TRV
Translation
King James Version
¶ And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.
KJV (with Strong's)
And the men H376 of Israel H3478 were distressed H5065 that day H3117: for Saul H7586 had adjured H422 the people H5971, saying H559, Cursed H779 be the man H376 that eateth H398 any food H3899 until evening H6153, that I may be avenged H5358 on mine enemies H341. So none of the people H5971 tasted H2938 any food H3899.
Complete Jewish Bible
Isra'el's soldiers had been driven to exhaustion that day; but Sha'ul issued this warning to the people: "A curse on any man who eats any food until evening, when I will have finished taking vengeance on my enemies." So none of the people even tasted food.
Berean Standard Bible
Now 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.
American Standard Version
And the men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until it be evening, and I be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted food.
World English Bible Messianic
The men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food until it is evening, and I am avenged of my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And at that time the men of Israel were pressed with hunger: for Saul charged the people with an othe, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth foode till night, that I may be auenged of mine enemies: so none of the people tasted any sustenance.
Young's Literal Translation
And the men of Israel have been distressed on that day, and Saul adjureth the people, saying, `Cursed is the man who eateth food till the evening, and I have been avenged of mine enemies;' and none of the people hath tasted food.
Study This Verse
Commentary on 1 Samuel 14 verses 24–35
24 ¶ And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.
25 And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground.
26 And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath.
27 But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.
28 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.
29 Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.
30 How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?
31 And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint.
32 And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people did eat them with the blood.
33 Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day.
34 And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against the LORD in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there.
35 And Saul built an altar unto the LORD: the same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD.
We have here an account of the distress of the children of Israel, even in the day of their triumphs. Such alloys are all present joys subject to. And such obstructions does many a good cause meet with, even when it seems most prosperous, through the mismanagement of instruments.
I. Saul forbade the people, under the penalty of a curse, to taste any food that day, Sa1 14:24. Here we will suppose, 1. That as king he had power to put his soldiers under this interdict, and to bind it on with a curse; and therefore they submitted to it, and God so far owned it as to discover, by the lot, that Jonathan was the delinquent that had meddled with the accursed thing (though ignorantly), on which account God would not be at that time enquired of by them. 2. That he did it with a good intention, lest the people, who perhaps had been kept for some time at short allowance, when they found plenty of victuals in the deserted camp of the Philistines, should fall greedily upon that, and so lose time in pursing the enemy, and some of them, it may be, glut themselves to such a degree as not to be fit for any more service that day. To prevent this, he forbade them to taste any food, and laid himself, it is likely, under the same restraint. And yet his making this severe order was, (1.) Impolitic and very unwise; for, if it gained time, it lost strength, for the pursuit. (2.) It was imperious, and disobliging to the people, and worse than muzzling the mouth of the ox when he treads out the corn. To forbid them to feast would have been commendable, but to forbid them so much as to taste, though ever so hungry, was barbarous. (3.) It was impious to enforce the prohibition with a curse and an oath. Had he no penalty less than an anathema wherewith to support his military discipline? Death for such a crime would have been too much, but especially death with a curse. Though superiors may chide and correct, they may not curse their inferiors; our rule is, Bless, and curse not. When David speaks of an enemy he had that loved cursing perhaps he meant Saul, Psa 109:17, Psa 109:18.
