1 Samuel 14:27

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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(27) He put forth the end of the rod.—Most likely, with the point of his staff took up a piece of the honeycomb. Jonathan in that hurried battle and pursuit had heard nothing of his father’s rash oath, and was, no doubt, owing to his exertions in the earlier part of that eventful day, worn out with fatigue and hunger.

And his eyes were enlightened.—This simply means that the natural dimness caused by extreme exhaustion passed away when his long fast was broken; literally, his eyes became bright. Hence the Talmud comments: “Whoever suffers from the effects of intense hunger, let him eat honey and other sweet things, for such eatables are efficacious in restoring the light of one’s eyes . . . Thus we read of Jonathan, “See, I pray you, how my eyes have been enlightened because I tasted a little of this honey” (1Samuel 14:27).—Treatise Yoma, fol. 83, Colossians 2.

Benson Commentary

1 Samuel 14:27-28. His eyes were enlightened — He was refreshed, and recovered his lost spirits. This cleared his sight, which was grown dim by hunger and faintness. Then answered one of the people — One of them that came with Saul, whose forces were now united with Jonathan’s.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

14:24-35 Saul's severe order was very unwise; if it gained time, it lost strength for the pursuit. Such is the nature of our bodies, that daily work cannot be done without daily bread, which therefore our Father in heaven graciously gives. Saul was turning aside from God, and now he begins to build altars, being then most zealous, as many are, for the form of godliness when he was denying the power of it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Were enlightened - i. e., he was refreshed, when he was faint.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

25. all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey—The honey is described as "upon the ground," "dropping" from the trees, and in honeycombs—indicating it to be bees' honey. "Bees in the East are not, as in England, kept in hives; they are all in a wild state. The forests literally flow with honey; large combs may be seen hanging on the trees as you pass along, full of honey" [Roberts].

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Jonathan heard not, being then absent, and in pursuit of the Philistines, divers of the Israelites having joined themselves with him, 1 Samuel 14:21.

His eyes were enlightened; he was refreshed, and recovered his lost spirits, whereof part went into his optic nerves, and so cleared his sight, which was much darkened by famine, as is usual.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath,.... Which charge was given, either before he came from Gibeah, before he came to Jonathan, or while pursuing, when Jonathan was with another party either fighting or pursuing:

wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand: the staff with which he walked, or rather the spear which he carried in his hand, and fought his enemies with:

and dipped it in an honeycomb; or sugar cane, as Jarchi; or in wood honey, as the margin of our Bibles; but best, in the honeycomb, as the word is rendered, Sol 5:1 and so the Targum, into the nest of honey (x):

and he put his hand to his mouth; first he took the honey off of the top of his rod, and then put it to his mouth and ate it:

and his eyes were enlightened: which before were dim and dull through want of food, which is a common case; but became brisk and lively on eating the honey, nourishment being presently communicated, and he refreshed with it, and his spirits revived; and which quickly appeared in the briskness and sparkling of his eyes: honey being of a subtle nature, gives immediate refreshment and rigour; hence this phrase is frequently used by Jewish writers (y) for refreshment, after hunger, fatigue, and weariness; and which virtue is ascribed by them to fine bread, wine, oil, and particularly to honey.

(x) "Progeniem nidosque fovent----", Virgil. Georgic. l. 4. ver. 56. (y) T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 42. 1, 2. Yoma, fol. 18, 2. & 83. 1. Maimon. Hilch. Maacolot Asurot, c. 14. sect. 16.

Geneva Study Bible

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 {n} eyes were enlightened.

(n) Which were dim before from weariness and hunger.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

27. his eyes were enlightened] Cp. Psalm 13:3. His bodily powers were refreshed. The opposite idea is conveyed by the Heb. words for fainting, which are derived from roots meaning ‘to be shrouded in darkness.’

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 27. - Jonathan, who had not been present when his father charged the people with the oath, - literally, "made the people swear," - dipped the end of his staff hastily, so as not to hinder the pursuit, in an honeycomb - Hebrew, "into the honey wood," i.e. into the hollow branch or trunk out of which the honey was flowing (but see Song of Solomon 5:1). His eyes were enlightened. I.e. made bright and clear, the dimness caused by excessive weariness having passed away. But this is a correction made by the Jews (kri), and the written text (c'tib) has "his eyes saw," which is more forcible and poetic. When the A.V. was made the kri was supposed to be authoritative, but most modern commentators have come to the opposite conclusion. 1 Samuel 14:27

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

But Jonathan, who had not heard his father's oath, dipped (in the heat of pursuit, that he might not have to stop) the point of his staff in the new honey, and put it to his mouth, "and his eyes became bright;" his lost strength, which is reflected in the eye, having been brought back by this invigorating taste. The Chethibh תראנה is probably to be read תּראנה, the eyes became seeing, received their power of vision again. The Masoretes have substituted as the Keri תּארנה, from אור, to become bright, according to 1 Samuel 14:29; and this is probably the correct reading, as the letters might easily be transposed.