1 Samuel 14:39

1 Samuel 14:39 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For, as the Lord liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him.
• New International Version (NIV)As surely as the Lord who rescues Israel lives, even if the guilt lies with my son Jonathan, he must die.” But not one of them said a word.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For as the Lord lives who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die." But there was not a man among all the people who answered him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For as the Lord lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But not a man among all the people answered him.

Context of 1 Samuel 14:39

37So Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You give them into the hand of Israel?” But God did not answer him that day. 38Therefore Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the troops, and let us investigate how this sin has occurred today. As surely as the LORD who saves Israel lives, even if it is my son Jonathan, he must die!” But not one of the troops said a word. 40Then Saul said to all Israel, “You stand on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will stand on the other side.” “Do what seems good to you,” the troops replied. 41So Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Why have You not answered Your servant this day? If the fault is with me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the fault is with the men of Israel, respond with Thummim.” And Jonathan and Saul were selected, but the people were cleared of the charge.

1 Samuel 14:39 word by word

כִּ֣י חַי־יְהוָ֗ה הַמּוֹשִׁ֙יעַ֙ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּ֧י אִם־יֶשְׁנ֛וֹ בְּיוֹנָתָ֥ן בְּנִ֖י כִּ֣י מ֣וֹת יָמ֑וּת וְאֵ֥ין עֹנֵ֖הוּ מִכָּל־הָעָֽם׃Read the interlinear

• As surely asכִּיkîy · forH3588
• the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• who savesיָשַׁעyâsha‛ · to saveH3467
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• livesחַיchay · aliveH2416
• evenכִּי [אם]kîy · that if: exceptH3588
• if[כִּי] אם'im · if: exceptH518
• it isיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
• my sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• Jonathanיוֹנָתָןyônâthân · JonathanH3129
• he must dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• But not oneאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
• of the troopsעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• saidעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• a wordכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 14:39

• 1 Samuel 14:24Now the men of Israel were in distress that day, for Saul had placed the troops under an oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the troops tasted any food.
• 1 Samuel 19:6Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan and swore an oath: “As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be put to death.”
• 1 Samuel 20:31For as long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Now send for him and bring him to me, for he must surely die!”
• 1 Samuel 22:16But the king replied, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!”
• 1 Samuel 28:10Then Saul swore to her by the LORD: “As surely as the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this.”
• 2 Samuel 12:5David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan: “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!
• Ecclesiastes 9:2It is the same for all: There is a common fate for the righteous and the wicked, for the good and the bad, for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as it is for the one who makes a vow, so it is for the one who refuses to take a vow.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 14:39

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 39Saul‘s rashness becomes more and more apparent. He now adds an additional oath, to bring down yet further guilt in “taking God‘s name in vain” The expressions in 1 Samuel 14:36, 1 Samuel 14:40, indicate the fear in which the people stood of Saul. None dared to resist his will.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 36-46Verses 36-46 If God turns away our prayer, we have reason to suspect it is for some sin harboured in our hearts, which we should find out, that we may put it away, and put it to death. We should always first suspect and examine ourselves; but an unhumbled heart suspects every other person, and looks every where but at home for the sinful cause of calamity. Jonathan was discovered to be the offender. Those most indulgent to their own sins are most severe…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-52Saul's actions in this chapter further support his removal as king (1 Samuel 13:8–14; see also 15). Saul was estranged from both Samuel and his brave son Jonathan. 1 Samuel 14 foreshadows Jonathan's important role in the shift from Saul's rule to David's.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 14:39

• Armies
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Jonathan
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Discomfiture
• Discover
• Enlighten
• Faulty
• Fight
• Flew

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings