What is the meaning of "va'Ya'at"?
Rashi: It has the same root as Ayit 1 (Bereishis 15:11).
Radak: The root is Ateh. This is veering or leaning, like "va'Ta'at El ha'Shalal" (15:19). Also Yonason translated like this.
Ayit is the name of a bird. Rashi (Yeshayah 22:17) - va'Ya'at is casting away, like one makes a bird fly away. (Here it means that they went quickly, like a bird flies. - PF)
Why is it written "va'Ya'as"? We pronounce it "va'Ya'at"!
Radak: Va'Ya'as refers to gathering, like "va'Ta'as ha'Aretz" (Bereishis 41:47).
Why does it say "Bakar" and "Bnei Bakar"?
Rashi: They were slaughtering Oso v'Es Beno.
What is the meaning of "va'Yishchatu Artzah"?
Radak: Refer to 14:32:6:2.
Malbim: They slaughtered [Shelamim, and ate the meat before Zerikas ha'Dam] without a built Mizbe'ach.
How could they eat? Sha'ul forbade them to eat!
Radak: They ate at night.
Rishon l'Tziyon (27): They relied on Yonason's Heter. Refer to 14:29:2:1.
What is the meaning of "va'Yochal ha'Am Al ha'Dam"?
Rashi (citing Zevachim 120a): They offered Shelamim, and ate the meat while the blood was still in the bucket 1 [before it was thrown on the Bamah].
Radak: They were preparing the meat hastily, for they were hungry. They slaughtered on the ground, and the blood did not flow nicely, and it was absorbed in the meat. 2 This is why Sha'ul commanded to roll a big rock, and they will slaughter on it, so the blood will flow nicely. This is unlike "Lo Sochelu Al ha'Dam" (Vayikra 19:26), which was a ritual of those who slaughter to demons to eat around the blood after they slaughtered to them. It is learned from the context; [that verse continues] "Lo Senacheshu v'Lo Se'onenu."
Ramban (Vayikra 19:26): They gathered the blood into a pit. Demons came to eat, and they asked them questions about the future. This is "Lo Sochelu Al ha'Dam." They did so amidst fear of the Pelishtim; Sha'ul would not no anything without asking from the Urim v'Tumim 3 (verse 36).
This is one of many Perushim of "Lo Sochelu Al ha'Dam" (refer to Vayikra 19:26:1:1-10). Malbim - "Al ha'Dam" is while it is intact, like "Lo Sishchat Al Chametz Dam Zivchi" (Shemos 34:25).
One may eat meat containing blood that never left the meat (YD 67:1), but if blood separated and was absorbed in meat, it is forbidden (69:2. The lenient opinion there holds that the blood was not absorbed - Bi'ur ha'Gra 69:12.)
What could be better than asking from the Urim v'Tumim?! Perhaps it is slow, for it answers only one or two words at a time, and sometimes it does not answer (verse 37). Demons speak like people do, and give details. Or, people were wary of the Urim v'Tumim, for in the war after Pilegesh b'Giv'ah they did not clarify the question, and misunderstood the answer. A Midrash says that Sha'ul was punished for interrupting asking the Urim v'Tumim in order to act (refer to 14:19:4:1)! Perhaps because he belittled it, also they belittled it. (PF) Also refer to 14:36:3:1 and the note there.
