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1 Samuel 14:41

in 1 Samuel 14

So 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.” And Jonathan and Saul were selected, but the people were cleared of the charge.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Therefore Saul said unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, Show the right. And Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot; but the people escaped.

KJV

Therefore Saul said unto the Lord God of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped.

This verse in 1 Samuel 14

Commentary

7 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

Lord God of Israel, Give a perfect lot - Both the Vulgate and Septuagint add much to this verse: And Saul said to the Lord God of Israel, Lord God of Israel, give judgment. Why is it that thou hast not answered thy servant to-day? If the iniquity be in me, or Jonathan my son, make it manifest. Or if this iniquity be in thy people, give sanctification.

This site's exposition

You stand on one side

on 1 Samuel 14:40-42

Saul narrows the field twice by lot, the people against himself and Jonathan, then himself against Jonathan. The lot is the formal priestly channel Saul trusts, set against Jonathan’s private test at the pass, one king waiting on a mechanism and one son moving on a hopeful perhaps. Jonathan is taken, and the reader already knows why the LORD did not answer at verse 37.

The record, by era

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Gregory the Dialogist

Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 4 · Written before 604.

proposed

But what does it mean that Saul commands the people to separate themselves to one side, and the people ask the king to do what he commands, except that simple people do not know how to examine themselves, even when they are commanded to? Therefore he says: "Do what is good in your eyes." As if to say: You will be able to manage our affairs better, you who have received the light of the heart not only for yourself, but also for foreseeing our paths.

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

Perfect lot - Or, declare the perfect, or guiltless person. That is, O Lord, so guide the lot, that it may discover who is guilty in his matter, and who innocent.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

This was with an air of impartial justice. Judges should desire that truth may come out, whoever may suffer by it. Lots should be cast with prayer, because they are a solemn appeal to Providence, and by them we beg of God to direct and determine us ( Acts i.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

Therefore Saul said to the Lord God of Israel,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Give a perfect lot - The phrase is obscure, but the meaning is probably as in the margin.

The words behind it

38 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • וַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he said

    vaiyomerH559 →5305 times

  • שָׁא֗וּלSaul

    shaulH7586 →402 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • יְהוָ֛הYahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • אֱלֹהֵ֥י[the] God of

    ʾeloheiH430 →2601 times

  • יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לIsrael

    yisraelH3478 →2507 times

  • הָ֣בָהgive !

    havahH3051 →

  • תָמִ֑יםThummim

    tamimH8549 →

  • וַיִּלָּכֵ֧דand he was taken by lot

    vaiyilakhedH3920 →121 times

  • יוֹנָתָ֛ןJonathan

    yonatanH3129 →43 times

  • וְשָׁא֖וּלand Saul

    veshaulH7586 →402 times

  • וְהָעָ֥םand the people

    vehaamH5971 →1873 times

  • יָצָֽאוּ׃they went out

    yatzauH3318 →1067 times

  • לָמָּה<to> why?

    lamahH4100 →752 times

  • לֹאnot

    lo'H3808 →5168 times

  • עָנִיתָyou did answer

    ʾanitaH6030 →331 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • עַבְדְּךָservant your

    ʾavdekhaH5650 →799 times

  • הַיּוֹםthe day

    haiyomH3117 →2304 times

  • אִםif

    ʾimH518 →1069 times

  • יֶשׁ־there

    yesh-H3426 →140 times

  • בִּיin me

    bi

  • אוֹor

    ʾoH176 →321 times

  • בְּיוֹנָתָןin Jonathan

    veyonatanH3129 →43 times

  • בְנִיson my

    veniH1121 →4930 times

  • הֶעָוֹןthe iniquity

    heavonH5771 →233 times

  • הַזֶּה<the> this

    hazehH2088 →1180 times

  • יְהוָהYahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • אֱלֹהֵי[the] God

    ʾeloheiH430 →2601 times

  • יִשְׂרָאֵל[of] Israel

    yisraelH3478 →2507 times

  • הָבָהgive !

    havah-H3051 →

  • אוּרִיםUrim

    ʾurimH224 →

  • וְאִםand if

    veim-H518 →1069 times

  • יֶשְׁנוֹis it

    yeshnoH3426 →140 times

  • הֶעָוֹןthe iniquity

    heavonH5771 →233 times

  • הַזֶּה<the> this

    hazehH2088 →1180 times

  • בְּעַמְּךָin people your

    beamekhaH5971 →1873 times

  • יִשְׂרָאֵל[of] Israel

    yisraelH3478 →2507 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Proverbs 16:33

    The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.

    it leads to

    • Proverbs 18:18

      Casting the lot ends quarrels and separates strong opponents.

    • 1 Samuel 14:41–42

      So 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…

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Jonah 1:7

      “Come!” said the sailors to one another. “Let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity that is upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

    • Acts 1:26

      Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

    • Proverbs 29:26

      Many seek the ruler’s favor, but a man receives justice from the LORD.

  • Through

    Jonah 1:7

    “Come!” said the sailors to one another. “Let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity that is upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

    it leads to

    • Proverbs 16:33

      The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.

  • Through

    Acts 1:24

    And they prayed, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen

    it leads to

    • 1 Samuel 16:7

      But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the…

    • Acts 15:8

      And God, who knows the heart, showed His approval by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us.

Where this verse is studied

On this page

About 1 Samuel

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Gregory the Dialogist, Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 4; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Books of Samuel and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.