God’s Word Translation
1 Samuel 14:24
24Israel’s soldiers were driven hard that day. Saul made the troops swear, “Cursed is anyone who eats food before the evening comes and before I’ve gotten revenge on my enemies.” So none of his 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 men of Israel who had been hiding in the mountains of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they also pursued the Philistines in battle. 23So the Lord saved Israel that day. Now, the battle moved beyond Beth Aven. Israel’s soldiers were driven hard that day. Saul made the troops swear, “Cursed is anyone who eats food before the evening comes and before I’ve gotten revenge on my enemies.” So none of his troops tasted any food. 25The entire land had honeycombs, and there was honey on the ground. 26When the troops entered the woods, the honey was flowing. But no one put his hand to his mouth, because the troops were afraid of violating their 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 14:27Jonathan hadn’t heard that his father forced the troops to take an oath. So he stretched out the tip of the staff he had in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb. When he put it to his mouth, his eyes lit up.
- Leviticus 27:29People dedicated this way cannot be bought back. They must be put to death.
- Numbers 21:2Then the Israelites made this vow to the Lord: “If you will hand these people over to us, we’ll destroy their cities because you’ve claimed them.”
- Deuteronomy 27:15“Whoever has a carved or metal statue, anything disgusting to the Lord that was made by a craftsman, and sets it up in secret will be cursed.” Then all the people will say amen.
- Joshua 6:17The city has been claimed by the Lord. Everything in it belongs to the Lord. Only the prostitute Rahab and all who are in the house with her will live because she hid the messengers we sent.
- Judges 11:30Jephthah made a vow to the Lord. He said, “If you will really hand Ammon over to me,
- Judges 11:31then whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return safely from Ammon will belong to the Lord. I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.”
- Judges 21:1The men of Israel had taken this oath in Mizpah: “None of us will ever let our daughters marry anyone from Benjamin.”
- Proverbs 11:9With his talk a godless person can ruin his neighbor, but righteous people are rescued by knowledge.
- Romans 10:2I can assure you that they are deeply devoted to God, but they are misguided.
- 1 Corinthians 16:22If anyone doesn’t love the Lord, let him be cursed! Our Lord, come!
- Judges 5:2Praise the Lord! Men in Israel vowed to fight, and people volunteered for service.
- Judges 1:28When the Israelites were strong enough, they made the Canaanites do forced labor. But they did not force all of them out.
- Psalms 18:47God gives me vengeance! He brings people under my authority.
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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