Saul’s Oath

Saul’s Oath

Q: What did Jonathan do that broke Saul’s oath?

• a. ate a little honey
• b. killed a man in battle
• c. stayed home from battle

One day King Saul’s son, Jonathan, and Jonathan’s armor bearer sneaked away from the Israelite camp and went to the Philistine camp to attack the enemy. Jonathan knew that if God was with them, it wouldn’t matter if there were only two soldiers. The victory would be theirs.

Jonathan’s attack threw the Philistine army into confusion. When Saul realized what was going on, he rushed to prepare his men for battle. He made an oath: “Let a curse fall on anyone who eats before evening—before I have full revenge on my enemies.”

God hadn’t asked for an oath in exchange for victory, and Saul’s oath caused the men to be weak with hunger because they couldn’t eat even the honeycomb they found on the ground. Jonathan wasn’t present when Saul made the oath, though, and he ate a piece of the honeycomb.

Some of the men told Jonathan about his father’s oath. Jonathan thought the oath was a bad choice. He said the soldiers would have done better if they’d had something to eat.

When Saul found out that Jonathan had eaten before the enemies were all killed, he planned to kill him. The other soldiers stopped him and saved Jonathan from dying as a consequence of Saul’s rash vow.

While Saul made oaths to try and gain God’s favor, Jonathan stepped out in faith and took action. He knew that he and his armor bearer alone were enough to defeat the Philistines if God willed it.

For You

If you know God wants you to do something, do it even if you have to step out in faith with only God at your side. You and God are the majority.

Answer: a

“I tasted a little honey,” Jonathan admitted. “It was only a little bit on the end of my stick. Does that deserve death?”   1 Samuel 14:43

(The Whole Story: 1 Samuel 14)