1 Samuel

1 Samuel 14:38–44

38Therefore Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the troops, and let us investigate how this sin has occurred today. 39As 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.”g And Jonathan and Saul were selected, but the people were cleared of the charge.

42Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was selected.

43“Tell me what you have done,” Saul commanded him.

So Jonathan told him, “I only tasted a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. And now I must die?”

44And Saul declared, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if you, Jonathan, do not surely die!”

Footnotes

  • g 14:41 LXX and Vulgate; MT contains only the short quotation, “Give a perfect (lot).”

Read all of 1 Samuel 14

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 Samuel 14:38

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Therefore Saulשָׁא֔וּלšā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Comeגֹּ֣שֽׁוּgō·šūVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH5066 draw near, approach
hereהֲלֹ֔םhă·lōmAdverbH1988 of place, hither
allכֹּ֖לkōlNoun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
you leadersפִּנּ֣וֹתpin·nō·wṯNoun - feminine plural constructH6438 corner
of the troopsהָעָ֑םhā·‘āmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH5971 people
and let us investigateוּדְע֣וּū·ḏə·‘ūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH3045 know
howבַּמָּ֗הbam·māhPreposition-b; InterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
thisהַזֹּ֖אתhaz·zōṯArticle; Pronoun - feminine singularH2063 this
sinהַחַטָּ֥אתha·ḥaṭ·ṭāṯArticle; Noun - feminine singularH2403 offence, penalty, occasion
has occurredהָֽיְתָ֛הhā·yə·ṯāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
todayהַיּֽוֹם׃hay·yō·wmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH3117 day

1 Samuel 14:39

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
As surely asכִּ֣יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
the LORDיְהוָ֗הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
who savesהַמּוֹשִׁ֙יעַ֙ham·mō·wō·šî·a‘Article; Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singularH3467 deliver
Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לyiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel
livesחַי־ḥay-Noun - masculine singularH2416 alive, living
evenכִּ֧יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
ifאִם־’im-ConjunctionH518 if
it isיֶשְׁנ֛וֹyeš·nōwAdverb; third person masculine singularH3426 being, substance, existence
my sonבְּנִ֖יbə·nîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH1121 son
Jonathanבְּיוֹנָתָ֥ןbə·yō·w·nā·ṯānPreposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3129 Jonathan
he must dieמ֣וֹתmō·wṯVerb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteH4191 die
But not oneוְאֵ֥יןwə·’ênConjunctive waw; AdverbH369 nothing, nought
of the troopsהָעָֽם׃hā·‘āmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH5971 people
saidעֹנֵ֖הוּ‘ō·nê·hūVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH6030 answer, respond
a wordמִכָּל־mik·kālPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all

1 Samuel 14:40

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then Saul saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֗לyiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel
Youאַתֶּם֙’at·temPronoun - second person masculine pluralH859 thou
standתִּֽהְיוּ֙tih·yūVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
on oneאֶחָ֔ד’e·ḥāḏNumber - masculine singularH259 one
sideלְעֵ֣בֶרlə·‘ê·ḇerPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singularH5676 region across or beyond, side
and Iוַֽאֲנִי֙wa·’ă·nîConjunctive waw; Pronoun - first person common singularH589 I
and my sonבְּנִ֔יbə·nîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH1121 son
Jonathanוְיוֹנָתָ֣ןwə·yō·w·nā·ṯānConjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3129 Jonathan
will standנִהְיֶ֖הnih·yehVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common pluralH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
on the otherאֶחָ֑ד’e·ḥāḏNumber - masculine singularH259 one
sideלְעֵ֣בֶרlə·‘ê·ḇerPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singularH5676 region across or beyond, side
Doעֲשֵֽׂה׃ס‘ă·śêhVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH6213 do, make
what seems goodהַטּ֥וֹבhaṭ·ṭō·wḇArticle; Adjective - masculine singularH2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
to youבְּעֵינֶ֖יךָbə·‘ê·ne·ḵāPreposition-b; Noun - cdc; second person masculine singularH5869 eye
the troopsהָעָם֙hā·‘āmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH5971 people
repliedוַיֹּאמְר֤וּway·yō·mə·rūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH559 utter, say

