1 Samuel 14 · Verse 24

1 Samuel 14:24

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.
1 Samuel 14:24, King James Version

1 Samuel 14:24 in other translations

BSBNow 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.
WEBThe men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food until it is evening, and I am avenged of my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food.
ASVAnd the men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until it be evening, and I be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted food.
YLTAnd the men of Israel have been distressed on that day, and Saul adjureth the people, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eateth food till the evening, and I have been avenged of mine enemies;' and none of the people hath tasted food.
DARBYBut the men of Israel were distressed that day. Now Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth food until evening, and until I am avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted food.
BBEAnd all the people were with Saul, about twenty thousand men, and the fight was general through all the hill-country of Ephraim; but Saul made a great error that day, by putting the people under an oath, saying, Let that man be cursed who takes food before evening comes and I have given punishment to those who are against me. So the people had not a taste of food.
WebsterAnd 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 my enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.

What does 1 Samuel 14:24 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
24. Saul had adjured the people--Afraid lest so precious an opportunity of effectually humbling the Philistine power might be lost, the impetuous king laid an anathema on any one who should taste food until the evening. This rash and foolish denunciation distressed the people, by preventing them taking such refreshments as they might get on the march, and materially hindered the successful attainment of his own patriotic object.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 24 Saul had adjured the people - He was afraid, if they waited to refresh themselves, the Philistines would escape out of their hands, and therefore he made the taking any food till sunset a capital crime. This was the very means of defeating his own intention; for as the people were exhausted for want of food, they could not continue the pursuit of their enemies: had it not been for this foolish adjuration, there had been a greater slaughter of the Philistines, 1Sam 14:30.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 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.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

1 Samuel 14:24 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְאִֽישׁ\־ve.'ish-and [the] man ofH376
יִשְׂרָאֵ֥לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
נִגַּ֖שׂni.Gashe was hard pressedH5065
בַּיּ֣וֹםbai.Yomon the dayH3117
הַה֑וּאha.Hu'<the> thatH1931
וַיֹּאֶל֩vai.yo.'Eland he had put under oathH422
שָׁא֨וּלsha.'UlSaulH7586
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הָעָ֜םha.'Amthe peopleH5971
לֵאמֹ֗רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
אָר֣וּר'a.Rur[be] cursedH779
הָ֠אִישׁHa.'ishthe personH376
אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-whoH834
יֹ֨אכַלYo.khalhe will eatH398
לֶ֜חֶםLe.chemfoodH3899
עַד\־'ad-untilH5704
הָעֶ֗רֶבha.'E.revthe eveningH6153
וְנִקַּמְתִּי֙ve.ni.kam.Tiand I will avenge myselfH5358
מֵאֹ֣יְבַ֔יme.'O.ye.Vaifrom enemies myH341
וְלֹֽאve.Lo'and notH3808
טָעַ֥םta.'Amit tastedH2938
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
הָעָ֖םha.'Amthe peopleH5971
לָֽחֶם\׃\ \סLa.chemfoodH3899

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 14:24

  • Joshua 6:26

    And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.

  • Romans 10:2

    For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

  • 1 Corinthians 16:22

    If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maran-atha.

  • Judges 5:2

    Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.

  • Psalms 18:47

    It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.

  • Judges 21:1-5

    Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife. And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore; And said, O Lord God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel? And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. …

  • Leviticus 27:29

    None devoted, which shall be devoted of men, shall be redeemed; but shall surely be put to death.

  • Joshua 6:17-19

    And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the Lord: they shall come into the treasury of the Lord.

  • Judges 11:30-31

    And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.

  • Numbers 21:2

    And Israel vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.

  • Proverbs 11:9

    An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.

  • Deuteronomy 27:15-26

    Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen. Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour’s landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way. And all the people shall say, Amen. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Cursed.
27-30; Le 27:29; Nu 21:2; De 27:15-26; Jos 6:17-19,26; Jud 11:30
Jud 11:31; 21:1-5; Pr 11:9; Ro 10:2; 1Co 16:22
I may be.
Jud 5:2; 1:28; Ps 18:47

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 14:23

    So the Lord saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Beth–aven.

  • 1 Samuel 14:24

    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.

  • 1 Samuel 14:25

    And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground.

Read all of 1 Samuel 14

1 Samuel 14:24 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Pero los hombres de Israel fueron puestos en apuro aquel día; porque Saúl había conjurado al pueblo, diciendo: Cualquiera que comiere pan hasta la tarde, hasta que haya tomado venganza de mis enemigos, sea maldito. Y todo el pueblo no había gustado pan.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et les hommes d’Israël furent accablés ce jour-là. Or Saül avait adjuré le peuple, disant: Maudit soit l’homme qui mangera du pain, jusqu’au soir, et jusqu’à ce que je me sois vengé de mes ennemis; et, entre tout le peuple, nul ne goûta de pain.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Die Männer von Israel waren aber sehr angestrengt an jenem Tage; und Saul beschwor das Volk und sprach: Verflucht sei der Mann, der Speise essen wird bis zum Abend, und bis ich mich an meinen Feinden gerächt habe! Und das ganze Volk kostete keine Speise.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et viri Israël sociati sunt sibi in die illa: adjuravit autem Saul populum, dicens: Maledictus vir qui comederit panem usque ad vesperam, donec ulciscar de inimicis meis. Et non manducavit universus populus panem: