1 Samuel 14:38
in 1 Samuel 14Therefore Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the troops, and let us investigate how this sin has occurred today.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Saul said, Draw nigh hither, all ye chiefs of the people; and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day.
KJV
And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people: and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 14
Commentary
5 notes on this verseBy these words he clearly demonstrated the well-ordered procedure of judgment, because the fault must first be discovered, and then the punishment imposed. For the order of judgment is thrown into confusion if punishment is pronounced before the examination of the discovered fault. For lest he strike before the examination, he says: "Bring here all the corners of the people, and see, and know through whom this sin has occurred today."
This site's exposition
let us investigate how this sin has occurred today
on 1 Samuel 14:38-39
Saul treats the silence as proof that someone has sinned and calls the chiefs of the people forward to find out who. His oath widens without his knowing its target, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die, sworn over a son he does not yet suspect. No man among the people answers him, which the text leaves as an ominous quiet before the lot is cast.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
But, when Jonathan is in danger, Saul's word is no longer a law to them, but with the utmost zeal they oppose the execution of his sentence: " Shall Jonathan die --that blessing, that darling, of his country? Shall that life be sacrificed to a punctilio of law and honour which was so bravely exposed for the public service, and to which we owe our lives and triumphs?
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
And Saul said, draw ye near hither all the chief of the people,....
For God's ear is not heavy that it cannot hear, but it is sin that separates between us and him. If God turns away our prayer, we have reason to suspect it is for some iniquity regarding our hearts, which we are concerned to find out, that we may put it away, may mortify it, and put it to death.
The words behind it
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| שָׁא֔וּל | shaul | Saul | H7586 → | 402 times |
| גֹּ֣שֽׁוּ | goshu | draw near | H5066 → | 125 times |
| הֲלֹ֔ם | halom | here | H1988 → | 12 times |
| כֹּ֖ל | kol | O all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| פִּנּ֣וֹת | pinot | [the] corners of | H6438 → | |
| הָעָ֑ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| וּדְע֣וּ | udeu | and know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| וּרְא֔וּ | ureu | and see | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| בַּמָּ֗ה | bamah | <in> how? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| הָֽיְתָ֛ה | hayetah | has it happened | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| הַחַטָּ֥את | hachatat | the sin | H2403 → | 295 times |
| הַזֹּ֖את | hazot | <the> this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| הַיּֽוֹם׃ | haiyom | this day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
שָׁא֔וּלSaul
shaulH7586 →402 times
גֹּ֣שֽׁוּdraw near
goshuH5066 →125 times
הֲלֹ֔םhere
halomH1988 →12 times
כֹּ֖לO all
kolH3605 →5413 times
פִּנּ֣וֹת[the] corners of
pinotH6438 →
הָעָ֑םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
וּדְע֣וּand know
udeuH3045 →945 times
וּרְא֔וּand see
ureuH7200 →1300 times
בַּמָּ֗ה<in> how?
bamahH4100 →752 times
הָֽיְתָ֛הhas it happened
hayetahH1961 →3559 times
הַחַטָּ֥אתthe sin
hachatatH2403 →295 times
הַזֹּ֖את<the> this
hazotH2063 →603 times
הַיּֽוֹם׃this day
haiyomH3117 →2304 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 47:9The nobles of the nations have assembled as the people of the God of Abraham; for the shields of the earth belong to God; He is highly exalted.
it leads to
- Psalms 89:18
Surely our shield belongs to the LORD, and our king to the Holy One of Israel.
- Genesis 49:10
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his.
- Psalms 72:7–9
May the righteous flourish in his days and prosperity abound, until the moon is no more.
- Exodus 3:6
Then He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to…
- Psalms 89:18
Through
Joshua 7:11Israel has sinned; they have transgressed My covenant that I commanded them, and they have taken some of what was devoted to destruction. Indeed, they have stolen and lied, and they have put these…
it leads to
- Acts 5:1–2
Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.
- Joshua 6:17–19
Now the city and everything in it must be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all those with her in her house will live, because she hid the spies…
- Hebrews 4:13
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
- Acts 5:1–2
Through
Zechariah 10:4The cornerstone will come from Judah, the tent peg from him, as well as the battle bow and every ruler together.
it leads to
- Zechariah 9:10
And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war will be broken. Then He will proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion will extend…
- Zechariah 9:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 1 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Gregory the Dialogist, Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 4; 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.