1 Samuel 14:44

44 Saul said to him, "May God strike me dead if you are not put to death!"

1 Samuel 14:44 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 14:44

And Saul answered, God do so and more also
A form of an oath imprecating evils upon him more and greater than he chose to mention, see the like form in ( Ruth 1:17 ) , though Abarbinel thinks this is not the form of an oath, but an asseveration of a curse that would befall him; as that God would not answer him when he inquired of him, and that he would add to do so again and again, if he died not:

for thou shall surely die, Jonathan;
such words from a father must be very striking to a son, and argue a want of paternal affection in Saul, that could call his son by his name, and deliver such a speech unto him in so strong a manner.

1 Samuel 14:44 In-Context

42 Then Saul said, "Decide between my son Jonathan and me." And Jonathan was indicated.

43 Then Saul asked Jonathan, "What have you done?" Jonathan answered, "I ate a little honey with the stick I was holding. Here I am - I am ready to die."

44 Saul said to him, "May God strike me dead if you are not put to death!"

45 But the people said to Saul, "Will Jonathan, who won this great victory for Israel, be put to death? No! We promise by the living Lord that he will not lose even a hair from his head. What he did today was done with God's help." So the people saved Jonathan from being put to death.

46 After that, Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they went back to their own territory.