1 Samuel 14:44

44 And Saul said, May God's punishment be on me if death is not your fate, Jonathan.

1 Samuel 14:44 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 14:44

And Saul answered, God do so and more also
A form of an oath imprecating evils upon him more and greater than he chose to mention, see the like form in ( Ruth 1:17 ) , though Abarbinel thinks this is not the form of an oath, but an asseveration of a curse that would befall him; as that God would not answer him when he inquired of him, and that he would add to do so again and again, if he died not:

for thou shall surely die, Jonathan;
such words from a father must be very striking to a son, and argue a want of paternal affection in Saul, that could call his son by his name, and deliver such a speech unto him in so strong a manner.

1 Samuel 14:44 In-Context

42 And Saul said, Give your decision between my son Jonathan and me. And Jonathan was taken.

43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, Give me an account of what you have done. And Jonathan gave him the story and said, Certainly I took a little honey on the end of my rod; and now death is to be my fate.

44 And Saul said, May God's punishment be on me if death is not your fate, Jonathan.

45 And the people said to Saul, Is death to come to Jonathan, the worker of this great salvation for Israel? Let it not be so: by the living Lord, not one hair of his head is to be touched, for he has been working with God today. So the people kept Jonathan from death.

46 Then Saul, turning back, went after the Philistines no longer: and the Philistines went back to their place.