1 Samuel 14:24-45

Contemporary English Version

^23-24 So the Lord helped Israel win the battle that day.

Saul's Curse on Anyone Who Eats

Saul had earlier told his soldiers, “I want to get even with those Philistines by sunset. If any of you eat before then, you will be under a curse!” So he made them swear not to eat.

By the time the fighting moved past Beth-Aven,^[a] the Israelite troops were weak from hunger. ^25-26 The army and the people who lived nearby had gone into a forest, and they came to a place where honey was dripping on the ground.^[b] But no one ate any of it, because they were afraid of being put under the curse.

²⁷ Jonathan did not know about Saul's warning to the soldiers. So he dipped the end of his walking stick in the honey and ate some with his fingers. He felt stronger and more alert. ²⁸ 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.”

²⁹ Jonathan said, “My father has caused you a lot of trouble. Look at me! I ate only a little of this honey, but already I feel strong and alert. ³⁰ I wish you had eaten some of the food the Philistines left behind. We would have been able to kill a lot more of them.”

³¹ By evening the Israelite army was exhausted from killing Philistines all the way from Michmash to Aijalon.^{[c] 32} They grabbed the food they had captured from the Philistines and started eating. They even killed sheep and cows and calves right on the spot and ate the meat without draining the blood.^{[d] 33 (A)} Someone told Saul, “Look! The army is disobeying the Lord by eating meat before the blood drains out.”

“You're right,” Saul answered. “They are being unfaithful to the Lord! Hurry! Roll a big rock over here.^{[e] 34} Then tell everyone in camp to bring their cattle and lambs to me. They can kill the animals on this rock,^[f] then eat the meat. That way no one will disobey the Lord by eating meat with blood still in it.”

That night the soldiers brought their cattle over to the big rock and killed them there. ³⁵ It was the first altar Saul had built for offering sacrifices to the Lord.^[g]

The Army Rescues Jonathan

³⁶ Saul said, “Let's attack the Philistines again while it's still dark. We can fight them all night. Let's kill them and take everything they own!”

The people answered, “We will do whatever you want.”

“Wait!” Ahijah the priest said. “Let's ask God what we should do.”

³⁷ Saul asked God, “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you help us win?”

This time God did not answer. ³⁸ Saul called his army officers together and said, “We have to find out what sin has kept God from answering. ³⁹ I swear by the living Lord that whoever sinned must die, even if it turns out to be my own son Jonathan.”

No one said a word.

⁴⁰ Saul told his army, “You stand on that side of the priest, and Jonathan and I will stand on the other side.”

Everyone agreed.

^41 (B) Then Saul prayed, “Our Lord, God of Israel, why haven't you answered me today? Please show us who sinned. Was it my son Jonathan and I, or was it your people Israel?”^[h]

The answer came back that Jonathan or Saul had sinned, not the army. ⁴² Saul told Ahijah, “Now ask the Lord to decide between Jonathan and me.”

The answer came back that Jonathan had sinned. ⁴³ “Jonathan,” Saul exclaimed, “tell me what you did!”

“I dipped the end of my walking stick in some honey and ate a little. Now you say I have to die!”

⁴⁴ “Yes, Jonathan. I swear to God that you must die.”

⁴⁵ “No!” the soldiers shouted. “God helped Jonathan win the battle for us. We won't let you kill him. We swear to the Lord that we won't let you kill him or even lay a hand on him!” So the army kept Saul from killing Jonathan.