1 Samuel 14:24-45

Easy-to-Read Version

Saul Makes Another Mistake

²⁴ But Saul made a big mistake that day.^[a] He made this oath: “If any man eats food before evening comes, before I finish defeating my enemies, he will be under a curse.” He made the soldiers promise not to eat. So none of them ate anything.

^25-26 Because of the fighting, the people went into some woods. Then they saw a honeycomb on the ground. The Israelites went up to the honeycomb, but they didn’t eat any of it. They were afraid to break the promise. ²⁷ But Jonathan didn’t know about the oath. He didn’t hear his father make the soldiers promise not to eat. Jonathan had a stick in his hand, so he dipped the end of the stick into the honeycomb and pulled out some honey. He ate the honey and began to feel much better.

²⁸ One of the soldiers told Jonathan, “Your father forced the soldiers to make a special promise. He said that any man who eats today will be under a curse. So the men have not eaten anything. That’s why they are weak.”

²⁹ Jonathan said, “My father has brought a lot of trouble to the land. See how much better I feel after tasting just a little of this honey. ³⁰ It would have been much better for the men to eat the food that they took from their enemies today. We could have killed more Philistines.”

³¹ That day the Israelites defeated the Philistines. They fought them all the way from Micmash to Aijalon. So the people were very tired and hungry. ³² They had taken sheep, cattle, and calves from the Philistines. Now they were so hungry that they killed the animals on the ground and ate them. And the blood was still in the animals.

³³ Someone said to Saul, “Look, the men are sinning against the Lord. They’re eating meat that still has blood in it!”

Saul said, “You have sinned. Roll a large stone over here now!” ³⁴ Then Saul said, “Go to the men and tell them that each one must bring his bull and sheep to me. Then the men must kill their bulls and sheep here. Don’t sin against the Lord! Don’t eat meat that still has blood in it.”

That night everyone brought their animals and killed them there. ³⁵ Then Saul built an altar for the Lord. Saul himself began building that altar for the Lord.

³⁶ Saul said, “Let’s go after the Philistines tonight. We will take everything from them. We will kill them all!”

The army answered, “Do whatever you think is best.”

But the priest said, “Let’s ask God.”

³⁷ So Saul asked God, “Should I go chase the Philistines? Will you let us defeat the Philistines?” But God did not answer Saul that day.

³⁸ So Saul said, “Bring all the leaders to me! Let’s find who committed the sin today. ³⁹ I swear by the Lord who saves Israel, that even if my own son Jonathan sinned, he must die.” None of the people said a word.

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

The soldiers answered, “As you wish, sir.”

⁴¹ Then Saul prayed, “Lord, God of Israel, why haven’t you answered me today? Show us who sinned. If it was I or my son Jonathan, give Urim. But if it was your people Israel who sinned, give Thummim.”^[b]

Saul and Jonathan were shown to be the ones who sinned, and the people went free. ⁴² Saul said, “Throw them again to show the guilty one—me or my son Jonathan.” Jonathan was shown to be the one.

⁴³ Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.”

Jonathan told Saul, “I only tasted a little honey from the end of my stick. Should I die for doing that?”

⁴⁴ Saul said, “I made an oath and asked God to punish me if I didn’t keep it. Jonathan, you must die.”

⁴⁵ But the soldiers said to Saul, “Jonathan led Israel to a great victory today. Must Jonathan die? Never! As surely as the Lord lives, not one hair of Jonathan’s head will fall to the ground! God helped Jonathan fight against the Philistines today.” So the people saved Jonathan from death.