(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
1 Samuel 14:24–35, “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. And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground. 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. But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened. Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint. Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey. How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines? And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint. And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people did eat them with the blood. Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day. And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against the LORD in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there. And Saul built an altar unto the LORD: the same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD.”
Saul tried to take credit for the victory and told the Israeli soldiers that anyone who ate any food before the battle against his enemies was finished would be cursed. They had to fight all day without eating any food. The battle past through a small forest, where there were many hives and plenty of honey that was dropping onto the ground. Jonathan had started the battle and didn’t hear his father’s command so he took some of the honey and ate it. After this he was refreshed and lost his haggard, tired look. The other soldiers who were fighting with him told him about the curse. Jonathan remarked that his father had made a mistake. The soldiers needed to be able to eat and strengthen themselves so that they could finish the task and deliver a comprehensive victory. When the battle was finished they were so hungry that they slaughtered some of the stock they had captured without letting the blood run out onto the ground. They ate meat that still had the blood in it and disobeyed one of the Lord’s commandments. Someone told Saul they were disobeying the commandment so he told them to set up a proper place so that the meat could be killed in the proper manner so that the soldiers could eat their meat without the blood. After that Saul built an altar and to honour the Lord.
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