1Samuel:14:24-48

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* But the men of Israel were distressed that day . Now Saul had adjured the people , saying , Cursed be the man that eateth food until evening , and [until ] I am avenged on mine enemies . So none of the people tasted food . * And all they of the land came to a wood ; and there was honey on the ground . * And the people had come into the wood , and behold , the honey flowed ; but no man put his hand to his mouth , for the people feared the oath . * But Jonathan had not heard when his father adjured the people ; and he put forth the end of his staff which was in his hand , and dipped it in the honeycomb , and put his hand to his mouth , and his eyes became bright . * Then answered one of the people and said , Thy father strictly adjured the people , saying , Cursed be the man that eateth food this day ; and the people are faint . * And Jonathan said , My father has troubled the land : see , I pray you , that mine eyes are bright , because I tasted a little of this honey . * How much more , if the people had eaten freely to-day of the spoil of their enemies which they found ? for would there not now have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines ? * And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Ajalon ; and the people were very faint . * And the people fell on the spoil , and took sheep , and oxen , and calves , and slaughtered them on the ground ; and the people ate [them ] with the blood . * And they told Saul , saying , Behold , the people sin against Jehovah , in that they eat with the blood . And he said , Ye have acted perversely : roll me now a great stone . * And Saul said , Disperse yourselves among the people , and say to them , Bring near to me every man his ox , and every man his sheep , and slaughter them here , and eat ; and sin not against Jehovah in eating with the blood . And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night , and slaughtered [them ] there . * And Saul built an altar to Jehovah : this was the first altar he built to Jehovah . * And Saul said , Let us go down after the Philistines by night , and plunder them until the morning light , and let us not leave a man of them . And they said , Do whatsoever is good in thy sight . Then said the priest , Let us come near hither to God . * And Saul inquired of God , Shall I go down after the Philistines ? wilt thou give them into the hand of Israel ? But he did not answer him that day . * And Saul said , Draw ye near hither , all the heads of the people ; and know and see wherein this sin has been this day . * For , [as ] Jehovah liveth , who has saved Israel , though it be in Jonathan my son , he shall certainly die . And no one answered him among all the people . * Then said he to all Israel , Be ye on one side , and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side . And the people said to Saul , Do what is good in thy sight . * And Saul said to Jehovah the God of Israel , Give a perfect [testimony ]! And Jonathan and Saul were taken , and the people escaped . * And Saul said , Cast [lots ] between me and Jonathan my son . And Jonathan was taken . * And Saul said to Jonathan , Tell me what thou hast done . And Jonathan told him and said , With the end of the staff which is in my hand I tasted a little honey , [and ] behold , I must die ! * And Saul said , God do so [to me ] and more also ; thou shalt certainly die , Jonathan . * And the people said to Saul , Shall Jonathan die , who has wrought this great salvation in Israel ? Far be it ! [as ] Jehovah liveth , there shall not a hair of his head fall to the ground ; for he has wrought with God this day . So the people delivered Jonathan , that he died not . * And Saul went up from following the Philistines ; and the Philistines went to their own place . * And Saul took the kingdom over Israel , and fought against all his enemies round about , against Moab , and against the children of Ammon , and against Edom , and against the kings of Zobah , and against the Philistines ; and whithersoever he turned himself , he discomfited [them ]. * And he did valiantly , and smote the Amalekites , and delivered Israel out of the hands of their spoilers .

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