Christian Standard Bible
1 Samuel 14:24
24and the men of Israel were worn out that day, for Saul had placed the troops under an oath: “The man who eats food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies is cursed.” So none of the troops tasted any food.
1 Samuel 14:24 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.
- New International Version (NIV)Now the Israelites were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath, saying, “Cursed be anyone who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the troops tasted food.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the men of Israel had been hard pressed that day, so Saul had laid an oath on the people, saying, "Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies." So none of the people had tasted food.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had placed the people under oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food until evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food.
Context of 1 Samuel 14:24
22When all the Israelite men who had been hiding in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they also joined Saul and Jonathan in the battle. 23So the Lord saved Israel that day. The battle extended beyond Beth-aven, and the men of Israel were worn out that day, for Saul had placed the troops under an oath: “The man who eats food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies is cursed.” So none of the troops tasted any food. 25Everyone went into the forest, and there was honey on the ground. 26When the troops entered the forest, they saw the flow of honey, but none of them ate any of it because they feared the oath.
Read all of 1 Samuel 141 Samuel 14:24 word by word
וְאִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל נִגַּ֖שׂ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וַיֹּאֶל֩ שָׁא֨וּל אֶת־הָעָ֜ם לֵאמֹ֗ר אָר֣וּר הָ֠אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יֹ֨אכַל לֶ֜חֶם עַד־הָעֶ֗רֶב וְנִקַּמְתִּי֙ מֵאֹ֣יְבַ֔י וְלֹֽא טָעַ֥ם כָּל־הָעָ֖ם לָֽחֶם׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- were distressedנָגַשׂnâgaώ · to oppressH5065
- that dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- for Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- had adjuredאָלָה'âlâh · to swearH422
- the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Cursedאָרַר'ârar · to curseH779
- that eatethאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- foodלֶ֫חֶםlechem · foodH3899
- until eveningעֶ֫רֶב‛ereb · eveningH6153
- that I may be avengedנָקַםnâqam · to avengeH5358
- on mine enemiesאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
- tastedטָעַםţâ‛am · to perceiveH2938
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 14:24
- 1 Samuel 14:27However, Jonathan had not heard his father make the troops swear the oath. He reached out with the end of the staff he was carrying and dipped it into the honeycomb. When he ate the honey, he had renewed energy.
- Leviticus 27:29No person who has been set apart for destruction is to be ransomed; he must be put to death.
- Numbers 21:2Then Israel made a vow to the Lord, “If you will hand this people over to us, we will completely destroy their cities.”
- Deuteronomy 27:15‘The person who makes a carved idol or cast image, which is detestable to the Lord, the work of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret is cursed.’ And all the people will reply, ‘Amen!’
- Joshua 6:17But the city and everything in it are set apart to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and everyone with her in the house will live, because she hid the messengers we sent.
- Judges 11:30Jephthah made this vow to the Lord: “If you in fact hand over the Ammonites to me,
- Judges 11:31whoever comes out the doors of my house to greet me when I return safely from the Ammonites will belong to the Lord, and I will offer that person as a burnt offering.”
- Judges 21:1The men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah: “None of us will give his daughter to a Benjaminite in marriage.”
- Proverbs 11:9With his mouth the ungodly destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous are rescued.
- Romans 10:2I can testify about them that they have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
- 1 Corinthians 16:22If anyone does not love the Lord, a curse be on him. Our Lord, come!
- Judges 5:2When the leaders lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, blessed be the Lord.
- Judges 1:28When Israel became stronger, they made the Canaanites serve as forced labor but never drove them out completely.
- Psalms 18:47God — he grants me vengeance and subdues peoples under me.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 14:24
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24Saul had adjured the people - He was afraid, if they waited to refresh themselves, the Philistines would escape out of their hands, and therefore he made the taking any food till sunset a capital crime. This was the very means of defeating his own intention; for as the people were exhausted for want of food, they could not continue the pursuit of their enemies: had it not been for this foolish adjuration, there had been a greater slaughter of the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 24-35Verses 24-35 Saul's severe order was very unwise; if it gained time, it lost strength for the pursuit. Such is the nature of our bodies, that daily work cannot be done without daily bread, which therefore our Father in heaven graciously gives. Saul was turning aside from God, and now he begins to build altars, being then most zealous, as many are, for the form of godliness when he was denying the power of it.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 24By making them swear an oath, Saul forced his tired, hungry men to abstain from food. This oath likely aimed to manipulate God for a good outcome, like the pagans might do (see notes on Exodus 23:26; 25:22; 32:4). Saul's use of my enemies instead of "our enemies" shows his self-centered pride.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2424. Saul had adjured the people--Afraid lest so precious an opportunity of effectually humbling the Philistine power might be lost, the impetuous king laid an anathema on any one who should taste food until the evening. This rash and foolish denunciation distressed the people, by preventing them taking such refreshments as they might get on the march, and materially hindered the successful attainment of his own patriotic object.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 14:24
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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