1 Samuel 14:41
in 1 Samuel 14So 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.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 14
Commentary
7 notes on this verseLord 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 DialogistCommentary 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
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.
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
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Give a perfect lot - The phrase is obscure, but the meaning is probably as in the margin.
The words behind it
38 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 |
| שָׁא֗וּל | shaul | Saul | H7586 → | 402 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יְהוָ֛ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֵ֥י | ʾelohei | [the] God of | H430 → | 2601 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| הָ֣בָה | havah | give ! | H3051 → | |
| תָמִ֑ים | tamim | Thummim | H8549 → | |
| וַיִּלָּכֵ֧ד | vaiyilakhed | and he was taken by lot | H3920 → | 121 times |
| יוֹנָתָ֛ן | yonatan | Jonathan | H3129 → | 43 times |
| וְשָׁא֖וּל | veshaul | and Saul | H7586 → | 402 times |
| וְהָעָ֥ם | vehaam | and the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| יָצָֽאוּ׃ | yatzau | they went out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| לָמָּה | lamah | <to> why? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| לֹא | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| עָנִיתָ | ʾanita | you did answer | H6030 → | 331 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עַבְדְּךָ | ʾavdekha | servant your | H5650 → | 799 times |
| הַיּוֹם | haiyom | the day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| אִם | ʾim | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| יֶשׁ־ | yesh- | there | H3426 → | 140 times |
| בִּי | bi | in me | ||
| אוֹ | ʾo | or | H176 → | 321 times |
| בְּיוֹנָתָן | veyonatan | in Jonathan | H3129 → | 43 times |
| בְנִי | veni | son my | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| הֶעָוֹן | heavon | the iniquity | H5771 → | 233 times |
| הַזֶּה | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| יְהוָה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֵי | ʾelohei | [the] God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵל | yisrael | [of] Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| הָבָה | havah- | give ! | H3051 → | |
| אוּרִים | ʾurim | Urim | H224 → | |
| וְאִם | veim- | and if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| יֶשְׁנוֹ | yeshno | is it | H3426 → | 140 times |
| הֶעָוֹן | heavon | the iniquity | H5771 → | 233 times |
| הַזֶּה | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| בְּעַמְּךָ | beamekha | in people your | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵל | yisrael | [of] Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
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 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
Proverbs 16:33The 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.
- Proverbs 18:18
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.
- Proverbs 16:33
Through
Acts 1:24And 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.
- 1 Samuel 16:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 1 Samuel

Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- 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; 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.
