John Gill's Exposition on 1 Samuel 14:25

A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.

Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.

And all they of the land came to a wood, etc.] Which lay between Bethaven and Aijalon; by whom are meant not all the inhabitants of the land of Israel, but all that came with Saul and Jonathan, and that joined them in the pursuit: and there was honey upon the ground; which dropped upon it, as in the following verse, or where it was produced by bees; for Aristotle f273 reports, that bees in some places make their combs upon the ground; this was wild honey, which Diodorus Siculus f274 speaks of as common in Arabia, and which perhaps John the Baptist ate of, (<400304>Matthew 3:4). Jarchi says, this was the honey of canes, or sugar canes, which grew in the land of Israel; and affirms from Nathan an Ishmaelite, that in the Ishmaelitish or Arabic language they call honey, sugar; but neither of these can be proved.

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