And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against the LORD in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there.

1 SAMUEL 14:34KJV
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1 Samuel 14:34 (KJV)

What does 1 Samuel 14:34 mean?

1 Samuel 14:34 shows Saul telling his people to spread out and tell everyone to bring their oxen and sheep to a specific place to be properly slaughtered and eaten, warning them not to eat meat with blood in it, which would be a sin against the LORD. The people obey and bring their animals that night to be killed and eaten as Saul instructed.

In this scene, Saul is speaking to the Israelite soldiers after a battle. He notices that some people are so hungry they are eating meat without properly draining the blood, which was forbidden by Israelite law. Saul responds by organizing a way for everyone to eat without breaking this command, showing concern for following God's law even in difficult circumstances.

The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 14:34

  • "Sin" — חָטָא (chata’): This word means to miss the mark or to do wrong, and here it refers specifically to violating God's law about eating blood.
  • "Blood" — דָּם (dam): The Hebrew law (Leviticus 17:10–14) strictly forbade eating blood, as blood was seen as the life of the animal and belonged to God.
  • "Slay" — שָׁחַט (shachat): This word means to slaughter or kill for sacrifice or food, and its use here emphasizes that the animals were to be killed in a proper, lawful way.

Why 1 Samuel 14:34 matters

  • This verse clears up that Saul was trying to correct a serious problem—people breaking God’s law out of desperation—by giving them a practical solution.
  • It highlights the importance placed on obeying God’s commands about food, even in times of hunger or stress.
  • The verse connects to the wider passage by showing Saul’s leadership style and his concern for ritual purity, which is a recurring theme in his reign.