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1 Samuel 14:27

in 1 Samuel 14

Jonathan, however, had not heard that his father had charged the people with the oath. So he reached out the end of the staff in his hand, dipped it into the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes brightened.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.

KJV

But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.

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This verse in 1 Samuel 14

Commentary

7 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

His eyes were enlightened - Hunger and fatigue affect and dim the sight; on taking food, this affection is immediately removed. This most people know to be a fact.

This site's exposition

Jonathan, however, had not heard that his father had charged the people with the oath

Jonathan never heard the oath, so he dips the end of his staff in the honeycomb and eats. The narrator's verdict is "his eyes brightened," strength returning to a man who kept fighting while the army starved under his father's word. The son who won the battle by faith is the one his father's vow condemns.

The record, by era

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Samuel · Written before 735.

proposed

Jonathan, however, had not heard, when his father adjured the people, etc. He speaks of eyes being illuminated, refreshed, and renewed for gazing, which had already begun to fade due to the customary long fasting or toil. Therefore Jonathan, who had previously conquered the teeth …

A commentator

Gregory the Dialogist

Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 4 · Written before 604.

proposed

There follows: (Verse 27.) But Jonathan had not heard when his father adjured the people, and he stretched out the tip of the staff that he had in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and brought his hand back to his mouth, and his eyes were brightened. Whom does Jonathan represent in this place, if not those who are great in word and deed, yet are not great in the zeal of circumspection? They preach lofty things indeed, they perform mighty works, but they do not manfully hold themselves in the circumspection of humility.

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

), and was sensibly refreshed by it: His eyes were enlightened, which began to grow dim through hunger and faintness; it made his countenance look pleasant and cheerful, for it was such as a stander-by might discern (

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation

But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Were enlightened - i. e., he was refreshed, when he was faint.

The words behind it

23 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וְיוֹנָתָ֣ןand Jonathan

    veyonatanH3129 →43 times

  • לֹֽא־not

    lo'-H3808 →5168 times

  • שָׁמַ֗עhe had heard

    shama'H8085 →1159 times

  • בְּהַשְׁבִּ֣יעַwhen made to swear an oath

    behashbia'H7650 →186 times

  • אָבִיו֮father his

    ʾavivH1 →1212 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • הָעָם֒the people

    haamH5971 →1873 times

  • וַיִּשְׁלַ֗חand he stretched out

    vaiyishlachH7971 →845 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • קְצֵ֤ה[the] end of

    ketzehH7097 →97 times

  • הַמַּטֶּה֙the staff

    hamatehH4294 →

  • אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • בְּיָד֔וֹ[was] in hand his

    beyadoH3027 →1618 times

  • וַיִּטְבֹּ֥לand he dipped

    vaiyitbolH2881 →

  • אוֹתָ֖הּ<obj.> it

    ʾotahH853 →10935 times

  • בְּיַעְרַ֣תin [the] honeycomb of

    beya'ratH3295 →

  • הַדְּבָ֑שׁthe honey

    hadevashH1706 →54 times

  • וַיָּ֤שֶׁבand he brought back

    vaiyashevH7725 →1056 times

  • יָדוֹ֙hand his

    yadoH3027 →1618 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • פִּ֔יוmouth his

    pivH6310 →498 times

  • וַתָּאֹ֖רְנָהand they brightened

    vataronahH215 →43 times

  • עֵינָֽיו׃eyes his

    ʾeinavH5869 →887 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

7 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Psalms 13:3Consider me and respond, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death,4 works1 Samuel 14:43“Tell me what you have done,” Saul commanded him. So Jonathan told him, “I only tasted a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. And now I must die?”3 worksProverbs 25:26Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.3 works1 Samuel 30:12a piece of a fig cake and two clusters of raisins. So he ate and was revived, for he had not had any food or water for three days and three nights.3 works1 Samuel 14:29“My father has brought trouble to the land,” Jonathan replied. “Just look at how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.3 worksEzra 9:8But now, for a brief moment, grace has come from the LORD our God to preserve for us a remnant and to give us a stake in His holy place. Even in our bondage, our God has given us new life and light to our eyes.3 works
The other 1 cross-references, with their words ▾
Leviticus 4:2“Tell the Israelites to do as follows with one who sins unintentionally against any of the LORD’s commandments and does what is forbidden by them:3 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    1 Samuel 30:12

    a piece of a fig cake and two clusters of raisins. So he ate and was revived, for he had not had any food or water for three days and three nights.

    it leads to

    • Judges 15:19

      So God opened up the hollow place in Lehi, and water came out of it. When Samson drank, his strength returned, and he was revived. That is why he named it En-hakkore, and it…

  • Through

    1 Samuel 14:43

    “Tell me what you have done,” Saul commanded him. So Jonathan told him, “I only tasted a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. And now I must…

    it leads to

    • Joshua 7:19

      So Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and make a confession to Him. I urge you to tell me what you have done; do not…

  • Through

    Proverbs 25:26

    Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.

    it leads to

    • Ezekiel 34:18–19

      Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of the pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink the clear…

    • 1 Samuel 22:14–18

      Ahimelech answered the king, “Who among all your servants is as faithful as David, the king’s son-in-law, the captain of your bodyguard who is honored in your house?

    • 1 Thessalonians 2:15

      who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out as well. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men,

    • Genesis 4:8

      Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

    • 2 Chronicles 24:21–22

      But they conspired against Zechariah, and by order of the king, they stoned him in the courtyard of the house of the LORD.

  • Through

    1 Samuel 14:29

    “My father has brought trouble to the land,” Jonathan replied. “Just look at how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.

    it leads to

    • 1 Kings 18:18

      “I have not troubled Israel,” Elijah replied, “but you and your father’s house have, for you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals.

Where this verse is studied

On this page

Studies1

About 1 Samuel

Anointing of David by Samuel, Félix-Joseph Barrias, 1842, Musée des Beaux-Arts de la ville de Paris. Public domain.
Anointing of David by Samuel, Félix-Joseph Barrias, 1842, Musée des Beaux-Arts de la ville de Paris. Public domain.
1 Samuel: the study guide →Read 1 Samuel 14 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Gregory the Dialogist, Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 4; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in 1 Samuel 14 →