By use of an rf electric resonance technique, the fine structure of the \s4f multiplet of He I and its splitting in a static electric field have been investigated. Our results for the fine-structure intervals v u between the l F 3 level and the 3 Fj levels are v l2 =232.8(2.0) MHz, v u =490.8(2.0) MHz, and vi3=704.3(l.0) MHz. Furthermore, a singlet-triplet mixing ratio 0=0.757(3) and the exchange interaction 2^ = 158(3) MHz have been derived from the measurements.