1 Samuel 19:5
in 1 Samuel 19He took his life in his hands when he struck down the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced, so why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
for he put his life in his hand, and smote the Philistine, and Jehovah wrought a great victory for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice; wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?
KJV
For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?
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This verse in 1 Samuel 19
Commentary
9 notes on this verseWhy then do you sin against innocent blood? etc. Why do you sin, trying to extinguish his faith, striving to remove his love from the Church, who alone among mortals could live without fault?
This site's exposition
I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are
on 1 Samuel 19:3-5
Jonathan's plea rests on two arguments, David's innocence and his service to the throne, and Saul can still be reached by reason at this stage. Verse 5 recalls Goliath without naming him, "the LORD worked a great salvation for all Israel," turning Saul's own memory against the order. The plea works for the moment, though Saul's record with vows gives little reason to expect it to hold.
This site's exposition
He took his life in his hands
Jonathan reminds his father that he watched the fight and rejoiced at it. Saul's own memory becomes the witness for David. Bede reads David here as a figure of Christ, the one man among mortals who lived without fault.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 4 -- On Faith: First Discourse on Simplicity · Written before 523.
proposed
And this is also shewn by that which was said by Jonathan to his father, "He hath put himself in thy hands; and he made war and slew the Philistines by the simplicity of David the king."
The Medieval Church1 voice
And he placed his life in his hand, etc. The Lord, they say, commended his love for you, which no one has greater, by placing his life for you; so that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
), and, if he be slain, it is without cause. And Jonathan had therefore reason to protest against it because he could not entail any thing upon his family more pernicious than the guilt of innocent blood. (2.) His intercession, being thus prudent, was prevalent.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
For he did put his life in his hand,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
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.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
For he did put his life in his hand - The pleadings in this verse, though short, are exceedingly cogent; and the argument is such as could not be resisted.
The words behind it
23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּשֶׂם֩ | vaiyasem | and he put | H7760 → | 584 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| נַפְשׁ֨וֹ | nafsho | life his | H5315 → | 754 times |
| בְכַפּ֜וֹ | vekhapo | in palm his | H3709 → | 192 times |
| וַיַּ֣ךְ | vaiyakh | and he struck down | H5221 → | 499 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֗י | hapelishti | the Philistine | H6430 → | 287 times |
| וַיַּ֨עַשׂ | vaiyaas | and he made | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| יְהוָ֜ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| תְּשׁוּעָ֤ה | teshuah | a deliverance | H8668 → | 34 times |
| גְדוֹלָה֙ | gedolah | great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| לְכָל־ | lekhol | for all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| רָאִ֖יתָ | raita | you saw | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| וַתִּשְׂמָ֑ח | vatismach | and you rejoiced | H8055 → | 155 times |
| וְלָ֤מָּה | velamah | and <to> why? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| תֶֽחֱטָא֙ | techeta' | will you sin | H2398 → | 238 times |
| בְּדָ֣ם | bedam | against blood | H1818 → | 360 times |
| נָקִ֔י | naki | innocent | H5355 → | |
| לְהָמִ֥ית | lehamit | by killing | H4191 → | 839 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| דָּוִ֖ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| חִנָּֽם׃ | chinam | without cause | H2600 → |
וַיָּשֶׂם֩and he put
vaiyasemH7760 →584 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
נַפְשׁ֨וֹlife his
nafshoH5315 →754 times
בְכַפּ֜וֹin palm his
vekhapoH3709 →192 times
וַיַּ֣ךְand he struck down
vaiyakhH5221 →499 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֗יthe Philistine
hapelishtiH6430 →287 times
וַיַּ֨עַשׂand he made
vaiyaasH6213 →2628 times
יְהוָ֜הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
תְּשׁוּעָ֤הa deliverance
teshuahH8668 →34 times
גְדוֹלָה֙great
gedolahH1419 →526 times
לְכָל־for all
lekholH3605 →5413 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
רָאִ֖יתָyou saw
raitaH7200 →1300 times
וַתִּשְׂמָ֑חand you rejoiced
vatismachH8055 →155 times
וְלָ֤מָּהand <to> why?
velamahH4100 →752 times
תֶֽחֱטָא֙will you sin
techeta'H2398 →238 times
בְּדָ֣םagainst blood
bedamH1818 →360 times
נָקִ֔יinnocent
nakiH5355 →
לְהָמִ֥יתby killing
lehamitH4191 →839 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
דָּוִ֖דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
חִנָּֽם׃without cause
chinamH2600 →
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
1 Samuel 20:32“Why must he be put to death?” Jonathan replied. “What has he done?”
it leads to
- Matthew 27:23
“Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”
- Genesis 31:36
Then Jacob became incensed and challenged Laban. “What is my crime?” he said. “For what sin of mine have you so hotly pursued me?
- Luke 23:22
A third time he said to them, “What evil has this man done? I have found in Him no offense worthy of death. So after I punish Him, I will release Him.”
- Matthew 27:23
Through
1 Samuel 11:13But Saul ordered, “No one shall be put to death this day, for today the LORD has worked salvation in Israel.”
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 19:22
And David replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, what have I to do with you, that you should be my adversaries today? Should any man be put to death in Israel today? Am I not indeed…
- Exodus 14:13
But Moses told the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the LORD’s salvation, which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never…
- Exodus 14:30
That day the LORD saved Israel from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the shore.
- 2 Samuel 19:22
Through
1 Chronicles 11:14But Eleazar and David stationed themselves in the middle of the field and defended it. They struck down the Philistines, and the LORD brought about a great victory.
it leads to
- Psalms 144:10
to Him who gives victory to kings, who frees His servant David from the deadly sword.
- Psalms 144:10
Through
Judges 9:17for my father fought for you and risked his life to deliver you from the hand of Midian,
it leads to
- Romans 5:8
But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
- Romans 5:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Jamieson Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 4 -- On Faith: First Discourse on Simplicity.