ines
yesterday and the day before, and went up with them into the camp,
returned to be with the Israelites, who were with Saul and Jonathan.

14:22. And all the Israelites that had hid themselves in mount Ephraim,
hearing that the Philistines fled, joined themselves with their
countrymen in the fight. And there were with Saul about ten thousand
men.

14:23. And the Lord saved Israel that day. And the fight went on as far
as Bethaven.

14:24. And the men of Israel were joined together that day: and Saul
adjured the people, saying: Cursed be the man that shall eat food till
evening, till I be revenged of my enemies. So none of the people tasted
any food.

14:25. And all the common people came into a forest, in which there was
honey upon the ground.

14:26. And when the people came into the forest, behold the honey
dropped, but no man put his hand to his mouth. For the people feared the
oath.

14:27. But Jonathan had not heard when his father adjured the people:
and he put forth the end of the rod, which he had in his hand, and dipt
it in a honeycomb: and he carried his hand to his mouth, and his eyes
were enlightened.

14:28. And one of the people answering, said: Thy father hath bound the
people with an oath, saying: Cursed be the man that shall eat any food
this day. (And the people were faint.)

14:29. And Jonathan said: My father hath troubled the land: you have
seen yourselves that my eyes are enlightened, because I tasted a little
of this honey:

14:30. How much more if the people had eaten of the prey of their
enemies, which they found? had there not been made a greater slaughter
among the Philistines?

14:31. So they smote that day the Philistines, from Machmas to Aialon.
And the people were wearied exceedingly.

14:32. And falling upon the spoils, they took sheep, and oxen, and
calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people ate them with the
blood.

14:33. And they told Saul that the people had sinned against the Lord,
eating with the blood. And he said: You have transgressed: roll here to
me now a great stone.

14:34. And Saul said: Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell
them to bring me every man his ox and his ram and slay them upon this
stone, and eat, and you shall not sin against the Lord, in eating with
the blood. So all the people brought every man his ox with him till the
night: and slew them there.

14:35. And Saul built an altar to the Lord: and he then first began to