New International Version
1 Samuel 19:5
5He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?”
1 Samuel 19:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?
- English Standard Version (ESV)For he took his life in his hand and he struck down the Philistine, and the Lord worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)For he took his life in his hands and killed the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great deliverance for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Have you forgotten about the time he risked his life to kill the Philistine giant and how the Lord brought a great victory to all Israel as a result? You were certainly happy about it then. Why should you murder an innocent man like David? There is no reason for it at all!”
Context of 1 Samuel 19:5
3I will go out and stand with my father in the field where you are. I’ll speak to him about you and will tell you what I find out.” 4Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly. He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?” 6Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death.” 7So Jonathan called David and told him the whole conversation. He brought him to Saul, and David was with Saul as before.
Read all of 1 Samuel 191 Samuel 19:5 word by word
וַיָּשֶׂם֩ אֶת־נַפְשׁ֨וֹ בְכַפּ֜וֹ וַיַּ֣ךְ אֶת־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֗י וַיַּ֨עַשׂ יְהוָ֜ה תְּשׁוּעָ֤ה גְדוֹלָה֙ לְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל רָאִ֖יתָ וַתִּשְׂמָ֑ח וְלָ֤מָּה תֶֽחֱטָא֙ בְּדָ֣ם נָקִ֔י לְהָמִ֥ית אֶת־דָּוִ֖ד חִנָּֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For he did putשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: takeH7760
- his lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
- in his handכַּףkaph · palmH3709
- and slewנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- the Philistineפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
- and the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- wroughtעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- a greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- salvationתְּשׁוּעָהteshû‛âh teshû‛âh · deliverance: salvationH8668
- for all Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- thou sawestרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- and didst rejoiceשָׂמַחώâmach · to rejoiceH8055
- wherefore then wilt thou sinחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- against innocentנָקִיnâqîy nâqîy' · innocentH5355
- bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
- to slayמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- without a causeחִנָּםchinnâm · for nothingH2600
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 19:5
- 1 Samuel 28:21When the woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly shaken, she said, “Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me to do.
- Judges 9:17Remember that my father fought for you and risked his life to rescue you from the hand of Midian.
- Judges 12:3When I saw that you wouldn’t help, I took my life in my hands and crossed over to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave me the victory over them. Now why have you come up today to fight me?”
- Psalms 119:109Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law.
- Acts 20:24However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
- Philippians 2:30because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.
- 1 Samuel 17:49Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.
- 1 Samuel 11:13But Saul said, “No one will be put to death today, for this day the Lord has rescued Israel.”
- 1 Samuel 14:45But the men said to Saul, “Should Jonathan die—he who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Never! As surely as the Lord lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today with God’s help.” So the men rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.
- 1 Samuel 17:52Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. Their dead were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron.
- Exodus 14:13Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.
- 1 Samuel 20:32“Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” Jonathan asked his father.
- Jeremiah 26:15Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and on those who live in it, for in truth the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”
- Matthew 27:4“I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
- Psalms 25:3No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.
- Psalms 69:4Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not steal.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 19:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5For he did put his life in his hand - The pleadings in this verse, though short, are exceedingly cogent; and the argument is such as could not be resisted.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-74-7. Jonathan spake good of David--He told his father he was committing a great sin to plot against the life of a man who had rendered the most invaluable services to his country and whose loyalty had been uniformly steady and devoted. The strong remonstrances of Jonathan produced an effect on the impulsive mind of his father. As he was still susceptible of good and honest impressions, he bound himself by an oath to relinquish his hostile purpose; and…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 19:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 19
- 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
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