New Living Translation
1 Samuel 14:24
24Now the men of Israel were pressed to exhaustion that day, because Saul had placed them under an oath, saying, “Let a curse fall on anyone who eats before evening—before I have full revenge on my enemies.” So no one ate anything all day,
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
22Likewise, the men of Israel who were hiding in the hill country of Ephraim joined the chase when they saw the Philistines running away. 23So the Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle continued to rage even beyond Beth-aven. Now the men of Israel were pressed to exhaustion that day, because Saul had placed them under an oath, saying, “Let a curse fall on anyone who eats before evening—before I have full revenge on my enemies.” So no one ate anything all day, 25even though they had all found honeycomb on the ground in the forest. 26They didn’t dare touch the honey because they all feared the oath they had taken.
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 his father’s command, and he dipped the end of his stick into a piece of honeycomb and ate the honey. After he had eaten it, he felt refreshed.
- Leviticus 27:29No person specially set apart for destruction may be bought back. Such a person must be put to death.
- Numbers 21:2Then the people of Israel made this vow to the Lord: “If you will hand these people over to us, we will completely destroy all their towns.”
- Deuteronomy 27:15‘Cursed is anyone who carves or casts an idol and secretly sets it up. These idols, the work of craftsmen, are detestable to the Lord.’ And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’
- Joshua 6:17Jericho and everything in it must be completely destroyed as an offering to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and the others in her house will be spared, for she protected our spies.
- Judges 11:30And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord. He said, “If you give me victory over the Ammonites,
- Judges 11:31I will give to the Lord whatever comes out of my house to meet me when I return in triumph. I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.”
- Judges 21:1The Israelites had vowed at Mizpah, “We will never give our daughters in marriage to a man from the tribe of Benjamin.”
- Proverbs 11:9With their words, the godless destroy their friends, but knowledge will rescue the righteous.
- Romans 10:2I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal.
- 1 Corinthians 16:22If anyone does not love the Lord, that person is cursed. Our Lord, come!
- Judges 5:2“Israel’s leaders took charge, and the people gladly followed. Praise the Lord!
- Judges 1:28When the Israelites grew stronger, they forced the Canaanites to work as slaves, but they never did drive them completely out of the land.
- Psalms 18:47He is the God who pays back those who harm me; he subdues the nations 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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