Jonathan Eats the Honey

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.

25 Then all the troops entered the forest, and there was honey on the ground. 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.[fn] 28 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?”

31 That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, the people were very faint. 32 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.

33 Then someone reported to Saul: “Look, the troops are sinning against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.”

“You have broken faith,” said Saul. “Roll a large stone over here at once.” 34 Then he said, “Go among the troops and tell them, ‘Each man must bring me his ox or his sheep, slaughter them in this place, and then eat. Do not sin against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.’”

So that night everyone brought his ox and slaughtered it there. 35 Then Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first time he had built an altar to the LORD.

36 And Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until dawn, leaving no man alive!”

“Do what seems good to you,” the troops replied.

But the priest said, “We must consult God here.”