1 Samuel 19:6
in 1 Samuel 19Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan and swore an oath: “As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be put to death.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As Jehovah liveth, he shall not be put to death.
KJV
And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the Lord liveth, he shall not be slain.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 19
Commentary
6 notes on this verseBut, as bad as Saul was, we can scarcely think so ill of him; and therefore we suppose that he spoke as he thought for the present, but the convictions soon wore off and his corruptions prevailed and triumphed over them. [2.] He renewed the grant of his place at court. Jonathan brought him to Saul, and he was in his presence as in times past (
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This site's exposition
Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan and swore an oath
on 1 Samuel 19:6-7
Saul swears, "As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be put to death," and David returns to serve him "as he had before". Wesley, following Henry, reads the moment as God turning Saul’s heart through Jonathan for this hour, a mercy as short as Saul’s memory.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
When Saul heard this, placated by the voice of Jonathan, etc. When the people of the Jews heard the voice of the preaching apostles, they were placated from the wrath of former fury; and by the true assertion of faith, they testified that the Church …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
As he was still susceptible of good and honest impressions, he bound himself by an oath to relinquish his hostile purpose; and thus, through the intervention of the noble-minded prince, a temporary reconciliation was effected, in consequence of which David was again employed in the public service.
He shall not be slain - In consequence of this oath, we may suppose he issued orders contrary to those which he had given the preceding day.
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע | vaiyishma' | and he listened | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| שָׁא֖וּל | shaul | Saul | H7586 → | 402 times |
| בְּק֣וֹל | bekol | to [the] voice of | H6963 → | 506 times |
| יְהוֹנָתָ֑ן | yehonatan | Jonathan | H3083 → | 81 times |
| וַיִּשָּׁבַ֣ע | vaiyishava' | and he swore an oath | H7650 → | 186 times |
| שָׁא֔וּל | shaul | Saul | H7586 → | 402 times |
| חַי־ | chai- | [by] [the] life | H2416 → | 498 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | of Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| יוּמָֽת׃ | yumat | he will be put to death | H4191 → | 839 times |
וַיִּשְׁמַ֥עand he listened
vaiyishma'H8085 →1159 times
שָׁא֖וּלSaul
shaulH7586 →402 times
בְּק֣וֹלto [the] voice of
bekolH6963 →506 times
יְהוֹנָתָ֑ןJonathan
yehonatanH3083 →81 times
וַיִּשָּׁבַ֣עand he swore an oath
vaiyishava'H7650 →186 times
שָׁא֔וּלSaul
shaulH7586 →402 times
חַי־[by] [the] life
chai-H2416 →498 times
יְהוָ֖הof Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
יוּמָֽת׃he will be put to death
yumatH4191 →839 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 15:4who despises the vile but honors those who fear the LORD, who does not revise a costly oath,
it leads to
- Judges 11:35
As soon as Jephthah saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “No! Not my daughter! You have brought me to my knees! You have brought great misery upon me, for I have given…
- Matthew 5:33
Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’
- Psalms 101:6
My eyes favor the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way of integrity shall minister to me.
- Psalms 101:4
A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will know nothing of evil.
- Isaiah 32:5–6
No longer will a fool be called noble, nor a scoundrel be respected.
- Judges 11:35
Through
Jeremiah 5:2Although they say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ they are swearing falsely.”
it leads to
- Titus 1:16
They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.
- Titus 1:16
Through
1 Samuel 14:39As 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.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 12:5
David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan: “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!
- 1 Samuel 14:44
And Saul declared, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if you, Jonathan, do not surely die!”
- 2 Samuel 12:5
Where this verse is studied
About 1 Samuel
Who and where
3 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonUnited MonarchyDavidSecond king of united Israel, shepherd-turned-monarch, ancestor of the Messiah, and traditional author of many Psalms.
- PersonUnited monarchySaulIsrael's first king, head and shoulders above the people; began in humility, ended in rejection — sparing what God devoted, consul…
- PersonEarly monarchyJonathanSon of King Saul who climbed a cliff to rout a garrison on the conviction that nothing restrains Jehovah; cut a covenant of steadf…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.