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.
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;
- KJV 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:
- 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.
- 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 dug a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.
- Prov 31:8–9Open your mouth for the mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate.
- Gen 42:22Reuben answered them, saying, “Didn’t I tell you, saying, ‘Don’t sin against the child,’ and you wouldn’t listen? Therefore also, behold, his blood is required.”
- Prov 17:13Whoever rewards evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
- 1 Sam 20:32Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”
- 1 Sam 22:14Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, “Who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, and is taken into your council, and is honorable in your house?
- Ps 35:12They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul.
- Ps 109:4–5In return for my love, they are my adversaries; but I am in prayer.
- 1 Sam 2:25If one man sins against another, God will judge him; but if a man sins against Yahweh, who will intercede for him?” Notwithstanding, they didn’t listen to the voice of their father, because Yahweh intended to kill them.
- 2 Chr 6:22“If a man sins against his neighbor, and an oath is laid on him to cause him to swear, and he comes and swears before your altar in this house;
- 1 Cor 8:12Thus, sinning against the brothers, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
- Gen 9:6Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in his own image.
- Prov 24:11–12Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!
- 1 Jn 3:15Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining 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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