Single lesson
Jonathan, the Honey and Saul's Oath
1 Samuel 14:24–46
Children will trace a difficult day in Israel’s battle: Saul’s oath, Jonathan’s unknowing choice, the people’s weakness, Saul’s unanswered enquiry, and Jonathan’s rescue. The lesson helps them follow the order and notice the results of different choices.
Before you teach
This passage sits within a day of fighting the Philistines. It focuses on Saul’s command that no one eat until evening, the discovery of honey in the forest, Jonathan’s tasting of it because he had not heard the oath, the people’s later sin with the blood, and the final rescue of Jonathan.
Students will be able to sequence 1 Samuel 14:24–46 and name clear outcomes from the passage, including the people’s faintness, Saul’s unanswered enquiry, and Jonathan’s rescue.
Welcome: The oath that affected everyone
5 minStart by reading 1 Samuel 14:24. Explain that Saul gave a strong oath: no one was to eat until evening. The verse says the men were distressed, and none of the people tasted food. Ask children to listen for what happened later when hungry people came across food in the forest.
1 Samuel 14:24
Read and explain: Honey in the forest
7 minRead 1 Samuel 14:25–30. The people saw honey, but they did not eat because they feared the oath. Jonathan had not heard it, so he tasted honey. The text says his eyes brightened. Jonathan then says his father had troubled the land and that food would have helped the people in the fight.
1 Samuel 14:25, 1 Samuel 14:26, 1 Samuel 14:27, 1 Samuel 14:28, 1 Samuel 14:29, 1 Samuel 14:30
Discuss: Faint people and further sin
6 minRead 1 Samuel 14:31–35. The people were very faint after the fighting. Then they rushed on the plunder and ate meat with the blood, which Saul said was sin against Yahweh. Saul ordered them to bring animals to one place, kill them there, and eat there. The passage also says Saul built an altar to Yahweh.
1 Samuel 14:31, 1 Samuel 14:32, 1 Samuel 14:33, 1 Samuel 14:34, 1 Samuel 14:35
Make and respond: Sequence the turning points
7 minGive children six cards to draw or label: oath, honey, Jonathan eats, people eat with the blood, lots, rescue. In pairs, they put the cards in order and retell the account. Finish by asking what changed because of Saul’s oath and what the people later said about Jonathan’s work with God.
1 Samuel 14:24, 1 Samuel 14:27, 1 Samuel 14:32, 1 Samuel 14:42, 1 Samuel 14:45
Closing: No answer, then rescue
5 minRead 1 Samuel 14:36–46. The priest said to draw near to God, and Saul asked counsel of God, but God did not answer that day. Lots identified Jonathan. Jonathan admitted tasting the honey. Saul said he must die, but the people rescued Jonathan, and Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines.
1 Samuel 14:36, 1 Samuel 14:37, 1 Samuel 14:42, 1 Samuel 14:43, 1 Samuel 14:44, 1 Samuel 14:45, 1 Samuel 14:46
Questions to explore
What changed when Jonathan tasted the honey, and how did Jonathan use that detail to speak about the people’s need?
Look for the words about Jonathan’s eyes brightening, then read what he says about his father troubling the land and how food could have helped the people.
1 Samuel 14:27, 1 Samuel 14:29, 1 Samuel 14:30
How did the people’s faintness lead to another problem, and what instruction did Saul give next?
Follow the order from the people being very faint, to eating with the blood, to Saul telling them where to bring the animals and how to avoid sinning in that way.
1 Samuel 14:31, 1 Samuel 14:32, 1 Samuel 14:33, 1 Samuel 14:34
What do the passage’s own words say about Saul asking God and about Jonathan at the end?
Notice that Saul asked counsel of God and received no answer that day, and notice that the people said Jonathan had worked with God that day and rescued him.
1 Samuel 14:37, 1 Samuel 14:45
Make, think or respond
Battle Day Sequence Cards
What you’ll need
- Plain paper or card
- Pencils or crayons
- Bible
- Scissors
Try it together
- Cut or fold paper into six cards.
- Draw or write one event on each card: Saul’s oath, honey in the forest, Jonathan eats, people eat with the blood, lots choose Jonathan, people rescue Jonathan.
- Mix the cards and place them back in order from the passage.
- Retell the story using the cards and add one observation from verse 37 or verse 45.
This activity helps children track the order of 1 Samuel 14:24–46 and notice the passage’s own outcomes and comments.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, prepare the six event titles orally and let them focus on drawing and ordering the cards.
- For older children, ask them to add verse numbers to each card and explain how verses 37 and 45 shape the lesson’s main ideas.
An optional closing prayer
You may pray: “God, thank you for your word. Help us listen carefully to what you say and learn from the choices and outcomes in this passage. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
1 Samuel 14
24 The men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food until it is evening, and I am avenged of my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food.
25 All the people came into the forest; and there was honey on the ground.
26 When the people had come to the forest, behold, honey was dripping, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.
27 But Jonathan didn’t hear when his father commanded the people with the oath. Therefore he put out 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 brightened.
28 Then one of the people answered, and said, “Your father directly commanded the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’ ” So the people were faint.
29 Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. Please look how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.
30 How much more, if perhaps the people had eaten freely today of the plunder of their enemies which they found? For now there has been no great slaughter among the Philistines.”
31 They struck the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. The people were very faint;
32 and the people pounced on the plunder, and took sheep, cattle, and calves, and killed them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood.
33 Then they told Saul, saying, “Behold, the people are sinning against Yahweh, in that they eat meat with the blood.” He said, “You have dealt treacherously. Roll a large stone to me today!”
34 Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them, ‘Every man bring me here his ox, and every man his sheep, and kill them here, and eat; and don’t sin against Yahweh in eating meat with the blood.’ ” All the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and killed them there.
35 Saul built an altar to Yahweh. This was the first altar that he built to Yahweh.
36 Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines by night, and take plunder among them until the morning light. Let’s not leave a man of them.” They said, “Do whatever seems good to you.” Then the priest said, “Let’s draw near here to God.”
37 Saul asked counsel of God: “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But he didn’t answer him that day.
38 Saul said, “Draw near here, all you chiefs of the people, and know and see in whom this sin has been today.
39 For as Yahweh lives, who saves Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But there was not a man among all the people who answered him.
40 Then he said to all Israel, “You be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side.” The people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.”
41 Therefore Saul said to Yahweh, the God of Israel, “Show the right.” Jonathan and Saul were chosen, but the people escaped.
42 Saul said, “Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son.” Jonathan was selected.
43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done!” Jonathan told him, and said, “I certainly did taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and behold, I must die.”
44 Saul said, “God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan.”
45 The people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As Yahweh lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God today!” So the people rescued Jonathan, so he didn’t die.
46 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.