1 Samuel 14:24 net — Jonathan Violates Saul’s Oath Now the men of Israel were hard pressed that day, for Saul had made the army agree to thi…

NET Bible

"Jonathan Violates Saul’s Oath 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."

— 1 Samuel 14:24, NET Bible

Read in Another Translation

5 of 21 translations

1 Samuel 14:24 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • 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.”

  • ASV

    “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 it be evening, and I be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted food. ”

  • WEB

    “The men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, "Cursed is the man who eats any food until it is evening, and I am avenged of my enemies." So none of the people tasted food.”

  • DRB

    “And the men of Israel were joined together that day: and Saul adjured the people, saying: Cursed be the man that shall eat food till evening, till I be revenged of my enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.”

  • BBE

    “And all the people were with Saul, about twenty thousand men, and the fight was general through all the hill-country of Ephraim; but Saul made a great error that day, by putting the people under an oath, saying, Let that man be cursed who takes food before evening comes and I have given punishment to those who are against me. So the people had not a taste of food.”

  • KJVA

    “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.”

1 Samuel 14 — Context

21

The Hebrews who had earlier gone over to the Philistine side joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.

22

When 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.

23

So the LORD delivered Israel that day, and the battle shifted over to Beth Aven.

24

Jonathan Violates Saul’s Oath 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.

25

Now the whole army entered the forest and there was honey on the ground.

26

When 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.

27

But 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.

1 Samuel 14:24 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 1 Samuel 14:24 say?
1 Samuel 14:24 in the NET Bible reads: “Jonathan Violates Saul’s Oath 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.”
Where is 1 Samuel 14:24 in the Bible?
1 Samuel 14:24 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 14, verse 24.
Who wrote 1 Samuel?
1 Samuel is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Samuel, Nathan, and Gad). It was written c. 930–722 BC.
What is the book of 1 Samuel about?
1 Samuel marks Israel's transition from judges to kings. It traces the births and ministries of the prophet Samuel, the rise and tragic fall of Saul as Israel's first king, and the anointing of the shepherd boy David, whose faith makes him a man after God's own heart.
What are the major themes of 1 Samuel?
1 Samuel explores themes including Kingship, Prophet, Faith vs. Fear, God's Sovereign Choice, Anointing. These themes shape the meaning and context of 1 Samuel 14:24.
What translation should I read 1 Samuel 14:24 in?
1 Samuel 14:24 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 1 Samuel 14:24?
1 Samuel 14:24 reads (NET): “Jonathan Violates Saul’s Oath 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.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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