1 Samuel 14:32

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.

And the people {H5971} flew {H5860}{H6213} upon the spoil {H7998}, and took {H3947} sheep {H6629}, and oxen {H1241}, and calves {H1121}, and slew {H7819} them on the ground {H776}: and the people {H5971} did eat {H398} them with the blood {H1818}.

So the people rushed at the spoil, seizing sheep, cows and calves, slaughtering them on the ground, and eating the flesh with the blood.

So 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.

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.

Commentary

Commentary on 1 Samuel 14:32 (KJV)

1 Samuel 14:32 describes a moment of extreme hunger and desperation among the Israelite soldiers after a long day of battle against the Philistines. King Saul had imposed a rash oath forbidding the people from eating until evening (1 Samuel 14:24), which led to their severe exhaustion and hunger. As soon as the oath's restriction was lifted at nightfall, the people, driven by their immense hunger, "flew upon the spoil" – the livestock taken from the defeated Philistines. In their haste, they slaughtered these animals directly "on the ground" and consumed the meat "with the blood," a direct violation of a fundamental Mosaic Law.

Historical and Cultural Context

This passage is set during a crucial period of early Israelite monarchy, highlighting the leadership challenges faced by King Saul. The battle against the Philistines was intense, and the Israelite soldiers were both victorious and utterly depleted. The act of eating meat with the blood was a grave offense under the Law of Moses. The prohibition against consuming blood was established early in biblical history (Genesis 9:4) and reiterated emphatically in the Law, particularly in Leviticus 17:11 and Deuteronomy 12:23. This law underscored the sanctity of life, as the "life of the flesh is in the blood," and blood was reserved for atonement rituals at the altar.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Consequences of Rash Oaths: Saul's ill-conceived oath directly contributed to the people's desperate state and subsequent sin. It shows how misguided religious zeal can lead to unintended, negative outcomes.
  • Disobedience to Divine Law: The people's consumption of blood represents a clear transgression of God's command. While driven by hunger, their actions reveal a willingness to compromise divine principles under duress.
  • Human Weakness and Desperation: The verse vividly portrays the physical and moral weakness that extreme hunger and fatigue can induce. It demonstrates how basic human needs, if not managed, can override spiritual obedience.
  • Leadership Responsibility: This incident reflects poorly on Saul's leadership. His initial rashness and his failure to adequately provide for or guide his exhausted troops underscore the importance of wise and empathetic leadership. The subsequent discovery of the sin leads Saul to address it by building an altar (1 Samuel 14:33-35).

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "flew upon" translates the Hebrew verb *`ya'at`* (Χ™ΦΈΧ’Φ·Χ˜), which implies a sudden, eager, almost predatory pouncing or rushing. This emphasizes the soldiers' ravenous hunger. The phrase "with the blood" (Hebrew: *`'al ha-dam`*, גַל הַדָּם) literally means "upon the blood," indicating that the blood was still very much present and consumed along with the meat, not properly drained as required by the Law.

Practical Application

The narrative of 1 Samuel 14:32 offers several timeless lessons. It reminds us of the dangers of making commitments without considering the full implications, especially for those under our care. It also highlights the constant tension between immediate gratification or necessity and adherence to God's commands. Even under extreme pressure, our actions have spiritual consequences. Ultimately, this passage subtly points to the broader biblical theme of the sanctity of life and the unique role of blood in redemption, foreshadowing the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, whose blood was shed once for all as the perfect atonement for sin.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated β€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 1 Samuel 15:19

    Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?

  • Leviticus 3:17

    [It shall be] a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.

  • Genesis 9:4

    But flesh with the life thereof, [which is] the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.

  • Deuteronomy 12:16

    Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water.

  • Leviticus 19:26

    Ye shall not eat [any thing] with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.

  • Leviticus 17:10

    ΒΆ And whatsoever man [there be] of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people.

  • Leviticus 17:14

    For [it is] the life of all flesh; the blood of it [is] for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh [is] the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.
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