1 Samuel 19:6

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

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

Complete Jewish Bible:

Sha'ul heeded Y'honatan's advice and swore, "As ADONAI lives, he will not be put to death."

Berean Standard Bible:

Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan and swore an oath: “As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be put to death.”

American Standard Version:

And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As Jehovah liveth, he shall not be put to death.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And Saul^{H7586} hearkened^{H8085} unto the voice^{H6963} of Jonathan^{H3083}: and Saul^{H7586} sware^{H7650}, As the LORD^{H3068} liveth^{H2416}, he shall not^{H518} be slain^{H4191}.

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for 1 Samuel 19:6

1 Samuel 19:6 is a pivotal moment in the narrative of Saul and David. The verse is part of a larger account where King Saul, out of jealousy and fear of David's growing popularity and God's favor towards him, seeks to kill David. This is set in the context of a growing enmity between Saul and David, despite David's faithfulness to Saul and his success in battles for Israel.

In the verse, Jonathan, Saul's son, intercedes on behalf of David, his close friend. Jonathan reminds Saul of David's innocence and his loyal service to the king, arguing that David has done nothing to deserve death. The phrase "Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan" indicates a momentary relenting by Saul, influenced by the respect and affection he has for his son. Saul's oath, "As the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain," is a solemn promise made in the presence of God, meant to ensure David's safety. This oath reflects the religious and cultural significance of swearing by the Lord's name in ancient Israelite society.

However, despite this vow, Saul's instability and ongoing jealousy lead him to break this promise later in the narrative. The themes present in this verse include loyalty and friendship, as seen in Jonathan's defense of David, the power of persuasion and familial bonds, and the complexity of Saul's character, torn between his role as king, his emotions, and his relationship with God. It also highlights the precariousness of oaths and promises in the face of human frailty and the unpredictable nature of power dynamics within a monarchy. The verse sets the stage for further conflict and the eventual decline of Saul's reign, juxtaposed with the rise of David, who is foreshadowed to be the future king of Israel.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H7586
   There are 335 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׁאוּל
   Transliteration: Shâʼûwl
   Pronunciation: shaw-ool'
   Description: passive participle of שָׁאַל; asked; Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two Israelites; Saul, Shaul.
   
2. Strong's Number: H8085
   There are 1072 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׁמַע
   Transliteration: shâmaʻ
   Pronunciation: shaw-mah'
   Description: a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.); [idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, [idiom] surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.
   
3. Strong's Number: H6963
   There are 436 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: קוֹל
   Transliteration: qôwl
   Pronunciation: kole
   Description: or קֹל; from an unused root meaning to call aloud; a voice or sound; [phrase] aloud, bleating, crackling, cry ([phrase] out), fame, lightness, lowing, noise, [phrase] hold peace, (pro-) claim, proclamation, [phrase] sing, sound, [phrase] spark, thunder(-ing), voice, [phrase] yell.
   
4. Strong's Number: H3083
   There are 73 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יְהוֹנָתָן
   Transliteration: Yᵉhôwnâthân
   Pronunciation: yeh-ho-naw-thawn'
   Description: from יְהֹוָה and נָתַן; Jehovah-given; Jehonathan, the name of four Israelites; Jonathan. Compare יוֹנָתָן.
   
5. Strong's Number: H7650
   There are 175 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׁבַע
   Transliteration: shâbaʻ
   Pronunciation: shaw-bah'
   Description: a primitive root; properly to be complete, but used only as a denominative from שֶׁבַע; to seven oneself, i.e. swear (as if by repeating a declaration seven times); adjure, charge (by an oath, with an oath), feed to the full (by mistake for שָׂבַע), take an oath, [idiom] straitly, (cause to, make to) swear.
   
6. Strong's Number: H3068
   There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יְהֹוָה
   Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
   Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
   Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.
   
7. Strong's Number: H2416
   There are 452 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: חַי
   Transliteration: chay
   Pronunciation: khah'-ee
   Description: from חָיָה; alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively; [phrase] age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, [phrase] merry, multitude, [phrase] (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.
   
8. Strong's Number: H518
   There are 283 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אִם
   Transliteration: ʼim
   Pronunciation: eem
   Description: a primitive particle; used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not; (and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), though, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] unless, [phrase] verily, when, whereas, whether, while, [phrase] yet.
   
9. Strong's Number: H4191
   There are 694 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מוּת
   Transliteration: mûwth
   Pronunciation: mooth
   Description: a primitive root; to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill; [idiom] at all, [idiom] crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), [idiom] must needs, slay, [idiom] surely, [idiom] very suddenly, [idiom] in (no) wise.