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Tuesday, April 14th, 2026
the Second Week after Easter
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Read the Bible

Literal Standard Version

1 Samuel 14:43

And Saul says to Jonathan, "Declare to me, what have you done?" And Jonathan declares to him and says, "I certainly tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that [is] in my hand; behold, I die!"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Jonathan;   Zeal, Religious;   Thompson Chain Reference - Jonathan;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Armies of Israel, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Philistines;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Jonathan;   Philistia, philistines;   Saul, king of israel;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Philistines;   Saul;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jonathan;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Court Systems;   Jonathan;   Samuel, Books of;   Urim and Thummim;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Gibeah;   Israel;   Jonathan;   Michmash;   Philistines;   Samuel, Books of;   Saul;   Urim and Thummim;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Jonathan ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Jonathan;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Jon'athan,;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Breastplate;   Jephthah;   Urim and Thummim;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Honey;   Samuel, Books of;   Taste;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Ban;   Jonathan, Jehonathan;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Saul commanded him, “Tell me what you did.”
Hebrew Names Version
Then Sha'ul said to Yonatan, Tell me what you have done. Yonatan told him, and said, I did certainly taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and, behold, I must die.
King James Version
Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die.
Lexham English Bible
So Saul said, "Tell me what you have done." So Jonathan told him and said, "I merely tasted a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am, I must die."
English Standard Version
Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." And Jonathan told him, "I tasted a little honey with the tip of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am; I will die."
New Century Version
Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." So Jonathan told Saul, "I only tasted a little honey from the end of my stick. And must I die now?"
New English Translation
So Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." Jonathan told him, "I used the end of the staff that was in my hand to taste a little honey. I must die!"
Amplified Bible
Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." So Jonathan told him, "I tasted a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am, I must die!"
New American Standard Bible
So Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." And Jonathan told him, and said, "I did indeed taste a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am, I must die!"
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Saul said to Ionathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Ionathan tolde him, & said, I tasted a litle hony with the ende of the rod, that was in mine hand, and loe, I must die.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." So Jonathan told him and said, "I indeed tasted a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am; I must die!"
Contemporary English Version
"Jonathan," Saul exclaimed, "tell me what you did!" "I dipped the end of my walking stick in some honey and ate a little. Now you say I have to die!"
Complete Jewish Bible
Then Sha'ul said to Y'honatan, "Tell me what you did." Y'honatan told him, "Yes, I tasted a little honey with the end of the staff in my hand. Here I am; I'm ready to die."
Darby Translation
And Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him and said, With the end of the staff which is in my hand I tasted a little honey, [and] behold, I must die!
Easy-to-Read Version
Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." Jonathan told Saul, "I only tasted a little honey from the end of my stick. Should I die for doing that?"
George Lamsa Translation
Then Saul said to Jonathan. Tell me what you have done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did taste a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand, and on account of that must I die?
Good News Translation
Then Saul asked Jonathan, "What have you done?" Jonathan answered, "I ate a little honey with the stick I was holding. Here I am—I am ready to die."
Literal Translation
And Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me, what did you do? And Jonathan told him, and said, I indeed tasted a little honey with the end of the staff in my hand. Behold, I! I will die.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Saul sayde vnto Ionathas: Tell me, what hast thou done? Ionathas tolde him, & sayde: I taisted a litle hony with the staff that I had in my hande, and beholde, must I dye therfore?
American Standard Version
Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did certainly taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and, lo, I must die.
Bible in Basic English
Then Saul said to Jonathan, Give me an account of what you have done. And Jonathan gave him the story and said, Certainly I took a little honey on the end of my rod; and now death is to be my fate.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then Saul saide to Ionathan: Tell me what thou hast done. And Ionathan tolde him, and sayde: I tasted a litle honie with the ende of the rod that was in myne hand, & lo, I must dye.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then Saul said to Jonathan: 'Tell me what thou hast done.' And Jonathan told him, and said: 'I did certainly taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; here am I: I will die.'
King James Version (1611)
Then Saul said to Ionathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Ionathan tolde him, and said, I did but taste a litle hony with the end of the rodde that was in mine hand, and loe, I must die.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done: and Jonathan told him, and said, I did indeed taste a little honey, with the end of my staff that was in my hand, and, lo! I am to die.
English Revised Version
Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did certainly taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand; and, lo, I must die.
Berean Standard Bible
"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?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe Saul seide to Jonathas, Schewe thou to me, what thou didist. And Jonathas schewide to hym, and seide, Y tastynge tastide a litil of hony `in the ende of the yerde, that was in myn hond; and lo!
Young's Literal Translation
And Saul saith unto Jonathan, `Declare to me, what hast thou done?' and Jonathan declareth to him, and saith, `I certainly tasted with the end of the rod that [is] in my hand a little honey; lo, I die!'
Update Bible Version
Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what you have done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did certainly taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and, look, I must die.
Webster's Bible Translation
Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that [was] in my hand, [and], lo, I must die.
World English Bible
Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what you have done. Jonathan told him, and said, I did certainly taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and, behold, I must die.
New King James Version
Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." And Jonathan told him, and said, "I only tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand. So now I must die!"
New Living Translation
"Tell me what you have done," Saul demanded of Jonathan. "I tasted a little honey," Jonathan admitted. "It was only a little bit on the end of my stick. Does that deserve death?"
New Life Bible
Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." So Jonathan told him, "I tasted a little honey with the end of the stick that was in my hand. Here I am. I must die."
New Revised Standard
Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." Jonathan told him, "I tasted a little honey with the tip of the staff that was in my hand; here I am, I will die."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Saul said unto Jonathan, Come tell me, what thou hast done. So Jonathan told him, and said, I, just tasted, with the end of the staff that was in my hand, a little honey, here I am - I must die!
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Saul said to Jonathan: Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said: I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod, which was in my hand, and behold I must die.
Revised Standard Version
Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." And Jonathan told him, "I tasted a little honey with the tip of the staff that was in my hand; here I am, I will die."
THE MESSAGE
Saul confronted Jonathan. "What did you do? Tell me!" Jonathan said, "I licked a bit of honey off the tip of the staff I was carrying. That's it—and for that I'm to die?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." So Jonathan told him and said, "I indeed tasted a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am, I must die!"

