Bible Compass
Log inGet started
Back to the chapter

1 Samuel 14:28

Exhaustion

26 And when they entered the forest and saw the flowing honey, not one of them put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath.

27 Jonathan, however, had not heard that his father had charged the people with the oath. So he reached out the end of the staff in his hand, dipped it into the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes brightened.

Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the troops with a solemn oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’ That is why the people are faint.”

29 “My father has brought trouble to the land,” Jonathan replied. “Just look at how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.

30 How much better it would have been if the troops had eaten freely today from the plunder they took from their enemies! Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been much greater?”

Read the whole chapter

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the troops with a solemn oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’ That is why the people are faint.”
KJV
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.
WEB
Then 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.
ASV
Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth food this day. And the people were faint.
DARBY
Then answered one of the people and said, Thy father strictly adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth food this day; and the people are faint.
BLB
And a man of the people answered and said, “Your father adjured the people with a solemn oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food this day.’” And the people were faint.
ÅB
Da tok en mann av folket til orde og sa: Din far har latt folket sverge og sagt: Forbannet være den mann som nyter mat idag! Og slik er folket blitt utmattet.
OTB
Da sa en av folket: «Din far påla folket strengt med en ed og sa: ‘Forbannet er den mann som spiser mat i dag.’» Og folket var svake.
B1930
Da tok en mann av folket til orde og sa: Din far har latt folket sverge og sagt: Forbannet være den mann som nyter mat idag! Og således er folket blitt utmattet.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 1 Samuel 14:43

    “Tell me what you have done,” Saul commanded him. So Jonathan told him, “I only tasted a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. And now I must die?”

    Read in context

  • 1 Samuel 14:24

    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.

    Read in context