24And the men of Israel were oppressed on that day. Saul made the people swear, saying, "Cursed be the man who eats food until the evening, for I will avenge myself on my enemy." So none of the people tasted any food.25All the land came upon the honeycomb, and honey lay upon the surface of the land.26The people came to the honeycomb, and behold, a flow of honey, yet no one put his hand to his mouth, because the people feared the oath.27Jonathan had not heard when his father made the people swear. He extended the tip of the staff that was in his hand, dipped it into the honeycomb, brought his hand back to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.28One of the men answered and said, "Your father placed the people under a strict oath, saying, 'Cursed be the man who eats food today.'" So the people grew faint.29Jonathan replied, "My father has brought trouble on the land. See how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey."30If only the people had eaten today from the spoil of their enemies that they found, the slaughter among the Philistines would not have been greater.31They struck the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people were utterly exhausted.32The people rushed upon the spoil, took sheep and cattle and calves of cattle, slaughtered them on the ground, and ate with the blood.33They reported to Saul, "The people are sinning against the LORD by eating with the blood." He said, "You have broken faith. Roll a large stone to me today."34Saul ordered, "Disperse among the people and tell them, 'Let each man bring his ox or his sheep to me, slaughter it here, and eat, so that you do not sin against the LORD by eating blood.'" That night every man brought his animal in his hand and slaughtered it there.35Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first altar he built to the LORD.36Saul proposed, "Let us go down after the Philistines tonight and plunder them until the light of morning; let us not leave one man of them." The men answered, "Do whatever seems good in your eyes." But the priest said, "Let us draw near to God here."37Saul inquired of God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel's hand?" But he did not answer him that day.38Saul said, "Come forward here, all the corners of the people, and find out and see by what this sin occurred today."39As the LORD lives, who delivers Israel, if it is in my son Jonathan, he shall surely die. Yet no one answered him from all the people.40He said to all Israel, "You will stand on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will stand on the other." The people replied to Saul, "Do what seems good to you."41Saul said to the LORD, God of Israel, "Give a perfect answer." Jonathan and Saul and the people were singled out.42Saul said, "Cast lots between me and my son Jonathan." Jonathan was taken.43Saul asked Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." Jonathan told him, "I tasted a little honey on the tip of the staff that was in my hand. Now I must die."44Saul declared, "May God do so to me and more also, for you shall surely die, Jonathan."45The people said to Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, who accomplished this great salvation in Israel? Far be it! As the LORD lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he acted with God today." So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.46Saul withdrew from the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their place.47Saul secured the kingship over Israel. He fought against all his enemies on every side—against Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, the Philistines, and every power that turned against him.48He displayed strength, struck Amalek, and rescued Israel from the hand of its plunderer.