1 Samuel 14:28
New International Version
Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the army under a strict oath, saying, ‘Cursed be anyone who eats food today!’ That is why the men are faint.”

New Living Translation
But one of the men saw him and said, “Your father made the army take a strict oath that anyone who eats food today will be cursed. That is why everyone is weary and faint.”

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the troops with a solemn oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’ That is why the people are faint.”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food this day.’ ” And the people were faint.

New American Standard Bible
Then one of the people responded and said, “Your father strictly put the people under oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food today.’” And the people were weary.

NASB 1995
Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly put the people under oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food today.’” And the people were weary.

NASB 1977
Then one of the people answered and said, “Your father strictly put the people under oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food today.’” And the people were weary.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then one of the people answered and said, “Your father strictly put the people under a sworn oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food today.’” And the people were weary.

Amplified Bible
But one of the people told him, “Your father strictly put the people under an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food today.’” And the people were exhausted [and hungry].

Christian Standard Bible
Then one of the troops said, “Your father made the troops solemnly swear, ‘The man who eats food today is cursed,’ and the troops are exhausted.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then, one of the troops said, “Your father made the troops solemnly swear, ‘The man who eats food today is cursed,’ and the troops are exhausted.”

American Standard Version
Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth food this day. And the people were faint.

Contemporary English Version
Then a soldier told him, "Your father swore that anyone who ate food today would be put under a curse, and we agreed not to eat. That's why we're so weak."

English Revised Version
Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth food this day. And the people were faint.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then one of the soldiers told him, "Your father forced the troops to take a solemn oath: 'Cursed is anyone who eats food today.' " Now, the army was exhausted.

Good News Translation
But one of the men told him, "We are all weak from hunger, but your father threatened us and said, 'A curse be on anyone who eats any food today.'"

International Standard Version
Then one of the people responded: "Your father strictly ordered the army to take an oath. That's why he said, 'Cursed is the person who eats food today,' and so the army is exhausted."

Majority Standard Bible
Then one of the soldiers told him, ?Your father bound the troops with a solemn oath, saying, ?Cursed is the man who eats food today.? That is why the people are faint.?

NET Bible
Then someone from the army informed him, "Your father put the army under a strict oath saying, 'Cursed be the man who eats food today!' That is why the army is tired."

New Heart English Bible
Then one of the people answered, and said, "Your father directly commanded the people with an oath, saying, 'Cursed is the man who eats food this day.'" The people were faint.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint.

World English Bible
Then one of the people answered, and said, “Your father directly commanded the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’” So the people were faint.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And a man of the people answers and says, “Your father certainly adjured the people, saying, Cursed [is] the man who eats food today; and the people are weary.”

Young's Literal Translation
And a man of the people answereth and saith, 'Thy father certainly adjured the people, saying, Cursed is the man who eateth food to-day; and the people are weary.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And a man from the people will answer and say, Thy father adjuring, adjured the people, saying, Cursed the man who shall eat bread this day. And the people were wearied.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And one of the people answering, said: Thy father hath bound the people with an oath, saying: Cursed be the man that shall eat any food this day. (And the people were faint.)

Catholic Public Domain Version
And in response, one of the people said, “Your father has bound the people by an oath, saying: ‘Cursed be the man who will eat any bread this day.’ ” (For the people were faint.)

New American Bible
At this, one of the soldiers spoke up: “Your father put the people under a strict oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the one who takes food today!’ As a result the people are weakened.”

