24
The men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man who eats any food until it be evening, and I be avenged on my enemies. So none of the people tasted food.
25
All the people came into the forest; and there was honey on the ground.
26
When the people were come to the forest, behold, the honey dropped: but no man put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath.
27
But Jonathan didn`t hear when his father charged the people with the oath: why he put forth the end of the rod who was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.
28
Then answered one of the people, and said, Your father directly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man who eats food this day. The people were faint.
29
Then said Jonathan, My father has troubled the land. Please look how my eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.
30
How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for now has there been no great slaughter among the Philistines.
31
They struck of the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. The people were very faint;
32
and the people flew on the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and killed them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood.
33
Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against Yahweh, in that they eat with the blood. He said, you have dealt treacherously: roll a great stone to me this day.
34
Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them, Bring me here every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and kill them here, and eat; and don`t sin against Yahweh in eating with the blood. All the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and killed them there.
35
Saul built an altar to Yahweh: the same was the first altar that he built to Yahweh.
36
Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. They said, Do whatever seems good to you. Then said the priest, Let us draw near here to God.
37
Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? will you deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he didn`t answer him that day.
38
Saul said, Draw near here, all you chiefs of the people; and know and see in which this sin has been this day.
39
For, as Yahweh lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people who answered him.
40
Then said he to all Israel, Be you on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. The people said to Saul, Do what seems good to you.
41
Therefore Saul said to Yahweh, the God of Israel, Show the right. Jonathan and Saul were taken [by lot]; but the people escaped.
42
Saul said, Cast [lots] between me and Jonathan my son. Jonathan was taken.
43
Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what you have done. Jonathan told him, and said, I did certainly taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and, behold, I must die.
44
Saul said, God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan.
45
The people said to Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it: as Yahweh lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he has worked with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he didn`t die.