The following is a dramatic rendition of  1 Samuel 14:24-45.  For the 'prolouge' read 1 Samuel 13:23-14:23.

Jonathan sped toward the forest near Beth Aven, keeping his eyes on the Philistine running ahead of him.  He finally caught up; his sword flashed, and the Philistine fell dead.

"Take his sword!" he called to his armor-bearer, who had followed him loyally since the climb up the pass at Micmash earlier that day.  The young man caught up the sword and took out another Philistine with one stroke.

They joined a group of soldiers and entered the woods.  The chase had been hard, and Jonathan was tired.  Then he noticed honey oozing out of the ground.

"The Lord always provides," he whispered.  To his surprise, no one touched the honey.  Jonathan dipped the end of his staff into the honey and took a mouthful.  Almost instantly he felt energy flood him.

Suddenly, a soldier tapped his arm. "My Prince, your father bound the army under a strict oath saying, 'Cursed be any man who eats food today!'  That is why the men are faint."

Jonathan said, "My father had made trouble for the country.  See how I became stronger when I tasted a little of this honey.  How much better would it have been if the men had eaten today some of the plunder they took from their enemies.  Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?"

"You say well.  I will not speak of what happened here." the soldier glanced around. "None of us will."  Then they continued the chase.

Evening came.  The soldiers, dizzy and faint from hunger, fell on the spoils of the Philistine camp.  They killed sheep, cattle and calves and ripped into them like hyenas, not bothering to cook the meat or even drain the blood from it.

Jonathan turned away from the gory scene.  His father had indeed made trouble for the country, terrible trouble.  It was against the Law of God to eat meat with blood in it.

Shouts came from one side of the camp.  Apparently Saul had given orders that all the livestock killed was to be killed at a certain stone and the blood drained out.  Jonathan still felt sickened.  The deeds had already been done.

A short time later, a messenger came to summon Jonathan to his father.  "The Lord will not answer the king," said the messenger, "so now he in searching the camp for sin."

Heart pounding, Jonathan followed the messenger to his father.  Is it my fault? he wondered.  Does God not answer because I broke the oath?

"Stand beside me, Jonathan," Saul said as Jonathan came up.  The entire army had been assembled. Saul raised his voice. "Come here all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed today.  As surely as the Lord lives, even if it lies with my son Jonathan, he must die."

Jonathan's blood ran cold.

The lot was cast between Saul and Jonathan and the men.  The men were cleared.  The lot was cast between Saul and Jonathan.  A wave of nausea struck Jonathan, for the lot fell to him.

"Tell me what you have done," said Saul.

"I merely tasted a little honey with the end of my staff," said Jonathan.  Saul drew his sword.  "And now must I die?" Jonathan cried desperately.

"May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you do not die, Jonathan," Saul said.

Jonathan stared at his father in mute horror.  Saul pushed Jonathan to his knees and raised his sword.  Jonathan looked up at the sharp, deadly blade for a moment, then bowed his head.  He could not watch it fall; he could see it well enough in his mind's eye.  Oh, God, let it be over swiftly. he prayed. 

Suddenly, many hands grabbed him from behind.  He was pulled to his feet .  Soldiers swarmed around him.  "Should Jonathan die - he who has brought this great deliverance to Israel?" they asked.  "As surely as the Lord lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today with the Lord's help."

Jonathan was deeply touched by the loyalty of the men.  Saul sheathed his sword, and Jonathan went limp with relief.  His armor-bearer caught his arm before he slumped to the ground from exhaustion.

"Would you like for me to get you something to eat?" the armor-bearer asked.

"So long as it's cooked," Jonathan replied, allowing his armor-bearer to lead him to his tent.