1 Samuel 19:5

5 He put his life on the line when he killed the Philistine. What a great victory God gave Israel that day! You were there. You saw it and were on your feet applauding with everyone else. So why would you even think of sinning against an innocent person, killing David for no reason whatever?"

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 I'll go out with my father into the field where you are hiding. I'll talk about you with my father and we'll see what he says. Then I'll report back to you."
4 Jonathan brought up David with his father, speaking well of him. "Please," he said to his father, "don't attack David. He hasn't wronged you, has he? And just look at all the good he has done!
5 He put his life on the line when he killed the Philistine. What a great victory God gave Israel that day! You were there. You saw it and were on your feet applauding with everyone else. So why would you even think of sinning against an innocent person, killing David for no reason whatever?"
6 Saul listened to Jonathan and said, "You're right. As God lives, David lives. He will not be killed."
7 Jonathan sent for David and reported to him everything that was said. Then he brought David back to Saul and everything was as it was before.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.