1 Samuel 14:24-45 But Saul was guilty of a great imprudence that day; for he uttered an imprecation to the people, saying, Cursed be the man who eateth bread till evening, that I may take vengeance on mine enemy; so that none of the people tasted bread, though all the country was dining.

Thomson⁽ⁱ⁾ ²⁴ But Saul was guilty of a great imprudence that day; for he uttered an imprecation to the people, saying, Cursed be the man who eateth bread till evening, that I may take vengeance on mine enemy; so that none of the people tasted bread, though all the country was dining. ²⁵ Nay, though the forest Jaal abounded with honey, on the face of the ground, ²⁶ and the people entered that apiary; yet behold they went on talking, and behold there was not one who put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath of the Lord. ²⁷ But Jonathan did not hear when his father adjured the people, therefore he stretched forth the end of the sceptre in his hand, and stuck it into a honey-comb, and when he put his hand to his mouth, his eyes brightened up. ²⁸ And one of the people addressing him said, Thy father solemnly adjured the people saying, Cursed be the man who eateth bread this day, so the people are become faint. ²⁹ And when Jonathan knew this he said, My father hath troubled the land. See how my eyes have sparkled, because I tasted a little of this honey. ³⁰ Consequently, had the people this day eaten freely of the spoils of the enemy, the slaughter among the Philistines would now have been much greater. ³¹ They had now smitten on that day those of the Philistines at Machmas, and as the people were very fainty, ³² they turned upon the spoils; and when they took sheep, or cattle, or calves, they slew them on the ground, and eat them with the blood. ³³ And when it was told Saul, saying, The people have sinned against the Lord by eating with the blood, Saul said, Ye of Gethaim, roll for me here a great stone. ³⁴ Then Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and order them to bring here every man his ox, and every one his sheep, and kill it on this stone, and do not sin against the Lord by eating with the blood. So the people brought every one, what he had at hand and they slaughtered them there. ³⁵ And Saul built an altar there to the Lord. This was the first altar which Saul built to the Lord. ³⁶ Then Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines this night, and make devastation among them till the morning light, and not leave a man among them. And they said, Do what is good in thy sight. But the priest said, Let us draw near hither to God. ³⁷ Whereupon Saul consulted God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? Wilt thou deliver them into the hands of Israel? But he answered him not that day. ³⁸ Then Saul said, Present here all the chiefs of Israel, and know and see by whom this sin hath been done this day; ³⁹ for as the Lord liveth who hath saved Israel, if the answer be given against Jonathan my son, he shall surely be put to death. But there was not one of the people who answered. ⁴⁰ Then he said to all the men of Israel, You shall be one lot, and I and my son Jonathan shall be the other lot. And the people said to Saul, Do what seemeth good in thy sight. ⁴¹ Then Saul said, Lord the God of Israel, why hast thou not answered thy servant this day? If the fault be in me, or in Jonathan my son, Lord God of Israel make us manifest. And when he said these words, Give I beseech thee to thy people Israel, Give I beseech thee Sanctity, the lot fell on Jonathan and Saul; and the people escaped. ⁴² Then Saul said, Cast the lot between me, and Jonathan my son, and against whomsoever the Lord shall decide by lot, let him be put to death. But the people said to Saul, This is not confirmed. But Saul prevailed over the people, so they cast the lot between him and his son Jonathan; and the lot fell on Jonathan. ⁴³ Thereupon Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me; what hast thou done? And when Jonathan told him, and said, I just tasted a little honey with the end of the sceptre which was in my hand, and behold I must die; ⁴⁴ Saul said to him, God do so to me, and more also, but thou shalt surely die this day. ⁴⁵ Upon this the people said to Saul, Shall he this day be put to death who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? As the Lord liveth there shall not a hair of his head fall to the ground. Because the people of God had that day performed exploits, therefore the people prayed for Jonathan that day, and he did not die.