II. The people observed his order, but it had many inconveniences attending it. 1. The soldiers were tantalized; for, in their pursuit of the enemy, it happened that they went through a wood so full of wild honey that it dropped from the trees upon the ground, the Philistines having perhaps, in their flight, broken in upon the honeycombs, for their own refreshment, and left them running. Canaan flowed with honey, and here is an instance of it. They sucked honey out of the rock, the flinty rock (Deu 32:13); yet, for fear of the curse, they did not so much as taste the honey, Sa1 14:25, Sa1 14:26. Those are worthy of the name of Israelites that can deny themselves and their own appetites even when they are most craving, and the delights of sense most tempting, for fear of guilt and a curse, and the table becoming a snare. Let us never feed ourselves, much less feast ourselves, without fear. 2. Jonathan fell under the curse through ignorance. He heard not of the charge his father had given; for, having bravely forced the lines, he was then following the chase, and therefore might justly be looked upon as exempted from the charge and intended in it. But it seems it was taken for granted, and he himself did not object against it afterwards, that it extended to him, though absent upon so good an occasion. He, not knowing any peril in it, took up a piece of a honey-comb, upon the end of his staff, and sucked it (Sa1 14:27), and was sensibly refreshed by it: His eyes were enlightened, which began to grow dim through hunger and faintness; it made his countenance look pleasant and cheerful, for it was such as a stander-by might discern (Sa1 14:29): See how my eyes have been enlightened. He thought no harm, nor feared any, till one of the people acquainted him with the order, and then he found himself in a snare. Many a good son has been thus entangled and distressed, in more ways than one, by the rashness of an inconsiderate father. Jonathan, for his part, lost the crown he was heir to by his father's folly, which, it may be, this was an ill omen of. 3. The soldiers were faint, and grew feeble, in the pursuit of the Philistines. Jonathan foresaw this would be the effect of it; their spirits would flag, and their strength would fail, for want of sustenance. Such is the nature of our bodies that they soon grow unfit for service if they be not supplied with fresh recruits. Daily work cannot be done without daily bread, which our Father in heaven graciously gives us. It is bread that strengthens man's heart; therefore Jonathan reasoned very well, If the people had eaten freely, there would have been a much greater slaughter (Sa1 14:30); but, as it was, they were very faint, too much fatigued (so the Chaldee), and began to think more of their meat than of their work. 4. The worst effect of all was that at evening, when the restraint was taken off and they returned to their food again, they were so greedy and eager upon it that they ate the flesh with the blood, expressly contrary to the law of God, Sa1 14:32. Two hungry meals, we say, make the third a glutton; it was so here. They would not stay to have their meat either duly killed (for they slew the cattle upon the ground, and did not hang them up, as they used to do, that the blood might all run out of them) or duly dressed, but fell greedily upon it before it was half boiled or half roasted, Sa1 14:32. Saul, being informed of it, reproved them for the sin (Sa1 14:33): You have transgressed; but did not, as he should have done, reflect upon himself as having been accessory to it, and having made the Lord's people to transgress. To put a stop to this irregularity, Saul ordered them to set up a great stone before him, and let all that had cattle to kill, for their present use, bring them thither, and kill them under his eye upon that stone (Sa1 14:33), and the people did so (Sa1 14:34), so easily were they restrained and reformed when their prince took care to do his part. If magistrates would but use their power as they might, people would be made better than they are with more ease than is imagined.
III. On this occasion Saul built an altar (Sa1 14:35), that he might offer sacrifice, either by way of acknowledgment of the victory they had obtained or by the way of atonement for the sin they had been guilty of. The same was the first altar that he built, and perhaps the rolling of the great stone to kill the beasts on reminded him of converting it into an altar, else he would not have thought of it. Saul was turning aside from God, and yet now he began to build altars, being most zealous (as many are) for the form of godliness when he was denying the power of it. See Hos 8:14, Israel has forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples. Some read it, He began to build that altar; he laid the first stone, but was so hasty to pursue his victory that he could not stay to finish it.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 24–35. Public domain.
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TertullianAD 220
ON FASTING 10
At all events, Saul himself, when engaged in battle, clearly enjoined this duty: “Cursed (be) the man who shall have eaten bread until evening, until I am avenged against my enemy”; and his whole company did not taste (food), and (yet) the whole earth was breakfasting! So solemn a sanction, moreover, did God confer on the edict which enjoined that station, that Jonathan the son of Saul, although it had been in ignorance of the fast having been appointed till a late hour that he had allowed himself a taste of honey, was both presently convicted, by lot … and with difficulty was exempted from punishment through the prayer of the people: for he had been convicted of gluttony, although of a simple kind.
JeromeAD 420
Against Jovinianus 2.15
Saul, as it is written in the first book of Kings [Samuel], pronounced a curse on him who ate bread before the evening, and until he had avenged himself upon his enemies. So none of his troops tasted any food while all the people of the land ate. And so binding was a solemn fast once it was proclaimed to the Lord, that Jonathan, to whom the victory was due, was taken by lot and could not escape the charge of sinning in ignorance, and his father’s hand was raised against him, and the prayers of the people barely saved him.
