1 Samuel 14:42

THE MESSAGE

Next Saul said, "Cast the lots between me and Jonathan—and death to the one God points to!" The soldiers protested, "No—this is not right. Stop this!" But Saul pushed on anyway. They cast the lots, Urim and Thummim, and the lot fell to Jonathan.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan,” and Jonathan was selected.

Hebrew Names Version
Sha'ul said, Cast [lots] between me and Yonatan my son. Yonatan was taken.

King James Version
And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.

Lexham English Bible
Then Saul said, "Let them cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan," and Jonathan was chosen.

English Standard Version
Then Saul said, "Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan." And Jonathan was taken.

New Century Version
Saul said, "Now let us discover if it is I or Jonathan my son who is guilty." And Jonathan was picked.

New English Translation
Then Saul said, "Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan!" Jonathan was indicated by lot.

Amplified Bible
Saul said, "Cast [lots] between me and my son Jonathan." And Jonathan was selected.

New American Standard Bible
Then Saul said, "Cast lots between me and my son Jonathan." And Jonathan was selected by lot.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And Saul saide, Cast lot betweene me and Ionathan my sonne. And Ionathan was taken.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Saul said, "Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son." And Jonathan was taken.

Contemporary English Version
Saul told Ahijah, "Now ask the Lord to decide between Jonathan and me." The answer came back that Jonathan had sinned.

Complete Jewish Bible
Sha'ul said, "Cast lots between me and Y'honatan my son." Y'honatan was chosen.

Darby Translation
And Saul said, Cast [lots] between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.

Easy-to-Read Version
Saul said, "Throw them again to show the guilty one—me or my son Jonathan." Jonathan was shown to be the one.

George Lamsa Translation
And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.

Good News Translation
Then Saul said, "Decide between my son Jonathan and me." And Jonathan was indicated.

Literal Translation
And Saul said, Cast between me and my son Jonathan. And Jonathan was taken.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Saul sayde: Cast the lot ouer me and my sonne Ionathas. So Ionathas was take.

American Standard Version
And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.

Bible in Basic English
And Saul said, Give your decision between my son Jonathan and me. And Jonathan was taken.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Saul said: Cast lot betweene me and Ionathan my sonne. And Ionathan was caught.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Saul said: 'Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son.' And Jonathan was taken.

King James Version (1611)
And Saul said, Cast lots betweene me and Ionathan my sonne. And Ionathan was taken.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Saul said, Cast lots between me and my son Jonathan: whomsoever the Lord shall cause to be taken by lot, let him die: and the people said to Saul, This thing is not to be done: and Saul prevailed against the people, and they cast lots between him and Jonathan his son, and Jonathan is taken by lot.

English Revised Version
And Saul said, Cast [lots] between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.

Berean Standard Bible
Then Saul said, "Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan." And Jonathan was selected.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Saule seide, Sende ye lot bitwixe me and Jonathas my sone. And Jonathas was takun `bi lot.

Young's Literal Translation
And Saul saith, `Cast between me and Jonathan my son;' and Jonathan is captured.

Update Bible Version
And Saul said, Cast [lots] between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Saul said, Cast [lots] between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.

World English Bible
Saul said, Cast [lots] between me and Jonathan my son. Jonathan was taken.

New King James Version
And Saul said, "Cast lots between my son Jonathan and me." So Jonathan was taken.

New Living Translation
Then Saul said, "Now cast lots again and choose between me and Jonathan." And Jonathan was shown to be the guilty one.

New Life Bible
Then Saul said, "Draw names between me and my son Jonathan." And Jonathan's name was drawn.

New Revised Standard
Then Saul said, "Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan." And Jonathan was taken.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Saul said, Cast lots between me, and Jonathan my son. Then was, Jonathan, taken.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Saul said: (Cast lots between me, and Jonathan, my son. And Jonathan was taken.

Revised Standard Version
Then Saul said, "Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan." And Jonathan was taken.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Saul said, "Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son." And Jonathan was taken.

