20. Then Saul gathered his army and entered the battle. They found the Philistines confused, striking each other with their swords!
21. Earlier, there were Hebrews who had served the Philistines and had stayed in their camp, but now they joined the Israelites with Saul and Jonathan.
22. When all the Israelites hidden in the mountains of Ephraim heard that the Philistine soldiers were running away, they also joined the battle and chased the Philistines.
23. So the Lord saved the Israelites that day, and the battle moved on past Beth Aven.
24. The men of Israel were miserable that day because Saul had made an oath for all of them. He had said, “No one should eat food before evening and before I finish defeating my enemies. If he does, he will be cursed!” So no Israelite soldier ate food.
25. Now the army went into the woods, where there was some honey on the ground.
26. They came upon some honey, but no one took any because they were afraid of the oath.
27. Jonathan had not heard the oath Saul had put on the army, so he dipped the end of his stick into the honey and lifted some out and ate it. Then he felt better.
28. Then one of the soldiers told Jonathan, “Your father made an oath for all the soldiers. He said any man who eats today will be cursed! That’s why they are so weak.”