1 Samuel 14:37

1 Samuel 14:37 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day.
• New International Version (NIV)So Saul asked God, “Shall I go down and pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel’s hand?” But God did not answer him that day.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Saul inquired of God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?" But he did not answer him that day.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Saul asked counsel of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But He did not answer him that day.

Context of 1 Samuel 14:37

35Then Saul built an altar for the Lord; it was the first time he had built an altar for the Lord. 36Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines at night; we will rout them until the break of day. We won’t leave any of them alive!” They replied, “Do whatever seems best to you.” But the priest said, “Let’s approach God here.” So Saul asked God, “Should I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But he did not answer him that day. 38Then Saul said, “All you leaders of the army come here. Find out how this sin occurred today. 39For as surely as the Lord, the deliverer of Israel, lives, even if it turns out to be my own son Jonathan, he will certainly die!” But no one from the army said anything.

1 Samuel 14:37 word by word

וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל שָׁאוּל֙ בֵּֽאלֹהִ֔ים הַֽאֵרֵד֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים הֲתִתְּנֵ֖ם בְּיַ֣ד יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹ֥א עָנָ֖הוּ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• askedשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
• counsel of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• Shall I go downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
• afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
• wilt thou deliverנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• them into the handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• But he answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• him not that dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 14:37

• 1 Samuel 23:4So David asked the Lord once again. But again the Lord replied, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.”
• 1 Samuel 30:7Then David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David.
• Judges 1:1After Joshua died, the Israelites asked the Lord, “Who should lead the invasion against the Canaanites and launch the attack?”
• Judges 20:18The Israelites went up to Bethel and asked God, “Who should lead the charge against the Benjaminites?” The Lord said, “Judah should lead.”
• 2 Samuel 5:19So David asked the Lord, “Should I march up against the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord said to David, “March up, for I will indeed hand the Philistines over to you.”
• 1 Kings 22:5Then Jehoshaphat added, “First seek an oracle from the Lord.”
• 1 Samuel 28:6So Saul inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him – not by dreams nor by Urim nor by the prophets.
• Ezekiel 14:3“Son of man, these men have erected their idols in their hearts and placed the obstacle leading to their iniquity right before their faces. Should I really allow them to seek me?
• Ezekiel 20:3“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Are you coming to seek me? As surely as I live, I will not allow you to seek me, declares the sovereign Lord.’

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 14:37

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 37He answered him not that day - Why was this answer delayed? Surely Jonathan's eating the honey was no sin. This could not have excited God's displeasure. And yet the lot found out Jonathan! But did this argue that he had incurred guilt in the sight of God? I answer: It did not; for Jonathan was delivered, by the authority of the people, from his father's rash curse; no propitiation is offered for his supposed transgression to induce God to pardon it; nor…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 37Asked counsel - The technical phrase for inquiring of God by Urim and Thummim, and applied also to inquiry of other oracles.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. 37-38God did not answer: Neither the "no" nor the "yes" answer from the Urim and Thummim appeared.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 14:37

• Armies

In the dictionaries

• God
• Israel
• Philistines
• Saul
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Paul, Saul
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• That Day
• Discomfiture

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