rsv 1Samuel:14:24-46 SEEK
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And the men of Israel were distressed that day ;
for Saul 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 tasted food .
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And all the people came into the forest ;
and there was honey on the ground .
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And when the people entered the forest ,
behold ,
the honey was dropping ,
but no man put his hand to his mouth ;
for the people feared the oath .
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But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath ;
so he put forth the tip of the staff that was in his hand ,
and dipped it in the honeycomb ,
and put his hand to his mouth ;
and his eyes became bright .
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Then one of the people said , "
Your father strictly charged the people with an oath ,
saying , `
Cursed be the man who eats food this day .'"
And the people were faint .
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Then Jonathan said , "
My father has troubled the land ;
see how my eyes have become bright ,
because I tasted a little of this honey .
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How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found ;
for now the slaughter among the Philistines has not been great ."
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They struck down the Philistines that day from Michmash to Ai '
jalon .
And the people were very faint ;
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the people flew upon the spoil ,
and took sheep and oxen and calves ,
and slew them on the ground ;
and the people ate them with the blood .
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Then they told Saul , "
Behold ,
the people are sinning against the LORD ,
by eating with the blood ."
And he said , "
You have dealt treacherously ;
roll a great stone to me here ."
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And Saul said , "
Disperse yourselves among the people ,
and say to them , `
Let every man bring his ox or his sheep ,
and slay them here ,
and eat ;
and do not sin against the LORD by eating with the blood .'"
So every one of the people brought his ox with him that night ,
and slew them there .
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And Saul built an altar to the LORD ;
it was the first altar that he built to the LORD .
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Then Saul said , "
Let us go down after the Philistines by night and despoil them until the morning light ;
let us not leave a man of them ."
And they said , "
Do whatever seems good to you ."
But the priest said , "
Let us draw near hither to God ."
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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 .
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And Saul said , "
Come hither ,
all you leaders of the people ;
and know and see how this sin has arisen today .
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For as the LORD 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 that answered him .
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Then he said to all Israel , "
You shall be on one side ,
and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side ."
And the people said to Saul , "
Do what seems good to you ."
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Therefore Saul said , "
O LORD God of Israel ,
why hast thou not answered thy servant this day ?
If this guilt is in me or in Jonathan my son ,
O LORD ,
God of Israel ,
give Urim ;
but if this guilt is in thy people Israel ,
give Thummim ."
And Jonathan and Saul were taken ,
but the people escaped .
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Then Saul said , "
Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan ."
And Jonathan was taken .
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Then Saul said to Jonathan , "
Tell me what you have done ."
And Jonathan told him , "
I tasted a little honey with the tip of the staff that was in my hand ;
here I am ,
I will die ."
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And Saul said , "
God do so to me and more also ;
you shall surely die ,
Jonathan ."
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Then the people said to Saul , "
Shall Jonathan die ,
who has wrought this great victory in Israel ?
Far from it !
As the LORD lives ,
there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground ;
for he has wrought with God this day ."
So the people ransomed Jonathan ,
that he did not die .
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Then Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines ;
and the Philistines went to their own place .