New English Translation
1 Samuel 14:24
24Now the men of Israel were hard pressed that day, for Saul had made the army agree to this oath: “Cursed be the man who eats food before evening! I will get my vengeance on my enemies!” So no one in the army ate anything.
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 Israelites who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, they too pursued them in battle. 23So the Lord delivered Israel that day, and the battle shifted over to Beth Aven. Now the men of Israel were hard pressed that day, for Saul had made the army agree to this oath: “Cursed be the man who eats food before evening! I will get my vengeance on my enemies!” So no one in the army ate anything. 25Now the whole army entered the forest and there was honey on the ground. 26When the army entered the forest, they saw the honey flowing, but no one ate any of it, for the army was afraid of 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 14:27But Jonathan had not heard about the oath his father had made the army take. He extended the end of his staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb. When he ate it, his eyes gleamed.
- Leviticus 27:29Any human being who is permanently dedicated must not be ransomed; such a person must be put to death.
- Numbers 21:2So Israel made a vow to the Lord and said, “If you will indeed deliver this people into our hand, then we will utterly destroy their cities.”
- Deuteronomy 27:15‘Cursed is the one who makes a carved or metal image – something abhorrent to the Lord, the work of the craftsman – and sets it up in a secret place.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’
- Joshua 6:17The city and all that is in it must be set apart for the Lord, except for Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house, because she hid the spies we sent.
- Judges 11:30Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, saying, “If you really do hand the Ammonites over to me,
- Judges 11:31then whoever is the first to come through the doors of my house to meet me when I return safely from fighting the Ammonites – he will belong to the Lord and I will offer him up as a burnt sacrifice.”
- Judges 21:1The Israelites had taken an oath in Mizpah, saying, “Not one of us will allow his daughter to marry a Benjaminite.”
- Proverbs 11:9With his speech the godless person destroys his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous will be delivered.
- Romans 10:2For I can testify that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not in line with the truth.
- 1 Corinthians 16:22Let anyone who has no love for the Lord be accursed. Our Lord, come!
- Judges 5:2“When the leaders took the lead in Israel, When the people answered the call to war – Praise the Lord!
- Judges 1:28Whenever Israel was strong militarily, they forced the Canaanites to do hard labor, but they never totally conquered them.
- Psalms 18:47The one true God completely vindicates me; he makes nations submit to 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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