1 Samuel 14:39

39 I promise by the living Lord, who gives Israel victory, that the guilty one will be put to death, even if he is my son Jonathan." But no one said anything.

1 Samuel 14:39 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 14:39

For as the Lord liveth, which saveth Israel
And had saved them that day with a great salvation and had wrought a great deliverance for them in freeing them from the Philistines, who had threatened the ruin of the whole nation. This is the form of an oath:

though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die;
that is, though the sin should be found in him, or he should be found guilty of the breach of what he had charged them with an oath to observe, namely, to eat no food that day till evening:

but there was not a man among all the people that answered him;
who knew that Jonathan had tasted of honey, but they would not acquaint him with it; partly because they knew he did it ignorantly, having no knowledge of his father's charge and oath, and partly because of their great affection to him, who had been the instrument of their deliverance and salvation that day.

1 Samuel 14:39 In-Context

37 So Saul asked God, "Shall I attack the Philistines? Will you give us victory?" But God did not answer that day.

38 Then Saul said to the leaders of the people, "Come here and find out what sin was committed today.

39 I promise by the living Lord, who gives Israel victory, that the guilty one will be put to death, even if he is my son Jonathan." But no one said anything.

40 Then Saul said to them, "All of you stand over there, and Jonathan and I will stand over here." "Do whatever you think best," they answered.

41 Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel, "Lord, why have you not answered me today? Lord, God of Israel, answer me by the sacred stones. If the guilt is Jonathan's or mine, answer by the Urim; but if it belongs to your people Israel, answer by the Thummim." The answer indicated Jonathan and Saul; and the people were cleared.