Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:24-35

We have here an account of the distress of the children of Israel, even in the day of their triumphs. Such alloys are all present joys subject to. And such obstructions does many a good cause meet with, even when it seems most prosperous, through the mismanagement of instruments. I. Saul forbade the people, under the penalty of a curse, to taste any food that day, 1 Sam. 14:24. Here we will suppose, 1. That as king he had power to put his soldiers under this interdict, and to bind it on with a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:32

And the people flew upon the spoil ,.... Like a swift and ravenous bird, as the eagle, and which seems to have its name in Greek from this word, see Isaiah 46:11 . When the evening was come, and they were free from the oath of Saul, and being extremely hungry, faint, and weary, they were even ravenous for food and with the greatest haste and eagerness laid hold on what came first to hand: and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground ; and there they lay in their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:33

Then they told Saul ,.... Some that were more conscientious and religious, were more circumspect, and strictly attended to the laws forbidding the eating of blood, and were concerned at the indecent behaviour of others, and therefore thought fit to acquaint Saul with it, to restrain it: behold, the people sin against the Lord, in that they eat with the blood ; by breaking the laws of God respecting the eating of blood in Genesis 9:4 , especially in Leviticus 19:26 . and he said,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:34

And Saul said, disperse yourselves among the people ,.... In the camp, some one way, and some another, and make proclamation throughout it; this he said to some of his officers, whom he sent out as heralds, to publish his will and pleasure: and say unto them, bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here ; on the great stone he had ordered to roll to the place where he was: and eat them ; in the same place, being rightly slain, and the blood let out;... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 14:32

The people did eat them with the blood - They were faint through hunger, and did not take time to bleed the cattle on which they fed. This was another bad effect of Saul's rash adjuration. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 14:33

Roll a great stone unto me - Probably this means that they should set up an altar to the Lord, on which the animals might be properly slain, and the blood poured out upon the earth; and a large stone was erected for an altar. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:24-35

Unwise zeal and moral obtuseness. The facts are— 1 . Saul by a rash vow causes great distress among the people and diminishes the fruits of victory. 2 . Jonathan, unawares, takes food contrary to his father's prohibition, and on being informed of the truth, deplores the unwisdom of the vow. 3 . As a consequence of the enforced exhaustion, the people at the close of the day violate the ceremonial law by a voracious meal of flesh unduly prepared. 4 . Saul, professing to be... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:32

The people flew upon the spoil. The written text has, "And the people set to work upon the spoil, and took sheep," etc; but as the sentence is not very grammatical the kri has corrected it from 1 Samuel 15:19 . The versions have either "greedily desired," or "turned themselves unto." The people who had waited until evening, when the oath forced upon them by Saul was over, then in their hunger broke the law doubly: first in killing calves with their dams on the same day (Le 22:28), and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:33-34

Ye have transgressed. Better as in the margin, "dealt treacherously," i.e. faithlessly, to the covenant between Israel and Jehovah. Roll a great stone unto me this day. Or, as we should say, this minute ; but the Hebrew uses "this day" for anything to be done at once (see on 1 Samuel 2:16 ). The purpose of this stone was to raise up the caresses of the slaughtered animals from the ground, so that the blood might drain away from them. On tidings of this arrangement being dispersed... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 14:33

Sin against the Lord - See the marginal reference “u.” But the prohibition was older than the Law of Moses Genesis 9:4. Compare Acts 15:20, Acts 15:29. read more

Group of Brands