New Revised Standard Version
Then one of the soldiers said, “Your father strictly charged the troops with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be anyone who eats food this day.’ And so the troops are faint.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then one of the men of the people spoke and said to Jonathan, Your father has surely adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man who eats food this day. And the people were faint with hunger.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And a man of the people answered and said to Jonathan: “Your father made the people swear and said, “Cursed is the man who will eat food today!”, and the people were exhausted
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Then answered one of the people, and said: 'Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying: Cursed be the man that eateth food this day; and the people are faint.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And one of the people answered and said, Thy father solemnly adjured the people, saying, Cursed is the man who shall eat bread to-day. And the people were very faint,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jonathan Eats the Honey
27Jonathan, however, had not heard that his father had charged the people with the oath. So he reached out the end of the staff in his hand, dipped it into the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes brightened. 28Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the troops with a solemn oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’ That is why the people are faint.” 29“My father has brought trouble to the land,” Jonathan replied. “Just look at how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.…

Cross References
Judges 21:5
The Israelites asked, “Who among all the tribes of Israel did not come to the assembly before the LORD?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah would surely be put to death.

Leviticus 27:29
No person set apart for destruction may be ransomed; he must surely be put to death.

Numbers 30:2
If a man makes a vow to the LORD or swears an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word; he must do everything he has promised.

Deuteronomy 23:21-23
If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not be slow to keep it, because He will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin. / But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty of sin. / Be careful to follow through on what comes from your lips, because you have freely vowed to the LORD your God with your own mouth.

Judges 11:30-31
Jephthah made this vow to the LORD: “If indeed You will deliver the Ammonites into my hand, / then whatever comes out the door of my house to greet me on my triumphant return from the Ammonites will belong to the LORD, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”

1 Samuel 1:11
And she made a vow, saying, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever touch his head.”

1 Samuel 14:24
Now the men of Israel were in distress that day, for Saul had placed the troops under an oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the troops tasted any food.

1 Samuel 15:22-23
But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams. / For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”

2 Samuel 21:1-2
During the reign of David there was a famine for three successive years, and David sought the face of the LORD. And the LORD said, “It is because of the blood shed by Saul and his family, because he killed the Gibeonites.” / At this, David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not Israelites, but a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them, but in his zeal for Israel and Judah, Saul had sought to kill them.)

2 Kings 23:3
So the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments, decrees, and statutes with all his heart and all his soul, and to carry out the words of the covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant.

Psalm 15:4
who despises the vile but honors those who fear the LORD, who does not revise a costly oath,

Ecclesiastes 5:4-5
When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow. / It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.

Matthew 5:33-37
Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ / But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; / or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ...

Matthew 12:36-37
But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. / For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Matthew 23:16-22
Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ / You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred? / And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’ ...


Treasury of Scripture

Then answered one of the people, and said, Your father straightly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eats any food this day. And the people were faint.

Cursed

1 Samuel 14:24,43
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…

faint.

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1 Samuel 14
1. Jonathan goes and miraculously smites the Philistine's garrison
15. A divine terror makes them beat themselves
17. Saul, not staying the priest's answer, sets on them
21. The captivated Hebrews, and the hidden Israelites, join against them.
24. Saul's unadvised adjuration hinders the victory
31. He restrains the people from eating blood
35. He builds an altar
37. Jonathan, taken by lot, is save by the people
47. Saul's victories, strength, and family














Then one of the soldiers told him
This phrase indicates a moment of communication within the ranks of Saul's army. The soldier's role is crucial as a bearer of information, reflecting the hierarchical structure of ancient military forces. In the context of 1 Samuel 14, this communication highlights the tension and confusion among the troops due to Saul's earlier command. The soldier's report is a turning point in the narrative, revealing the impact of Saul's leadership decisions on his men.

“Your father bound the troops with a solemn oath
Saul, the first king of Israel, had imposed a strict oath on his soldiers. Oaths in ancient Israel were serious commitments, often invoking divine witness and consequences. Saul's oath reflects his attempt to control the situation and ensure victory over the Philistines. However, it also demonstrates a lack of wisdom, as it disregards the physical needs of his men. This moment foreshadows Saul's eventual downfall due to impulsive and rash decisions.

saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’
The curse Saul pronounces is a form of a conditional curse, common in ancient Near Eastern cultures, where breaking an oath would bring divine retribution. This reflects the belief in the power of spoken words and the seriousness of vows. Saul's curse is intended to motivate his troops through fear, but it instead leads to unintended consequences, highlighting the dangers of legalism and the importance of discernment in leadership.

That is why the people are faint.”
The physical weakness of the troops is a direct result of Saul's oath, illustrating the practical implications of spiritual and leadership decisions. The soldiers' faintness symbolizes the burden of legalistic commands that ignore human needs. This situation contrasts with the provision and sustenance God offers, as seen in other scriptures like Psalm 23. The narrative underscores the need for leaders to balance spiritual zeal with compassion and understanding of human limitations.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jonathan
- The son of King Saul, who unknowingly violated his father's oath by eating honey, leading to a significant event in this chapter.

2. Saul
- The first king of Israel, who made a rash oath that affected his troops' strength and morale.

3. The Troops
- The Israelite soldiers who were bound by Saul's oath, leading to their physical weakness during battle.

4. The Philistines
- The enemies of Israel, whom Saul and his troops were fighting against during this time.

5. The Forest
- The location where Jonathan found honey and ate it, unaware of his father's command.
Teaching Points
The Danger of Rash Decisions
Saul's impulsive oath demonstrates the potential harm of making decisions without seeking God's guidance. Believers should be cautious and prayerful in their commitments.

The Importance of Leadership Wisdom
Leaders have a significant impact on those they lead. Saul's lack of wisdom in leadership resulted in unnecessary hardship for his troops. Christian leaders should seek God's wisdom to guide their decisions.

The Consequences of Legalism
Saul's legalistic approach to the battle, focusing on rules rather than the well-being of his people, serves as a warning against prioritizing rules over relationships and compassion.

The Role of Obedience and Disobedience
Jonathan's unintentional disobedience highlights the complexity of obedience when human commands conflict with practical needs. Christians should discern when to prioritize God's commands over human ones.

The Power of Words
Saul's words had a profound impact on his troops. This reminds believers of the power of their words and the importance of speaking life and encouragement.(28) Then answered one of the people.--Most probably, in reply to Jonathan's pointing out the plentiful supply of honey, and inviting the soldiers near him to refresh themselves with it. The words "and the people were faint," at the close of the verse, should be rendered, and the people are faint; they were part of the speech of the soldier who was telling Jonathan of his father's rash oath.

Verse 28. - And the people were faint. There is great diversity of opinion whether this be part or not of the speech of the man who informed Jonathan of the oath forced on the people by Saul. It makes, perhaps, the better sense if regarded as the continuation of the history, and inserted to justify Jonathan's disapproval of his father's hasty command. The fight rendering is were weary, as in the margin and Judges 4:21.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then
וַיַּעַן֩ (way·ya·‘an)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6030: To answer, respond

one
אִ֨ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

of the soldiers
מֵֽהָעָ֜ם (mê·hā·‘ām)
Preposition-m, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

told him,
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Your father
אָבִ֤יךָ (’ā·ḇî·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

bound the troops
הָעָם֙ (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

with a solemn oath,
הַשְׁבֵּעַ֩ (haš·bê·a‘)
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 7650: To seven oneself, swear

saying,
הִשְׁבִּ֨יעַ (hiš·bî·a‘)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7650: To seven oneself, swear

‘Cursed [is]
אָר֥וּר (’ā·rūr)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 779: To execrate

the man
הָאִ֛ישׁ (hā·’îš)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

who
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

eats
יֹ֥אכַל (yō·ḵal)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 398: To eat

food
לֶ֖חֶם (le·ḥem)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3899: Food, bread, grain

today.’
הַיּ֑וֹם (hay·yō·wm)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day

That is why the people
הָעָֽם׃ (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

are faint.”
וַיָּ֖עַף (way·yā·‘ap̄)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5774: To fly, to faint


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OT History: 1 Samuel 14:28 Then answered one of the people (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 14:27
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