with it, to restrain it:

behold, the people sin against the Lord, in that they eat with the
blood;
by breaking the laws of God respecting the eating of blood in ( Genesis 9:4 ) ( Leviticus 3:17 ) ( Leviticus 7:26 Leviticus 7:27 ) ( Leviticus 17:10 Leviticus 17:11 ) , especially in ( Leviticus 19:26 )

and he said, ye have transgressed;
the above laws of God; that is, Saul said to some persons who were accused of the breach of them, and were ordered to come before him, and did come:

roll a great stone unto me this day;
pointing, perhaps, at one which lay at some distance from him, and which he ordered to be rolled to him; this was done, that the creatures might be slain on it, and their blood drawn out from them, or to offer sacrifice upon, and indeed for both.

1 Samuel 14:33 In-Context

31 They defeated [the] Philistines that day from Micmash to Aijalon, and the troops were very weary.

32 Then the troops took the plunder: they took sheep and cattle and {calves} and slaughtered [them] on the ground and the troops ate [them all] with the blood.

33 So they reported [it] to Saul, saying, "Look! The troops [are] sinning against Yahweh by eating [the animals] with the blood!" And he said, "You have dealt treacherously! Roll to me a large stone {today}!"

34 Then Saul said, "Disperse [yourselves] among the troops and say to them, 'Bring to me each [one] his ox and each his sheep and slaughter them in this [place] and eat, but do not sin against Yahweh by eating [the animals] with the blood.'" So all the troops brought [them], each [leading] his ox in his hand that night, and slaughtered [it] there.

35 Then Saul built an altar to Yahweh; {it was the first altar he built} to Yahweh.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "the day"