1 Samuel 14:30

30 Our soldiers took food from their enemies today. Suppose they had eaten some of it. How much better off they would have been! Even more Philistines would have been killed."

1 Samuel 14:30 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 14:30

How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely today of
the spoil of their enemies which they found?
&c.] That is, had they been, allowed eat freely of the provisions, of bread, wine they found in the enemy's camp, they would have been much more refreshed and strengthened than it could be supposed he was with eating a little honey; if that had had such an effect upon him, of what service would a full meal have been to the people?

for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the
Philistines?
the people would have had more strength to smite them, and would have pursued them with greater ardour and swiftness, and so have made a greater slaughter among them than they had; he intimates that Saul's end would have been better answered by suffering the people to eat, than by forbidding them.

1 Samuel 14:30 In-Context

28 Then one of the soldiers told him, "Your father put the army under a strong oath. He said, 'None of you must eat any food today. If you do, may you be under a curse!' That's why the men are weak and ready to faint."

29 Jonathan said, "My father has made trouble for the country. See how I gained new life after I tasted a little of this honey.

30 Our soldiers took food from their enemies today. Suppose they had eaten some of it. How much better off they would have been! Even more Philistines would have been killed."

31 That day the men of Israel struck the Philistines down. They killed them from Micmash to Aijalon. By that time they were tired and worn out.

32 They grabbed what they had taken from their enemies. They killed some of the sheep, cattle and calves right there on the ground. They ate the meat while the blood was still in it.