1 Samuel 19:1

Saul Tries to Kill David

1 Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David. But Jonathan had taken a great liking to David

1 Samuel 19:1 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
1 And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.
English Standard Version (ESV)
1 And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David.
New Living Translation (NLT)
1 Saul now urged his servants and his son Jonathan to assassinate David. But Jonathan, because of his strong affection for David,
The Message Bible (MSG)
1 Saul called his son Jonathan together with his servants and ordered them to kill David. But because Jonathan treasured David,
American Standard Version (ASV)
1 And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should slay David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
1 Saul told his son Jonathan and all his officers to kill David. But Saul's son Jonathan was very fond of David,
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
1 Saul ordered his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Saul's son Jonathan liked David very much,
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
1 Saul told his son Jonathan and all of the attendants to kill David. But Jonathan liked David very much.

1 Samuel 19:1 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 19:1

And Saul spake to Jonathan his son
Who was heir to his crown; and though he knew he loved David, and was in strict friendship with him, yet he might hope, that as his succession to the kingdom was in danger, as he thought, and that David was his rival in it, his mind would be alienated from him; and that he would listen rather to a father than a friend, and would see where his true interest lay, and abandon David, yea, seek his ruin, which Saul was intent upon

and to all his servants;
who yet pretended to love David, and as he himself said they did, and some of them might; with these he might rather hope to succeed, as they were attached to him, and might be secretly enemies of David, and therefore to these, as well as to his son, he spake, and gave his orders:

that they should kill David;
as if he was a traitor, and an usurper of his throne, and one that had a design upon that, and upon his life; finding he could do nothing by the schemes, and snares, and stratagems, he used in a private manner, he grew outrageous and furious, and openly declared his views, and laid his injunctions on his son and servants to take away David's life, as a very dangerous person to his crown and government.

1 Samuel 19:1 In-Context

1 Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David. But Jonathan had taken a great liking to David
2 and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding and stay there.
3 I will go out and stand with my father in the field where you are. I’ll speak to him about you and will tell you what I find out.”
4 Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly.
5 He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The LORD won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?”

Cross References 2

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