1 Samuel 14:24–46

²⁴Now the men of Israel were in distress that day, for Saul had placed the troops under an oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the troops tasted any food.

²⁵Then all the troops entered the forest, and there was honey on the ground. ²⁶And when they entered the forest and saw the flowing honey, not one of them put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath.

²⁷Jonathan, however, had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath. So he reached out the end of the staff in his hand, dipped it into the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.^{f 28}Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the troops with a solemn oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’ That is why the people are faint.”

²⁹“My father has brought trouble to the land,” Jonathan replied. “Just look at how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. ³⁰How much better it would have been if the troops had eaten freely today from the plunder they took from their enemies! Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been much greater?”

³¹That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, the people were very faint. ³²So they rushed greedily to the plunder, taking sheep, cattle, and calves. They slaughtered them on the ground and ate meat with the blood still in it.

³³Then someone reported to Saul: “Look, the troops are sinning against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.”

“You have broken faith,” said Saul. “Roll a large stone over here at once.” ³⁴Then he said, “Go among the troops and tell them, ‘Each man must bring me his ox or his sheep, slaughter them in this place, and then eat. Do not sin against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.’”

So that night everyone brought his ox and slaughtered it there. ³⁵Then Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first time he had built an altar to the LORD.

³⁶And Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until dawn, leaving no man alive!”

“Do what seems good to you,” the troops replied.

But the priest said, “We must consult God here.”

³⁷So Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You give them into the hand of Israel?”

But God did not answer him that day.

³⁸Therefore Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the troops, and let us investigate how this sin has occurred today. ³⁹As surely as the LORD who saves Israel lives, even if it is my son Jonathan, he must die!”

But not one of the troops said a word.

⁴⁰Then Saul said to all Israel, “You stand on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will stand on the other side.”

“Do what seems good to you,” the troops replied.

⁴¹So Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Why have You not answered Your servant this day? If the fault is with me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the fault is with the men of Israel, respond with Thummim.”^g And Jonathan and Saul were selected, but the people were cleared of the charge.

⁴²Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was selected.

⁴³“Tell me what you have done,” Saul commanded him.

So Jonathan told him, “I only tasted a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. And now I must die?”

⁴⁴And Saul declared, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if you, Jonathan, do not surely die!”

⁴⁵But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die — he who accomplished such a great deliverance for Israel? Never! As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for with God’s help he has accomplished this today.”

So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die. ⁴⁶Then Saul gave up his pursuit of the Philistines, and the Philistines returned to their own land.