New International Version
1 Samuel 14:39
39As 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)I vow by the name of the Lord who rescued Israel that the sinner will surely die, even if it is my own son Jonathan!” But no one would tell him what the trouble was.
Context of 1 Samuel 14:39
37So 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. 38Saul therefore said, “Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed today. 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. 40Saul then said to all the Israelites, “You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here.” “Do what seems best to you,” they replied. 41Then Saul prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the men of Israel are at fault, respond with Thummim.” Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared.
Read all of 1 Samuel 141 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- livethחַיchay · aliveH2416
- which savethיָשַׁעyâsha‛ · to saveH3467
- Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- though it beיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
- in Jonathanיוֹנָתָןyônâthân · JonathanH3129
- my sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- he shall surelyמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- not a man among all the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 14:39
- 1 Samuel 14:24Now the Israelites were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath, saying, “Cursed be anyone who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the troops tasted food.
- 1 Samuel 19:6Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death.”
- 1 Samuel 20:31As long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now send someone to bring him to me, for he must die!”
- 1 Samuel 22:16But the king said, “You will surely die, Ahimelek, you and your whole family.”
- 1 Samuel 28:10Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As surely as the Lord lives, you will not be punished 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 must die!
- Ecclesiastes 9:2All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As it is with the good, so with the sinful; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them.
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
In the dictionaries
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
New International Version — © NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica
Commentaries