24 And 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. 25 And all 'they of' the land have come into a forest, and there is honey on the face of the field; 26 and the people come in unto the forest, and lo, the honey dropped, and none is moving his hand unto his mouth, for the people feared the oath. 27 And Jonathan hath not heard of his father's adjuring the people, and putteth forth the end of the rod, which 'is' in his hand, and dippeth it in the honeycomb, and bringeth back his hand unto his mouth—and his eyes see! 28 And a man of the people answereth and saith, 'Thy father certainly adjured the people, saying, Cursed 'is' the man who eateth food to-day; and the people are weary.' 29 And Jonathan saith, 'My father hath troubled the land; see, I pray you, that mine eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much more if the people had well eaten to-day of the spoil of its enemies which it hath found, for now, the smiting hath not been great among the Philistines.' 31 And they smite on that day among the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people are very weary, 32 and the people make unto the spoil, and take sheep, and oxen, and sons of the herd, and slaughter on the earth, and the people eat with the blood. 33 And they declare to Saul, saying, 'Lo, the people are sinning against Jehovah, to eat with the blood.' And he saith, 'Ye have dealt treacherously, roll unto me to-day a great stone.' 34 And Saul saith, 'Be ye scattered among the people, and ye have said to them, Bring ye nigh unto me each his ox, and each his sheep; and ye have slain 'them' in this place, and eaten, and ye do not sin against Jehovah to eat with the blood.' And all the people bring nigh each his ox, in his hand, that night, and slaughter 'them' there. 35 And Saul buildeth an alter to Jehovah; with it he hath begun to build altars to Jehovah.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Samuel 14:24-35
Commentary on 1 Samuel 14:24-35
(Read 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.