“Why must he be put to death?” Jonathan replied. “What has he done?”
Parallel translations
- WEB Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”
- KJV And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?
- NKJV And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be killed? What has he done?”
- NASB But Jonathan replied to his father Saul and said to him, “Why must he be put to death? What has he done?”
- NLT “But why should he be put to death?” Jonathan asked his father. “What has he done?”
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 boldly asks his father why David should be put to death, and what he has done.
Overview
Jonathan rises to defend his innocent friend, challenging the justice of Saul's verdict. His question echoes the refrain that David has done nothing deserving death. Standing for the innocent against a powerful and angry king, Jonathan again models faithful advocacy and courage rooted in love.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Matt 27:23“Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”
- 1 Sam 19:5He took his life in his hands when he struck down the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced, so why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason?”
- Luke 23:22A third time he said to them, “What evil has this man done? I have found in Him no offense worthy of death. So after I punish Him, I will release Him.”
- Gen 31:36Then Jacob became incensed and challenged Laban. “What is my crime?” he said. “For what sin of mine have you so hotly pursued me?
- Prov 24:11–12Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.
- 1 Sam 20:7If he says, ‘Good,’ then your servant is safe, but if he is enraged, you will know he has evil intentions.
- Prov 31:8–9Open your mouth for those with no voice, for the cause of all the dispossessed.
- Eccl 7:9Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.
- 1 Sam 18:11and he hurled it, thinking, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.
- Eccl 9:3This is an evil in everything that is done under the sun: There is one fate for everyone. Furthermore, the hearts of men are full of evil and madness while they are alive, and afterward they join the dead.
- John 7:51“Does our law convict a man without first hearing from him to determine what he has done?”
- Jer 17:9The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
- 1 Sam 19:10–11Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear. But the spear struck the wall and David eluded him, ran away, and escaped that night.
- Prov 22:24Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 20:32 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.