1 Samuel 14:41

41 Then Saul said to Yahweh the God of Israel, "{Render a decision perfectly}." Jonathan and Saul were chosen [by lot] and the people went out.

1 Samuel 14:41 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 14:41

Therefore Saul said to the Lord God of Israel
After the division was made between him and his son on one side, and the people of Israel on the other, and everything was ready for the drawing of the lot; Saul put up to God the following petition, as knowing that though the lot is cast into the lap, the disposing of it is of the Lord:

give a perfect lot;
or man, let it fall upon the guilty person, and let the innocent go free; the Targum is,

``cause it to come in truth;''

let truth and righteousness take place; let the right man be found out, and taken; the petition seems to be too arrogant and presumptuous, and insinuates as if the Lord did not always dispose the lot aright:

and Saul and Jonathan were taken;
the lot being cast, it fell upon them:

but the people escaped;
from the lot, and appeared to be innocent, clear of any blame; so that it was not the sin they had been guilty of, in eating flesh with the blood, which was the cause that no answer was returned.

1 Samuel 14:41 In-Context

39 For as Yahweh lives, who delivers Israel, [I swear] that even if it [is] in Jonathan my son, {he will certainly die}!" But nobody from all the army answered him.

40 Then he said to all Israel, "You will be {on one side}, and I and my son Jonathan will be {on the other}." And the army said to Saul, "Do [what is] good in your eyes."

41 Then Saul said to Yahweh the God of Israel, "{Render a decision perfectly}." Jonathan and Saul were chosen [by lot] and the people went out.

42 Then Saul said, "Let them cast [the lot] between me and my son Jonathan," and Jonathan was chosen.

43 So Saul said, "Tell me what you have done." So Jonathan told him and said, "I {merely tasted} a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am, I must die."

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "give [what is] perfect"; the LXX includes additional words not found in the Masoretic Hebrew text but included in a number of modern English versions: "If this guilt [is] on me or in my son Jonathan, give Urim, but if this guilt [is] in your people Israel, give Thummim"