1 Samuel 14:45

45 And the people said to Saul, Therefore whether Jonathan shall die, that did this great health in Israel? this is unleaveful; the Lord liveth; none hair of his head shall fall into the earth; for he hath wrought with God today. Therefore the people delivered Jonathan, that he died not. (And the people said to Saul, Should Jonathan truly die, he who hath won this great victory for Israel? Nay! this is unlawful; as the Lord liveth, there shall not fall to the ground one hair of his head, for he hath worked with God today. And so the people delivered Jonathan, so that he did not die.)

1 Samuel 14:45 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 14:45

And the people said unto Saul
Hearing such words, and filled with grief, pity, and sympathy for Jonathan, as Josephus ^F11 observes:

shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel?
no, he shall not; what, such a man as he die, who, under God, has been the instrument of so great deliverance, who first began it himself with one man only with him, and has proceeded in it to the finishing of it?

God forbid:
this shall not be so; they speak of it with the utmost abhorrence and detestation, as a shocking piece of cruelty and ingratitude, unheard of, and not to be paralleled:

as the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the
ground;
as Saul swore he should die, they also swear he should not, expressing their firm resolution to stand by him, and preserve his life; and so far should it be from him to have his life taken away, that an hair of his head should not be touched, or the least injury done to his person; for though they had yielded a ready obedience to all the orders and commands of Saul, which were distressing to themselves, they were determined to oppose him in this case of his son:

for he hath wrought with God this day;
God has been with him, assisted him to do great things for Israel, and therefore should not die for a thing so trivial; and it being not done in disobedience to his father, nor in contempt of him, but through pure ignorance, as some of them well knew; so the Targum,

``for it is known before the Lord, that in ignorance he did it this day:''

so the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not;
not by force, but by their resolution and importunity; or "redeemed" him ^F12, by exposing their own lives to danger in opposing their king, and by their petitions to him for him; and, as Josephus says ^F13, by their prayers to God for him, that his fault might be forgiven.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F11 Antiqu. l. 6. c. 6. sect. 4.
F12 (wdpy) "redemerunt", Pagninus, Montanus
F13 Ut supra, (Antiqu. l. 6. c. 6.) sect. 5.

1 Samuel 14:45 In-Context

43 And Saul said to Jonathan, Show thou to me, what thou didest. And Jonathan showed to him, and said, I tasting tasted a little of honey in the end of the rod, that was in mine hand; and lo! I die. (And Saul said to Jonathan, Tell thou to me, what thou didest. And Jonathan said to him, I tasted a little honey using the end of the rod that was in my hand; and lo! now I must die.)

44 And Saul said, God do to me these things, and add these things, for thou, Jonathan, shalt (indeed) die by death.

45 And the people said to Saul, Therefore whether Jonathan shall die, that did this great health in Israel? this is unleaveful; the Lord liveth; none hair of his head shall fall into the earth; for he hath wrought with God today. Therefore the people delivered Jonathan, that he died not. (And the people said to Saul, Should Jonathan truly die, he who hath won this great victory for Israel? Nay! this is unlawful; as the Lord liveth, there shall not fall to the ground one hair of his head, for he hath worked with God today. And so the people delivered Jonathan, so that he did not die.)

46 And Saul went away, and he pursued not the Philistines; and the Philistines went into their places.

47 And Saul, when his realm was stabled upon Israel, fought by compass against all his enemies (And Saul, when his kingdom was established upon Israel, fought against all his enemies all around), (yea,) against Moab, and the sons of Ammon, and Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines; and whither ever he turned him[self], he overcame (them).