1 Samuel 14:41

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
So Saulשָׁא֗וּלšā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
the LORDיְהוָ֛הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
the Godאֱלֹהֵ֥י’ĕ·lō·hêNoun - masculine plural constructH430 God
of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לyiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel
respondהָ֣בָהhā·ḇāhVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singularH3051 give
with Thummimתָמִ֑יםṯā·mîmAdjective - masculine singularH8549 complete, sound
And Jonathanיוֹנָתָ֛ןyō·w·nā·ṯānNoun - proper - masculine singularH3129 Jonathan
and Saulוְשָׁא֖וּלwə·šā·’ūlConjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
were selectedוַיִּלָּכֵ֧דway·yil·lā·ḵêḏConjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH3920 capture, seize, take (by lot)
but the peopleוְהָעָ֥םwə·hā·‘āmConjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine singularH5971 people
were cleared of the chargeיָצָֽאוּ׃yā·ṣā·’ūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH3318 go or come out

1 Samuel 14:42

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then Saulשָׁא֔וּלšā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Castהַפִּ֕ילוּhap·pî·lūVerb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine pluralH5307 fall, lie
between meבֵּינִ֕יbê·nîPreposition; first person common singularH996 interval, space between
andוּבֵ֖יןū·ḇênConjunctive waw; PrepositionH996 interval, space between
my sonבְּנִ֑יbə·nîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH1121 son
Jonathanיוֹנָתָ֣ןyō·w·nā·ṯānNoun - proper - masculine singularH3129 Jonathan
And Jonathanיוֹנָתָֽן׃yō·w·nā·ṯānNoun - proper - masculine singularH3129 Jonathan
was selectedוַיִּלָּכֵ֖דway·yil·lā·ḵêḏConjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH3920 capture, seize, take (by lot)

1 Samuel 14:43

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Tellהַגִּ֥ידָהhag·gî·ḏāhVerb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singularH5046 be conspicuous
meלִּ֖יlîPreposition; first person common singular
whatמֶ֣הmehInterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
you have doneעָשִׂ֑יתָה‘ā·śî·ṯāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularH6213 do, make
Saulשָׁאוּל֙šā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
commandedוַיֹּ֤אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
himי֣וֹנָתָ֔ןyō·w·nā·ṯānNoun - proper - masculine singularH3129 Jonathan
So Jonathanיוֹנָתָ֗ןyō·w·nā·ṯānNoun - proper - masculine singularH3129 Jonathan
toldוַיַּגֶּד־way·yag·geḏ-Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH5046 be conspicuous
himל֣וֹlōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
I only tastedטָעֹ֨םṭā·‘ōmVerb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteH2938 taste, perceive
a littleמְעַ֥טmə·‘aṭAdjective - masculine singular constructH4592 a little, fewness, a few
honeyדְּבַ֖שׁdə·ḇašNoun - masculine singularH1706 honey
with the endבִּקְצֵ֨הbiq·ṣêhPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH7097 end, extremity
of the staffהַמַּטֶּ֧הham·maṭ·ṭehArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4294 staff, rod, shaft
thatאֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
in my handבְּיָדִ֛יbə·yā·ḏîPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singularH3027 hand
And nowהִנְנִ֥יhin·nîInterjection; first person common singularH2005 lo! behold
I must dieאָמֽוּת׃’ā·mūṯVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularH4191 die

1 Samuel 14:44

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
And Saulשָׁא֔וּלšā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
declaredוַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
May Godאֱלֹהִ֖ים’ĕ·lō·hîmNoun - masculine pluralH430 God
punish meיַעֲשֶׂ֥הya·‘ă·śehVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH6213 do, make
and ever soוְכֹ֣הwə·ḵōhConjunctive waw; AdverbH3541 thus, here
severelyיוֹסִ֑ףyō·w·sip̄Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH3254 add
if youיוֹנָתָֽן׃yō·w·nā·ṯānNoun - proper - masculine singularH3129 Jonathan
Jonathanיוֹנָתָֽן׃yō·w·nā·ṯānNoun - proper - masculine singularH3129 Jonathan
do notכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
surely dieמ֥וֹתmō·wṯVerb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteH4191 die

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

1 Samuel 14:39 1 Samuel 14:44 · 2 Samuel 12:5 · 1 Samuel 14:24

1 Samuel 14:41 Acts 1:24 · 1 Samuel 10:20–21 · Joshua 7:16–18 · Proverbs 16:33 · Jonah 1:7

1 Samuel 14:43 Joshua 7:19 · 1 Samuel 14:27

1 Samuel 14:44 1 Samuel 14:39 · Ruth 1:17 · 1 Samuel 25:22

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.