1 Sam 14:24-30, 36-45 · Read 9 min · think and write 15 min
In the last lesson, Samuel left Gilgal, and “Saul counted the people who were present with him, about six hundred men” (1 Sam 13:15). At that time “there was no blacksmith found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, ‘Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears’” (1 Sam 13:19); in the day of battle, “neither sword nor spear was found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan; but Saul and Jonathan his son had them” (1 Sam 13:22).
One day Jonathan took his armor bearer to go over to the Philistines’ garrison. “But he didn’t tell his father” (1 Sam 14:1). He said: “It may be that the LORD will work for us, for there is no restraint on the LORD to save by many or by few” (1 Sam 14:6). Jonathan climbed up, “and they fell before Jonathan; and his armor bearer killed them after him” (1 Sam 14:13), and there was trembling in the Philistine camp. “So the LORD saved Israel that day” (1 Sam 14:23).
This lesson reads what happened later that day.
24The 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.
25All the people came into the forest; and there was honey on the ground.
26When the people had come to the forest, behold, honey was dripping, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.
27But Jonathan didn’t hear when his father commanded the people with the oath. Therefore he put out the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes brightened.
28Then one of the people answered, and said, “Your father directly commanded the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’” So the people were faint.
29Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. Please look how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.
30How much more, if perhaps the people had eaten freely today of the plunder of their enemies which they found? For now there has been no great slaughter among the Philistines.”
That day they struck the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people were very faint; they took the plunder, killed it on the ground, and ate it with the blood. Saul had a large stone rolled to him, so that the people could kill their animals there, and he built an altar to the LORD: “This was the first altar that he built to the LORD” (vv. 31–35).
36Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines by night, and take plunder among them until the morning light. Let’s not leave a man of them.” They said, “Do whatever seems good to you.” Then the priest said, “Let’s draw near here to God.”
37Saul asked counsel of God: “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But he didn’t answer him that day.
38Saul said, “Draw near here, all you chiefs of the people, and know and see in whom this sin has been today.
39For as the LORD lives, who saves Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But there was not a man among all the people who answered him.
40Then he said to all Israel, “You be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side.” The people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.”
41Therefore Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Show the right.” Jonathan and Saul were chosen, but the people escaped.
42Saul said, “Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son.” Jonathan was selected.
43Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done!” Jonathan told him, and said, “I certainly did taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and behold, I must die.”
44Saul said, “God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan.”
45The people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As the LORD lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God today!” So the people rescued Jonathan, so he didn’t die.
The oath. “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” (v. 24).
Honey in the forest. “When the people had come to the forest, behold, honey was dripping, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath” (v. 26). “But Jonathan didn’t hear when his father commanded the people with the oath” (v. 27); he tasted a little honey, “and his eyes brightened” (v. 27).
Troubled the land. Someone told Jonathan about the oath. Jonathan said: “My father has troubled the land. Please look how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey” (v. 29).
The first altar. “They struck the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. The people were very faint” (1 Sam 14:31), and they “killed them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood” (1 Sam 14:32). “Then they told Saul, saying, ‘Behold, the people are sinning against the LORD, in that they eat meat with the blood’” (1 Sam 14:33). Saul had the people bring their animals to him to kill; “Saul built an altar to the LORD. This was the first altar that he built to the LORD” (1 Sam 14:35).
No answer. Saul wanted to go after the Philistines by night; “Then the priest said, ‘Let’s draw near here to God’” (v. 36). “Saul asked counsel of God: ‘Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?’ But he didn’t answer him that day” (v. 37). Saul said: “know and see in whom this sin has been today” (v. 38). Why God did not answer, the passage does not say.
The lot. “Therefore Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Show the right.’ Jonathan and Saul were chosen” (v. 41); the lot was cast again, and “Jonathan was selected” (v. 42). Jonathan said: “I certainly did taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and behold, I must die” (v. 43). Saul said: “God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan” (v. 44).
The people rescued Jonathan. Earlier, when Saul swore, “there was not a man among all the people who answered him” (v. 39). Now the people said: “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it!” “for he has worked with God today!” (v. 45). “So the people rescued Jonathan, so he didn’t die” (v. 45).
His wars. “Then Saul went up from following the Philistines” (1 Sam 14:46). The passage goes on: “Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side” (1 Sam 14:47); “He did valiantly and struck the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them” (1 Sam 14:48); “There was severe war against the Philistines all the days of Saul” (1 Sam 14:52).
The law of Moses said: “Only be sure that you don’t eat the blood; for the blood is the life. You shall not eat the life with the meat” (Deut 12:23).
Readers can see this: that day someone told Saul, “Behold, the people are sinning against the LORD, in that they eat meat with the blood” (1 Sam 14:33), and Saul had the people bring their animals to him to kill, and built an altar to the LORD.
Perhaps you too have known a time like this: you asked God, you waited a long time, and there seemed to be no answer at all. Perhaps you are in such days now.
This lesson does not say that when God does not answer, it is because someone has sinned; nor does it say that God will never answer. What it shows you is this: “But he didn’t answer him that day” (v. 37) — the passage writes it down as it was; and it also records the people that day, who went from silence — “there was not a man among all the people who answered him” (v. 39) — to speaking up and rescuing Jonathan (v. 45). David, in a psalm, asked like this: “How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” (Ps 13:1).
This week: Think of something you have been asking about for a long time that seems not yet answered. This week, tell God plainly about it; you can use the words of Psalm 13. If you know someone who is in such days, pray for them once as well.
Scripture: World English Bible.