1 Samuel 14:28 - Forerunner Commentary

1 Samuel 14:28

26 And when the people had come into the woods, there was the honey, dripping; 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; therefore he stretched out the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his¹ countenance brightened.

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

29 But Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. Look now, how my countenance has brightened 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 which they found! For now would there not have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?”

31 Now they had¹ driven back the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. So the people were very faint.

32 And the people rushed on the¹ spoil, and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground; and the people ate them ^awith the blood.

33 Then they told Saul, saying, “Look, the people are sinning against the Lord by eating with the blood!” So he said, “You have dealt treacherously; roll a large stone to me this day.”

34 Then Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, ‘Bring me here every man’s ox and every man’s sheep, 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 slaughtered it there.

35 Then Saul ^abuilt an altar to the Lord. This was the first altar that he built to the Lord.

36 Now Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and plunder them until the morning light; and let us not leave a man of them.” And they said, “Do whatever seems good to you.” Then the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.”

37 So Saul ^aasked counsel of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But ^bHe did not answer him that day.

38 And Saul said, ^a“Come over here, all you chiefs of the people, and know and see what this sin was today.

39 For ^aas the Lord lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But not a man among all the people answered him.

40 Then he said to all Israel, “You be on one side, and my son Jonathan and I will be on the other side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.”

41 Therefore Saul said to the Lord God of Israel, ^a“Give a perfect lot.” ^bSo Saul and Jonathan were taken, but the people escaped.

42 And Saul said, “Cast lots between my son Jonathan and me.” So Jonathan was taken.

43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, ^a“Tell me what you have done.” And Jonathan told him, and said, ^b“I only tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand. So now I must die!”

44 Saul answered, ^a“God do so and more also; ^bfor you shall surely die, Jonathan.”

Verse Comparison: 1 Samuel 14:28

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1 Samuel 14:29 >>

American Standard Version
Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth food this day. And the people were faint.

Amplified® Bible
Then one of the men told him, Your father strictly charged the men with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man who eats any food today. And the people were exhausted {and} faint.

Contemporary English Version
Then a soldier told him, "Your father swore that anyone who ate food today would be put under a curse, and we agreed not to eat. That's why we're so weak."

Darby English Version
Then answered one of the people and said, Thy father strictly adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth food this day; and the people are faint.

Good News Bible
But one of the men told him, "We are all weak from hunger, but your father threatened us and said, 'A curse be on anyone who eats any food today.' "

King James Version
Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint.

New American Standard Bible
Then one of the people said, "Your father strictly put the people under oath, saying, `Cursed be the man who eats food today.' And the people were weary."

New International Version
Then one of the soldiers told him, "Your father bound the army under a strict oath, saying, 'Cursed be any man who eats food today!' That is why the men are faint."

New King James Version
Then one of the people said, 'Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, 'Cursed is the man who eats food this day." And the people were faint.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
Then one of the people said, "Your father strictly put the people under oath, saying, 'Curses will fall on the man who eats food today.'" And the people felt weary.

Revised Standard Version
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 faint.

Young's Literal Translation
And a man of the people answereth and saith, `Thy father certainly adjured the people, saying, Cursed `is' the man who eateth food to-day; and the people are weary.'

New English Translation
Then someone from the army informed him, “Your father put the army under a strict oath¹ saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food today!’ That is why the army is tired.”

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