1 Samuel 19:6
WEB
Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan; and Saul swore, “As Yahweh lives, he shall not be put to death.”
BSB
Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan and swore an oath: “As surely as the LORD lives, David will 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.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H8085
v — hear, tell
Derivation: a primitive root;
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
KJV: × attentively, call (gather) together, × carefully, × certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, × diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), × indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, × surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.
vb — hear
שָׁמַע 1152 vb. hear
Qal 1052
1. subj. pers. hum.
2. י׳ (God) subj.
Niph. 42
1. be heard, of voice, sound
2. be heard of
3. be regarded, obeyed
4. = (favourable) hearing was granted to their voice.
Pi. he caused the people to hear
Hiph. 63
1. of man
2. י׳ subj.
H7586
n-pr-m — Shaul
Derivation: passive participle of 7592; asked;
Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two Israelites
KJV: Saul, Shaul.
n.pr.m — Saul
שָׁאוּל n.pr.m. (= asked)
1. 397 1st king of Isr.
2. a king of Edom
3. a son of Simeon
4. a Levite
H6963
n-m — voice, sound
Derivation: or קֹל; from an unused root meaning to call aloud;
a voice or sound
KJV: aloud, bleating, crackling, cry ( out), fame, lightness, lowing, noise, hold peace, (pro-) claim, proclamation, sing, sound, spark, thunder(-ing), voice, yell.
n.m — sound
קוֹל 506 n.m. sound, voice
H3083
n-pr-m — Jehonathan
Derivation: from 3068 and 5414; Jehovah-given;
Jehonathan, the name of four Israelites
KJV: Jonathan. Compare 3129.
n.pr.m — Jonathan. Compare
יְהוֹנָתָן, יוֹנָתָן n.pr.m. (י׳ hath given)
1. son of Saul
2. son of Abiathar
3. nephew of David
4. of David, i.e. his uncle?
5. one of David’s heroes
6. one of David’s treasurers
7. a scribe
8. Levites
9. a priest
10. priest to the tribe of Dan, son of Gershom
11. a Judaite captain, after fall of Jerus.
12. a Judaite
13. father of Ebed
14. son of Asahel
15. a priest
16. son of Joiada
H7650
v — seven, swear
Derivation: a primitive root; properly to be complete, but used only as a denominative from 7651;
to seven oneself, i.e. swear (as if by repeating a declaration seven times)
KJV: adjure, charge (by an oath, with an oath), feed to the full (by mistake for 7646), take an oath, × straitly, (cause to, make to) swear.
vb — swear
[שָׁבַע] 186 vb. swear (prob. so to say, seven oneself, or bind oneself by seven things)
Qal Pt. pass. those sworn with (= who have sworn) oaths
Niph.;—swear, take an oath
Hiph.
1. cause take an oath, subj. always man
2. adjure
H2416
a n-m n-f — alive, raw, fresh, strong, life
Derivation: from 2421;
alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively
KJV: age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, merry, multitude, (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.
adj — alive
חַי adj. alive, living
1.
a. of God, as the living one, the fountain of life
b. of man
c. of animals, alive, living
d. animals and man
e. (dub.) of vegetation, as thorns, green
f. of water, fresh
2. (dub.) lively, active
3. reviving
n.f — living thing
חַיָּה n.f. living thing, animal
1. animal
a. in general
b. wild animals, on account of their vital energy and activity
c. living beings, of the cherubic chariot
2. life, only in late poetry
3. appetite, activity of hunger
4. revival, renewal
n.f — community
חַיָּה n.f. community
n.m — life
חַיִּים n.m. pl. abstr. emph. life
1. life: physical
2. life: as welfare and happiness in king's presence
3. sustenance, maintenance
H3068
n-pr — Existent, Jeho-vah
Derivation: from 1961;
(the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God
KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
n.pr.dei — God
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
I. יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
II.
1. יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
2. the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
3. יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
H518
prt — lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not
Derivation: a primitive particle;
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
KJV: (and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), + but, either, + except, + more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, + save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, + surely (no more, none, not), though, + of a truth, + unless, + verily, when, whereas, whether, while, + yet.
conj — if
אִם conj.
1. hypoth. part. if
2. Interrog. part.
relative conjunction
כִּי אם־
1. each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:
a. that if
b. for if
2. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—
a. limiting the prec. clause, except
b. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
c. after an oath, surely
H4191
v — die, kill
Derivation: a primitive root;
to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
KJV: × at all, × crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), × must needs, slay, × surely, × very suddenly, × in (no) wise.
vb — die
מוּת vb. die
Qal
1. die, of natural or other causes
2. die as a penalty = be put to death
Po‛lel. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)
Hiph.
1. abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man
2. subj. God, by inflicting penalty
3. of animals killing men
4. bring to a premature death
Hoph. be killed, put to death
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Verses 1–7
1 Samuel 19:1–7
Saul and Jonathan appear here in their different characters, with reference to David.
I. Never was enemy so unreasonably cruel as Saul. He spoke to his son and all his servants that they should kill David, Sa1 19:1. His projects to take him off had failed, and therefore he proclaims him an out-law, and charges all about him, upon their allegiance, to take the first opportunity to kill David. It is strange that he was not ashamed thus to avow his malice when he could give no reason for it, and that knowing all his servants loved David (for so he had said himself, Sa1 18:22), he was not afraid of provoking them to rebel by this bloody order. Either malice was not then so politic, or justice was not so corrupted as it has been since, or else Saul would have had him indicted, and have suborned witnesses to swear treason against him, and so have had him taken off, as Naboth was, by colour of law. But there is least danger from this undisguised malice. It was strange that he who knew how well Jonathan loved him should expect him to kill him; but he thought that because he was heir to the crown he must needs be as envious at David as himself was. And Providence ordered it thus that he might befriend David's safety.
II. Never was friend so surprisingly kind as Jonathan. A friend in need is a friend indeed. Such a one Jonathan was to David. He not only continued to delight much in him, though David's glory eclipsed his, but bravely appeared for him now that the stream ran so strongly against him.
1. He took care for his present security by letting him know his danger (Sa1 19:2): "Take heed to thyself, and keep out of harm's way." Jonathan knew not but that some of the servants might be either so obsequious to Saul or so envious at David as to put the orders in execution which Saul had given, if they could light on David.
2. He took pains to pacify his father and reconcile him to David. The next morning he ventured to commune with him concerning David (Sa1 19:3), not that night, perhaps because he observed Saul to be drunk and not fit to be spoken to, or because he hoped that, when he had slept upon it, he would himself revoke the order, or because he could not have an opportunity of speaking to him till morning.
(1.) His intercession for David was very prudent. It was managed with a great deal of the meekness of wisdom; and he showed himself faithful to his friends by speaking good of him, though he was in danger of incurring his father's displeasure by it - a rare instance of valuable friendship! He pleads, [1.] The good services David had done to the public, and particularly to Saul: His work has been to thee-ward very good, Sa1 19:4. Witness the relief he had given him against his distemper with his harp, and his bold encounter with Goliath, that memorable action, which did, in effect, save Saul's life and kingdom. He appeals to himself concerning his: Thou thyself sawest it, and didst rejoice. In that and other instances it appeared that David was a favourite of heaven and a friend to Israel, as well as a good servant to Saul, for by him the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel; so that to order him to be slain was not only base ingratitude to so good a servant, but a great affront to God and a great injury to the public. [2.] He pleads his innocency. Though he had formerly done many good offices, yet, if he had now been chargeable with any crimes, it would have been another matter; but he has not sinned against thee (Sa1 19:1), his blood is innocent (Sa1 19:5), 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. God inclined the heart of Saul to hearken to the voice of Jonathan. Note, We must be willing to hear reason, and to take all reproofs and good advice even from our inferiors, parents from their own children. How forcible are right words! Saul was, for the present, so far convinced of the unreasonableness of his enmity to David that, [1.] He recalled the bloody warrant for his execution (Sa1 19:6): As the Lord liveth, he shall not be slain. Whether Saul swore here with due solemnity or no does not appear; perhaps he did, and the matter was of such moment as to deserve it and of such uncertainty as to need it. But at other times Saul swore rashly and profanely, which made the sincerity of this oath justly questionable; for it may be feared that those who can so far jest with an oath as to make a by-word of it, and prostitute it to a trifle, have not such a due sense of the obligation of it but that, to serve a turn, they will prostitute it to a lie. Some suspect that Saul said and swore this with a malicious design to bring David within his reach again, intending to take the first opportunity to slay him. But, 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 (Sa1 19:7), hoping that now the storm was over, and that his friend Jonathan would be instrumental to keep his father always in this good mind.
Cross-references: 1Sam 19:1 · 1Sam 18:22 · 1Sam 19:2 · 1Sam 19:3 · 1Sam 19:4 · 1Sam 19:5 · 1Sam 19:6 · 1Sam 19:7