Contextual Overview

36And Saul says, "Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and we prey on them until the morning light, and do not leave a man of them." And they say, "Do all that is good in your eyes." And the priest says, "Let us draw near to God here." 37And Saul asks of God, "Do I go down after the Philistines? Do You give them into the hand of Israel?" And He has not answered him on that day. 38And Saul says, "Everyone draw near here, the chiefs of the people, and know and see in what this sin has been today; 39for YHWH lives, who is saving Israel: surely if it is in my son Jonathan, surely he certainly dies"; and none is answering him out of all the people. 40And he says to all Israel, "You are on one side, and I and my son Jonathan are on another side"; and the people say to Saul, "Do that which is good in your eyes." 41And Saul says to YHWH, God of Israel, "Give perfection"; and Jonathan and Saul are captured, and the people went out. 42And Saul says, "Cast between me and my son Jonathan"; and Jonathan is captured. 43And Saul says to Jonathan, "Declare to me, what have you done?" And Jonathan declares to him and says, "I certainly tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that [is] in my hand; behold, I die!"44And Saul says, "Thus God does, and thus does He add, for you certainly die, Jonathan." 45And the people say to Saul, "Does Jonathan die who worked this great salvation in Israel? Certainly not! YHWH lives, if there falls to the earth [even one] hair from his head, for with God he has worked this day"; and the people rescue Jonathan, and he has not died.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Tell me: Joshua 7:19, Jonah 1:7-10

I did but: 1 Samuel 14:27

Reciprocal: Genesis 12:18 - General Genesis 31:26 - What Genesis 50:5 - I die 1 Samuel 14:28 - Cursed Jonah 1:8 - Tell

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then Saul said to Jonathan, tell me what thou hast done,.... What sin he had committed, the lot having fallen on him, and found him out:

and Jonathan told him; the whole of the matter, all the truth, without any reserve:

and said, I did but take a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand; he speaks of the fact as a trivial thing, as if it was not deserving of death, though he was willing to submit to it; yet it seems strange he should say nothing of his ignorance of the charge and oath of Saul, and plead that in excuse of it; though Josephus h makes him to take notice of it: and, "lo, I must die"; am condemned to die, as the Targum; for which he was prepared and ready, being willing to testify an entire subjection to his father's authority and will. Josephus i represents him speaking with a generosity and greatness of soul, after this manner,

"death is most sweet to me, which is for the sake of maintaining thy piety and religion; and after so glorious a victory, it is the greatest consolation to me to leave the Hebrews conquerors of the Philistines.''

h Antiqu. l. 6. c. 6. sect. 4. i lbid.


 
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