And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good:
Parallel translations
- WEB Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Don’t let the king sin against his servant, against David; because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you;
- BSB Then Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul and said to him, “The king should not sin against his servant David; he has not sinned against you. In fact, his actions have been highly beneficial to you.
- NKJV Thus Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you.
- NASB Then Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul and said to him, “May the king not sin against his servant David, since he has not sinned against you, and since his deeds have been very beneficial to you.
- NLT The next morning Jonathan spoke with his father about David, saying many good things about him. “The king must not sin against his servant David,” Jonathan said. “He’s never done anything to harm you. He has always helped you in any way he could.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jonathan speaks well of David to Saul, urging the king not to sin against an innocent and faithful servant.
Overview
Jonathan boldly defends David, reminding Saul that David has done him only good and no wrong. His appeal is grounded in truth and justice, warning Saul against the sin of shedding innocent blood. This faithful advocacy on behalf of the righteous reflects the heart of a true friend and the work of one who pleads for the innocent.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Jer 18:20Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them.
- Prov 31:8–9Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
- Gen 42:22And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.
- Prov 17:13Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
- 1 Sam 20:32And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?
- 1 Sam 22:14Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king’s son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house?
- Ps 35:12They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.
- Ps 109:4–5For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.
- 1 Sam 2:25If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them.
- 2 Chr 6:22If a man sin against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to make him swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house;
- 1 Cor 8:12But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
- Gen 9:6Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
- Prov 24:11–12If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;
- 1 Jn 3:15Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 19:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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