The men of Israel were hard pressed on that day, and Saul required the army to take an oath: "Cursed is the person who eats food before evening and before I've been avenged of my enemies." So no one tasted food.

For 40 days the Philistine would come forward, morning and evening, to take his position.

David told Jonathan, "Look, the New Moon is tomorrow, and I'm expected to sit down with the king to eat. Let me go so I can hide in the field until the evening of the day after tomorrow.

David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day, and not one of them escaped except for 400 young men who mounted camels and fled.