1 Samuel 14:34

34 Then he said, "Go to the men and tell them that each person must bring his ox and sheep to me and kill it here and eat it. Don't sin against the Lord by eating meat without draining the blood from it." That night everyone brought his animals and killed them there.

1 Samuel 14:34 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 14:34

And Saul said, disperse yourselves among the people
In the camp, some one way, and some another, and make proclamation throughout it; this he said to some of his officers, whom he sent out as heralds, to publish his will and pleasure:

and say unto them, bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his
sheep, and slay them here;
on the great stone he had ordered to roll to the place where he was:

and eat them;
in the same place, being rightly slain, and the blood let out; all this was to be done, the slaying of the beasts, and eating them, in the presence of Saul, and under his inspection, that every thing might be done decently, and in order, and according to the law of God:

and sin not against the Lord, in eating with the blood;
as some of them had done, ( 1 Samuel 14:32 ) and all the people brought every man his ox with him; and his sheep also, though not expressed, yet to be supplied from the preceding clause: and these every man brought "with him that night"; the Jewish Rabbins F3 are divided about these creatures slain, whether for sacrifices or common food; and those that think sacrifices are meant dispute whether it was lawful to slay them in the night, which some allow to be lawful, if on a small and private altar, but not upon a large and public one; but these were slain no doubt for common food, which all agree might be slain in the night:

and slew them there;
before Saul, and on the great stone rolled unto him.


FOOTNOTES:

F3 T. Bab. Zebachim, fol. 120. 1.

1 Samuel 14:34 In-Context

32 They had taken sheep, cattle, and calves from the Philistines. Now they were so hungry they killed the animals on the ground and ate them, without draining the blood from them!
33 Someone said to Saul, "Look! The men are sinning against the Lord. They're eating meat without draining the blood from it!" Saul said, "You have sinned! Roll a large stone over here now!"
34 Then he said, "Go to the men and tell them that each person must bring his ox and sheep to me and kill it here and eat it. Don't sin against the Lord by eating meat without draining the blood from it." That night everyone brought his animals and killed them there.
35 Then Saul built an altar to the Lord. It was the first altar he had built to the Lord.
36 Saul said, "Let's go after the Philistines tonight and rob them. We won't let any of them live!" The men answered, "Do whatever you think is best." But the priest said, "Let's ask God."
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.