1 Samuel 14 45

1 Samuel 14:45 kjv

And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.

1 Samuel 14:45 nkjv

But the people said to Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, who has accomplished this great deliverance in Israel? Certainly not! As the LORD lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day." So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.

1 Samuel 14:45 niv

But the men said to Saul, "Should Jonathan die?he who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Never! As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today with God's help." So the men rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.

1 Samuel 14:45 esv

Then the people said to Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As the LORD lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day." So the people ransomed Jonathan, so that he did not die.

1 Samuel 14:45 nlt

But the people broke in and said to Saul, "Jonathan has won this great victory for Israel. Should he die? Far from it! As surely as the LORD lives, not one hair on his head will be touched, for God helped him do a great deed today." So the people rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.

1 Samuel 14 verses

1 Samuel 14 45 Meaning

This verse narrates the decisive moment when the Israelite people unanimously interceded to save Jonathan from a rash oath pronounced by King Saul, his father. Jonathan, through whom God had granted a great victory, was to die because he had unknowingly violated Saul’s self-imposed vow. The people emphatically declare that Jonathan, a divine instrument of deliverance, should not perish. They solemnly swear by God's life that no harm will come to him, recognizing that his success was a direct partnership with the Most High. Consequently, their unified stance effectively "ransomed" Jonathan, preserving his life against the king's judgment.

1 Samuel 14 45 Context

This verse concludes the narrative of Israel's dramatic victory over the Philistines. The preceding chapters recount Saul's rash oath forbidding anyone from eating before evening, aiming to completely defeat the Philistines. Jonathan, unaware of this curse, refreshed himself with honey found in the woods, strengthening him to continue the pursuit. Upon returning, lots revealed Jonathan's violation, and Saul, in his zeal, decreed his son must die. The people, however, having witnessed Jonathan's courage and recognizing God's hand in their great deliverance, intervened to save him. The broader historical context includes the nascent monarchy in Israel, with Saul establishing his rule. This event highlights the tension between a king's authority and the people's discernment of divine will, especially when the king's actions are detrimental or foolish.

1 Samuel 14 45 Word analysis

• But the people: The conjunctive "But" signifies a stark contrast, introducing the people's collective opposition to Saul's decree. "The people" (Hebrew: hāʿām) represent the unified will and wisdom of the entire nation, not merely a faction. Their voice here is powerful, demonstrating a societal check on the monarchy.
• said to Saul: Directly challenging the king's authority, demonstrating their conviction and defiance. This is a rare act in ancient Near Eastern monarchies.
• “Shall Jonathan die...?”: A rhetorical question expressing strong disapproval and incredulity. It frames Saul's intended action as unthinkable and unjust in light of Jonathan's achievements.
• who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel?: The people attribute the victory directly to Jonathan, using the Hebrew term těshûʿâh gědôlâh (תְּשׁוּעָה גְּדֹלָה), meaning "great salvation" or "great deliverance." This implies God worked powerfully through Jonathan, making his survival crucial for divine purposes. It's a statement of God's action, not just Jonathan's strength.
• By no means!: Hebrew: ḥālîlâh (חָלִילָה). A very strong, emphatic negation, literally "far be it!" or "God forbid!" It conveys horror and absolute rejection of Saul’s judgment. This reflects a profound moral and spiritual conviction against the act.
• As the LORD lives: Hebrew: ḥay Yahweh (חַי־יְהוָה). A most solemn oath in Israel, invoking the living God as witness and guarantor of their declaration. It signifies the absolute truth and unwavering resolve of their stand, placing their commitment under divine sanction.
• not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground: An ancient idiom for complete safety and preservation, meaning he will suffer absolutely no harm or injury, however minor. It emphasizes the totality of their protective stance and God's secure watch over him.
• for he has worked with God this day: This is the core justification for their intervention. Hebrew: kî ʿim ʾĕlōhîm ʿāśāh hayyôm (כי עם אלהים עשה היום). "Worked with God" asserts a divine partnership, a direct collaboration where Jonathan was God’s instrument. It highlights that Jonathan's actions were divinely empowered and ordained, rendering Saul's oath-breaking condemnation blasphemous in effect.
• So the people ransomed Jonathan: Hebrew: yiḵdû (פָּדוּ), from the root pādâ (פדה), meaning "to redeem," "rescue," or "deliver." In this context, it doesn't refer to a monetary payment but to a powerful act of collective intervention and release. The people’s determined resolve served as a non-monetary "ransom" to avert his death, exercising a collective agency.
• so that he did not die: The ultimate outcome desired and achieved. Jonathan's life was spared through divine working and popular advocacy.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• “Shall Jonathan die, who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel?”: This phrasing frames the proposed execution of Jonathan as not just unjust, but utterly absurd and counterproductive. It directly pits Saul's rigid, legalistic interpretation of his vow against the undeniable evidence of God's saving power manifested through Jonathan. It elevates the fruit of divine activity over human folly.
• “By no means! As the LORD lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.”: This is a comprehensive declaration of opposition and justification. The initial vehement rejection, sealed by a sacred oath, is followed by a common idiom for complete protection. The clinching argument "for he has worked with God this day" reveals the people's theological discernment, recognizing that God's explicit activity through Jonathan superseded the king's poorly conceived vow. Their plea is not merely emotional but based on a theological understanding of God's current work.
• “So the people ransomed Jonathan, so that he did not die.”: This final statement details the immediate consequence of the people's intervention. Their collective voice and stance effectively "bought back" Jonathan's life, demonstrating that their unified resolve could indeed prevail against the king’s decree. It highlights the power of righteous intercession and communal action.

1 Samuel 14 45 Bonus section

This incident prefigures a recurring theme in the history of Israel’s monarchy: the clash between a king's human policies and God's righteous will. Unlike later periods where the prophets often stood against the kings, here it is the collective voice of the people, informed by recent divine victory, that confronts the royal authority. This demonstrates the spiritual vitality remaining in the populace during Saul’s early reign. Furthermore, this intervention also indirectly highlights Saul's own character flaws—his impulsiveness, misplaced zeal, and struggle to genuinely discern God's will despite holding the office of king. The fact that the people saved Jonathan suggests a broader divine grace, preserving God's ultimate plan, even through flawed human actors like Saul, and highlighting the beginning of Jonathan’s divergent path from his father's destiny.

1 Samuel 14 45 Commentary

1 Samuel 14:45 stands as a pivotal moment illustrating the intersection of human agency, divine providence, and the emerging tensions within Israel's monarchy. Saul's impulsive and foolish vow placed Jonathan, the very instrument of God's deliverance, in peril. However, the people of Israel demonstrated a profound spiritual discernment. They recognized that Jonathan’s miraculous victory was not merely his own doing but "he has worked with God this day." This perception allowed them to prioritize God’s manifest work and purpose over a king’s misguided decree, emphasizing mercy and divine favor above rigid adherence to a human-made vow that clearly went against God’s broader redemptive plan. Their unified "ransoming" of Jonathan underscores the sanctity of life and the people's ability to intercede against unjust authority, revealing that true leadership and wisdom involve recognizing God's active hand. The event thus functions as an early commentary on the limitations of kingly power when it conflicts with divine will and the well-being of the covenant people.