1 Samuel 14 40

1 Samuel 14:40 kjv

Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee.

1 Samuel 14:40 nkjv

Then he said to all Israel, "You be on one side, and my son Jonathan and I will be on the other side." And the people said to Saul, "Do what seems good to you."

1 Samuel 14:40 niv

Saul then said to all the Israelites, "You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here." "Do what seems best to you," they replied.

1 Samuel 14:40 esv

Then he said to all Israel, "You shall be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side." And the people said to Saul, "Do what seems good to you."

1 Samuel 14:40 nlt

Then Saul said, "Jonathan and I will stand over here, and all of you stand over there." And the people responded to Saul, "Whatever you think is best."

1 Samuel 14 verses

1 Samuel 14 40 Meaning

This verse records King Saul's authoritative decree to the assembly of Israel after God had withheld His answer, signaling the presence of sin among them. Saul commands the entire nation to divide into two groups: one consisting of the general populace, and the other comprising himself and his son, Jonathan. This was a solemn preparatory act for a divine arbitration, likely involving the casting of lots or the use of the Urim and Thummim, to identify the unknown individual responsible for offending God. The people's response demonstrates their full submission to Saul's method, giving him authority to proceed as he saw fit.

1 Samuel 14 40 Context

1 Samuel chapter 14 narrates a complex and tense day of battle between Israel and the Philistines. The chapter highlights Jonathan's heroic, faith-filled initiative that routs the Philistines, juxtaposed against King Saul's impulsive, self-serving actions. Saul issues a rash, binding oath, cursing anyone who eats before evening, inadvertently entrapping his son Jonathan who, unknowingly, violates the vow by tasting honey. When Saul seeks divine counsel after the battle for continued pursuit, God remains silent, indicating sin in the camp. Saul, fueled by frustration and a legalistic approach, determines to discover the transgressor, invoking a further curse upon whomever is found guilty, even if it were Jonathan. Verse 40 specifically details Saul's chosen method to identify the guilty party: dividing the people and his own household for a solemn, God-ordained process of elimination, anticipating divine revelation through lots or Urim and Thummim.

1 Samuel 14 40 Word analysis

• Then said he (וַיֹּ֣אמֶר wa-yo'mer): This indicates Saul, acting in his capacity as king and military commander, initiating a formal process. The swiftness reflects his characteristic impulsiveness combined with his determination to enforce his controversial oath.

• unto all Israel (אֶל־כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל 'el kol-yisrael): This addresses the entire army and assembly, emphasizing the national scope of the problem. It’s a public, collective call for submission to the divine inquiry.

• Be ye on one side (תֵּמָ֤נוּ תַֽעֲמְדוּ֙ מֵֽהָאֶחָ֔ד Temanu taʿaməḏū mêhāʾeḥāḏ):

  • תֵּמָ֤נוּ (Temanu): Hiphil imperative of מוט (mut), suggesting "set yourselves apart" or "take your stand separately." It indicates a formal separation.
  • תַֽעֲמְדוּ֙ (taʿaməḏū): Imperative of עמד (amad), "to stand." Used here to mean "take a position."
  • מֵֽהָאֶחָ֔ד (mêhāʾeḥāḏ): "from the one (side)," specifying one of the two distinct groups. This is a crucial step for the process of "casting lots," which involves dividing participants.

• and I and Jonathan my son (וַאֲנִ֞י וְיוֹנָתָ֤ן בְּנִֽי֙ waʾani wəyōnātān bəni): Saul's explicit mention of himself and his son, setting them apart, underscores his determination for the process to be impartial, even if it implicates his own house. This adds immense dramatic tension given the prior context.

• will be on the other side (מֵהָאֶחָ֔ד mêhāʾeḥāḏ): Literally "from the one (side)" again. This confirms the complete bisection of the nation into two groups for the divine lot-casting procedure, with the royal family making up one side.

• And the people said unto Saul (וַיֹּ֥אמְר֖וּ הָעָם֙ אֶל־שָׁא֑וּל wa-yoʾmrū hāʿām ʾel šāʾūl): This records the collective and unanimous response of the Israelite assembly, indicating their full compliance with Saul’s decree.

• Do what seemeth good unto thee (עֲשֵׂ֤ה הַטּוֹב֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ ʿaśēh haṭov bəʿênekā):

  • עֲשֵׂ֤ה (ʿaśēh): Imperative of עשה (ʿaśah), "do!"
  • הַטּוֹב֙ (haṭov): "the good thing" or "what is right."
  • בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ (bəʿênekā): "in your eyes" or "as you see fit." This grants Saul full prerogative in the judicial process, either out of trust in his leadership, fear of his authority and oath, or a profound desperation to resolve God's silence.

• Words-Group Analysis:

  • "Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side.": This demonstrates Saul's understanding of how to engage God in a judicial query concerning hidden sin, likely by means of the Urim and Thummim, tools of divine divination. His decision to separate the people into two distinct groups, placing the royal household into one of them, signals his attempt at impartiality and rigorous adherence to the process to ascertain the divine will and uncover the truth that caused God's silence.
  • "And the people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee.": This response from the assembly shows their deferment to Saul's judgment and method in resolving this spiritual crisis. They affirm his authority to execute the inquiry. Their readiness to obey highlights the intense national desire to restore divine favor and achieve victory against the Philistines.

1 Samuel 14 40 Bonus section

• The ritualistic separation and use of lots or Urim and Thummim demonstrate an understanding in Israel that communal sin affects the entire nation, prompting collective responsibility and the need for communal atonement or identification of the cause. God’s withholding of a response was a serious divine judgment.
• Saul's placement of himself and Jonathan in a separate group underscores the biblical principle that no one, regardless of status or familial ties to the king, is above God's judgment. This stands in contrast to many ancient Near Eastern kings who were considered divine or semi-divine and therefore above accountability.
• This specific methodology to determine guilt and God's will showcases the Israelites' reliance on explicit divine revelation. They didn't rely on human intuition or mere majority vote, but sought a direct pronouncement from the Almighty to clarify a situation of divine silence and military stagnation.
• The chapter implicitly portrays Saul's kingship increasingly leaning on his own human decree (the rash vow) and a mechanical, rigid adherence to processes, rather than the sensitive, discerning obedience and relational walk with God that defined true leadership in God's eyes.

1 Samuel 14 40 Commentary

1 Samuel 14:40 reveals Saul's desperate, albeit formal, attempt to rectify God's silence, which he correctly interpreted as a sign of unconfessed sin. By demanding the nation's segregation into two groups—one for the common people, one for the royal family—Saul instituted a classic ancient Israelite method of discerning divine truth, specifically through casting lots (or Urim and Thummim), which was believed to be controlled by God (Prov 16:33). This rigid, legalistic approach, however, stems from his earlier rash vow and highlights his primary concern with outward adherence to the law, even over the well-being of his loyal son and the entire army. The people's immediate and compliant affirmation, "Do what seemeth good unto thee," signifies their deep reverence for uncovering divine truth, their trust in Saul's leadership, and possibly, their weary resignation to his demanding, albeit authoritative, style of governance in a time of crisis. The scene thus sets up a dramatic revelation, forcing the hidden sin to the forefront of national attention and placing immense pressure on both Saul and Jonathan.