BedeAD 735
Commentary on Samuel
And the man of Israel was joined to himself on that day. With the enemies scattered in different directions, the Church, divided throughout the whole world, rejoices always with one and the same love of brotherhood.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
First Samuel 14:24 captures a critical moment in Israel's battle against the Philistines, revealing the immediate and detrimental consequences of King Saul's impulsive leadership. Driven by a desire for personal vengeance, Saul rashly imposes a solemn oath, cursing any man who eats food until evening. This ill-conceived decree, made without regard for his weary and fighting-fatigued soldiers, directly contributes to their profound distress and inadvertently hinders the very victory he seeks to secure, setting the stage for further conflict and highlighting the perils of human zeal unchecked by divine wisdom and compassion.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The passage employs several potent literary devices. Irony is prominent, as Saul's attempt to secure a more decisive victory through a religiously binding fast inadvertently weakens his own army and hinders their ability to pursue the enemy effectively. His zeal for "vengeance" thus backfires, undermining his very objective. There is a strong Contrast between Saul's impulsive, self-serving leadership and Jonathan's earlier, faith-filled initiative. Jonathan acts on divine prompting, bringing about a miraculous breakthrough, while Saul's human-centric oath creates hardship and almost leads to tragedy. The oath itself functions as a form of Hyperbole, as the extreme punishment (a curse) is threatened for the seemingly simple act of eating, highlighting Saul's misplaced zeal and disproportionate response. Finally, the incident serves as Foreshadowing for Saul's declining reign, marked by rash decisions, a focus on personal glory, and a growing disconnect from God's true will, ultimately leading to his rejection as king.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This incident serves as a profound theological lesson on the nature of leadership, the sanctity of vows, and the pitfalls of human zeal. Saul's oath, though perhaps intended to demonstrate piety or secure divine favor, reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of God's character and methods. True victory comes from God's power and guidance, not from self-imposed burdens or human manipulation. The passage warns against making rash promises, especially those that place undue burdens on others, and highlights how such actions can inadvertently hinder God's work. It underscores the importance of wisdom, discernment, and compassion in leadership, contrasting Saul's self-centered approach with the needs of his people and the divine imperative for justice and mercy.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The narrative of 1 Samuel 14:24 offers a timeless cautionary tale for all, especially those in positions of leadership. It challenges us to examine the motivations behind our decisions and the potential impact they have on those we lead or influence. Are our actions driven by genuine faith and a desire for God's glory, or by personal ambition, impatience, or a misguided attempt to control outcomes? Saul's error reminds us that even well-intentioned zeal can become destructive if it lacks wisdom, compassion, and reliance on divine guidance. We are called to lead with discernment, prioritizing the well-being and effectiveness of others, rather than imposing unnecessary burdens. Ultimately, this passage encourages us to trust in God's sovereign power to accomplish His purposes, rather than relying on our own strength or self-imposed rules, which can inadvertently hinder His work and cause distress to those around us.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Saul make such a harsh oath?
Answer: Saul's motivation appears to be a complex mix of intense zeal, a desire for a complete and decisive victory over the Philistines, and perhaps a misguided attempt to secure divine favor or control the outcome of the battle. He likely believed that by imposing a severe fast, he could demonstrate his piety and commitment, thereby ensuring God's full backing for his "vengeance." However, this oath was impulsive and lacked consideration for the physical state of his exhausted soldiers, ultimately revealing a self-centered approach to leadership rather than one rooted in true reliance on God's wisdom and compassion. His focus was on his own glory and the annihilation of his enemies, rather than the well-being of his people or genuine trust in God's ongoing work, as demonstrated by Jonathan's earlier breakthrough (see 1 Samuel 14:6-15).
What were the immediate consequences of this oath on the Israelite army?
Answer: The immediate consequence was profound physical distress and exhaustion among the soldiers. Having already fought and pursued the Philistines all day, the forced abstinence from food left them weak and faint. This severely hindered their ability to continue the pursuit effectively and complete the victory that God had already begun through Jonathan. Furthermore, it led to Jonathan's unwitting transgression of the oath, which almost cost him his life and created significant internal conflict and division within Saul's own family and army (see 1 Samuel 14:27-45). This incident demonstrates how a leader's rash decisions, even those made with seemingly pious intentions, can undermine the very goals they seek to achieve and cause unnecessary suffering.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Saul's flawed leadership and his burdensome oath in 1 Samuel 14:24 stand in stark contrast to the perfect leadership of Jesus Christ. Saul, driven by personal vengeance and a misguided zeal, imposes a fast that weakens his people and hinders their progress. Jesus, however, is the true Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep, not burdens them. He invites the weary and heavy-laden to find rest in Him, saying, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light". Unlike Saul's imposed hunger, Jesus declares Himself the "bread of life" who nourishes and sustains eternally. While Saul sought vengeance through a human curse, Christ achieved ultimate victory over sin and death not by imposing burdens, but by bearing them Himself on the cross, thereby canceling the record of debt that stood against us. He is our sympathetic High Priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses, unlike Saul who disregarded his people's distress. Thus, Saul's failure points to the perfect, nourishing, and liberating leadership found only in Christ.