Shmuel Alef 14:40

40 Then said he unto kol Yisroel, Be ye on one side, and I and Yonatan beni will be on the other side. And HaAm said unto Sha’ul, Do what seemeth tov in thine eyes.

Shmuel Alef 14:40 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 14:40

Then said he unto all Israel
As many of them as were present; not the principal men only, but the common people; not the officers only, but the common soldiers in the army:

be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side:
so they divided to the right and left, one went one way, and the other the other; there were two boxes or urns, as Kimchi says, in one of which were the names of Saul and Jonathan, and in the other Israel; though Abarbinel observes, that such a partition of them on one side, and the other, is not according to the manner of lots; and he suspects that Saul knew that Jonathan had tasted of honey, being told it by the man that saw him eat it; and who said to him then, "thy father straitly charged" ( 1 Samuel 14:27 ) but chose this way to make it manifest to the people, and to show what a strict regard he had to justice:

and the people said unto Saul, do what seemeth good unto thee;
they were very obsequious to him in everything, see ( 1 Samuel 14:36 ) .

Shmuel Alef 14:40 In-Context

38 And Sha’ul said, Draw ye near here, all the pinnot (corners, chiefs of] HaAm; and know and see wherein this chattat hath been this day.

39 For, as Hashem the Moshia Yisroel liveth, though it be in Yonatan beni (my son), he shall surely die. But there was none among kol HaAm that answered him.

40 Then said he unto kol Yisroel, Be ye on one side, and I and Yonatan beni will be on the other side. And HaAm said unto Sha’ul, Do what seemeth tov in thine eyes.

41 Therefore Sha’ul said unto Hashem Elohei Yisroel, Give a tamim (perfect lot). And Sha’ul and Yonatan were taken by lot; but HaAm escaped [from being taken by lot].

42 And Sha’ul said, Cast lots between me and Yonatan beni (my son). And Yonatan was taken by lot.