1 Samuel 14:26

1 Samuel 14:26 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath.
• New International Version (NIV)When they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out; yet no one put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And when the people entered the forest, behold, the honey was dropping, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And when the people had come into the woods, there was the honey, dripping; but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.

Context of 1 Samuel 14:26

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. 25The entire land had honeycombs, and there was honey on the ground. When 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. 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. 28Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father forced the troops to take a solemn oath: ‘Cursed is anyone who eats food today.’ ” Now, the army was exhausted.

1 Samuel 14:26 word by word

וַיָּבֹ֤א הָעָם֙ אֶל־הַיַּ֔עַר וְהִנֵּ֖ה הֵ֣לֶךְ דְּבָ֑שׁ וְאֵין־מַשִּׂ֤יג יָדוֹ֙ אֶל־פִּ֔יו כִּֽי־יָרֵ֥א הָעָ֖ם אֶת־הַשְּׁבֻעָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• were comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• into the woodיַ֫עַרya‛ar · honeycombH3293
• behold, the honeyדְּבַשׁdebash · honeyH1706
• droppedהֵ֫לֶךְhêlek · travellerH1982
• but no man putנָשַׂגnâώag · to overtakeH5381
• his handיָדyâd · handH3027
• to his mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
• fearedיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
• the oathשְׁבוּעָהshebû‛âh · oathH7621

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 14:26

• Ecclesiastes 9:2Everything turns out the same way for everyone. All people will share the same destiny, whether they are righteous, wicked, or good, clean or unclean, whether they offer sacrifices or don’t offer sacrifices. Good people are treated like sinners. People who take oaths are treated like those who are afraid to take oaths.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 14:26

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26The honey dropped - It seems to have dropped from the trees on the ground. Honey dews, as they are called, are not uncommon in most countries; and this appears to have been something of this kind. I have seen honey in considerable quantity on the trees and long grass in the fields, and have often eaten of it.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 26The honey dropped - Rather, “Behold a stream of honey.” The same thing may be seen in Spain, where in woody and rocky ground copious streams of honey are often found.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. 1-52Saul's actions in this chapter further support his removal as king (1 Samuel 13:8–14; see also 15). Saul was estranged from both Samuel and his brave son Jonathan. 1 Samuel 14 foreshadows Jonathan's important role in the shift from Saul's rule to David's.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 14:26

• Jonathan

In the dictionaries

• Discomfiture
• Discover
• Enlighten
• Faulty
• Fight
• Flew
• Honey
• Moabite
• Philistines
• Rod

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