1 Samuel 14:24-52

Good News Translation

Events after the Battle

²⁴ The Israelites were weak with hunger that day, because Saul, with a solemn oath, had given the order: “A curse be on anyone who eats any food today before I take revenge on my enemies.” So nobody had eaten anything all day. ²⁵ They all^[a] came into a wooded area and found honey everywhere. ²⁶ The woods were full of honey, but no one ate any of it because they were all afraid of Saul's curse. ²⁷ But Jonathan had not heard his father threaten the people with a curse; so he reached out with the stick he was carrying, dipped it in a honeycomb, and ate some honey. At once he felt much better. ²⁸ But one of the men told him, “We are all weak from hunger, but your father threatened us and said, ‘A curse be on anyone who eats any food today.’”

²⁹ Jonathan answered, “What a terrible thing my father has done to our people! See how much better I feel because I ate some honey! ³⁰ How much better it would have been today if our people had eaten the food they took when they defeated the enemy. Just think how many more Philistines they would have killed!”

³¹ That day the Israelites defeated the Philistines, fighting all the way from Michmash to Aijalon. By this time the Israelites were very weak from hunger, ³² and so they rushed over to what they had captured from the enemy, took sheep and cattle, slaughtered them on the spot, and ate the meat with the blood still in it. ^33 (A)Saul was told, “Look, the people are sinning against the Lord by eating meat with the blood in it.”

“You are traitors!” Saul cried out. “Roll a big stone over here^[b] to me.” ³⁴ Then he gave another order: “Go among the people and tell them all to bring their cattle and sheep here. They are to slaughter them and eat them here; they must not sin against the Lord by eating meat with blood in it.” So that night they all brought their cattle and slaughtered them there. ³⁵ Saul built an altar to the Lord, the first one that he built.

³⁶ Saul said to his men, “Let's go down and attack the Philistines in the night, plunder them until dawn, and kill them all.”

“Do whatever you think best,” they answered.

But the priest said, “Let's consult God first.”

³⁷ So Saul asked God, “Shall I attack the Philistines? Will you give us victory?” But God did not answer that day. ³⁸ Then Saul said to the leaders of the people, “Come here and find out what sin was committed today. ³⁹ I promise by the living Lord, who gives Israel victory, that the guilty one will be put to death, even if he is my son Jonathan.” But no one said anything. ⁴⁰ Then Saul said to them, “All of you stand over there, and Jonathan and I will stand over here.”

“Do whatever you think best,” they answered.

^41 (B)Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Lord, why have you not answered me today? Lord, God of Israel, answer me by the sacred stones. If the guilt is Jonathan's or mine, answer by the Urim; but if it belongs to your people Israel,^[c] answer by the Thummim.”^[d] The answer indicated Jonathan and Saul; and the people were cleared. ⁴² Then Saul said, “Decide between my son Jonathan and me.” And Jonathan was indicated. ⁴³ Then Saul asked Jonathan, “What have you done?”

Jonathan answered, “I ate a little honey with the stick I was holding. Here I am—I am ready to die.”

⁴⁴ Saul said to him, “May God strike me dead if you are not put to death!”

⁴⁵ But the people said to Saul, “Will Jonathan, who won this great victory for Israel, be put to death? No! We promise by the living Lord that he will not lose even a hair from his head. What he did today was done with God's help.” So the people saved Jonathan from being put to death.

⁴⁶ After that, Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they went back to their own territory.

Saul's Reign and Family

⁴⁷ After Saul became king of Israel, he fought all his enemies everywhere: the people of Moab, of Ammon, and of Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he fought he was victorious.^{[e] 48} He fought heroically and defeated even the people of Amalek. He saved the Israelites from all attacks.

⁴⁹ Saul's sons were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. His older daughter was named Merab, and the younger one Michal. ⁵⁰ His wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz; his army commander was his cousin Abner, the son of his uncle Ner. ⁵¹ Saul's father Kish and Abner's father Ner were sons of Abiel.

⁵² As long as he lived, Saul had to fight fiercely against the Philistines. So whenever he found a man who was strong or brave, he would enlist him in his army.