1 Samuel 19:5

5 For he put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest [it], and didst rejoice: Why then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?

1 Samuel 19:5 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 19:5

For he did put his life in his hand
Exposed himself to the utmost danger, when no one in all the camp of Israel would do the like:

and slew the Philistine;
Goliath of Gath, who defied the armies of Israel; against him he went unarmed, only with his sling and stones, and fought him, and slew him:

and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel;
by his hand, so that they were delivered from their enemies, who fled before them, and they pursued them, and got a complete victory over them:

thou sawest [it], and didst rejoice;
he was an eyewitness of David's going forth against the Philistine, and slaying him, and of all the happy effects of it, which then greatly affected him, and he could not forbear expressing great joy on that occasion:

wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David
without a cause?
and so entail the guilt of it on himself and family.

1 Samuel 19:5 In-Context

3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou [art], and I will commune with my father of thee; and what I see, that I will tell thee.

4 And Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father, and said to him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works [have been] toward thee very good:

5 For he put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest [it], and didst rejoice: Why then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?

6 And Saul hearkened to the voice of Jonathan: and Saul swore, [As] the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain.

7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.