Contextual Overview

³⁶ Saul said, "Let's go after the Philistines tonight! We can spend the night looting and plundering. We won't leave a single live Philistine!" "Sounds good to us," said the troops. "Let's do it!" But the priest slowed them down: "Let's find out what God thinks about this." ³⁷ So Saul prayed to God, "Shall I go after the Philistines? Will you put them in Israel's hand?" God didn't answer him on that occasion. ³⁸Saul then said, "All army officers, step forward. Some sin has been committed this day. We're going to find out what it is and who did it! As God lives, Israel's Savior God, whoever sinned will die, even if it should turn out to be Jonathan, my son!" Nobody said a word. ⁴⁰ Saul said to the Israelites, "You line up over on that side, and I and Jonathan my son will stand on this side." The army agreed, "Fine. Whatever you say." ⁴¹ Then Saul prayed to God , "O God of Israel, why haven't you answered me today? Show me the truth. If the sin is in me or Jonathan, then, O God , give the sign Urim. But if the sin is in the army of Israel, give the sign Thummim." The Urim sign turned up and pointed to Saul and Jonathan. That cleared the army. ⁴² Next Saul said, "Cast the lots between me and Jonathan—and death to the one God points to!" The soldiers protested, "No—this is not right. Stop this!" But Saul pushed on anyway. They cast the lots, Urim and Thummim, and the lot fell to Jonathan. ⁴³ Saul confronted Jonathan. "What did you do? Tell me!" Jonathan said, "I licked a bit of honey off the tip of the staff I was carrying. That's it—and for that I'm to die?" ⁴⁴ Saul said, "Yes. Jonathan most certainly will die. It's out of my hands—I can't go against God, can I?" ⁴⁵ The soldiers rose up: "Jonathan—die? Never! He's just carried out this stunning salvation victory for Israel. As surely as God lives, not a hair on his head is going to be harmed. Why, he's been working hand-in-hand with God all day!" The soldiers rescued Jonathan and he didn't die. ⁴⁶ Saul pulled back from chasing the Philistines, and the Philistines went home.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Leviticus 16:8 - cast lots Joshua 7:18 - was taken Judges 20:9 - by lot against it 1 Chronicles 25:8 - cast lots Proverbs 16:33 - General Proverbs 18:18 - General Jonah 1:7 - and let Acts 1:26 - they

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Saul said, cast [lots] between me and Jonathan my son,..... Which showed his regard strict justice, and that he had no consciousness of guilt in himself, and should not spare his own son if found guilty:

and Jonathan was taken: the lot fell upon him, which was so directed, that his ignorance of his father's charge and oath might appear; and that the affection of the people might be discovered; and that a regard is to be had to the orders and commands of princes, and obedience to be yielded to them in all in which conscience is not concerned, though they may be grievous; and to bring Saul to a sense of rashness in making such an oath, which brought his own son into so much danger.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 14:42. And Jonathan was taken. — The object of the inquiry most evidently was, "Who has gone contrary to the king's adjuration today?" The answer to that must be JONATHAN. But was this a proof of the Divine displeasure against the man? By no means: the holy oracle told the truth, but neither that oracle nor the God who gave it fixed any blame upon Jonathan, and his own conscience acquits him. He seeks not pardon from God, because he is conscious he had not transgressed. But why did not God answer the priest that day? Because he did not think it proper to send the people by night in pursuit of the vanquished Philistines. Saul's motive was perfectly vindictive: Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them unto the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them; that is, Let us burn, waste, destroy, and slay all before us! Was it right to indulge a disposition of this kind, which would have led to the destruction of many innocent country people, and of many Israelites who resided among the Philistines? Besides, was there not a most manifest reason in the people why God could not be among them? Multitudes of them were defiled in a very solemn manner; they had eaten the flesh with the blood; and however sacrifices might be offered to atone for this transgression of the law, they must continue unclean till the evening. Here were reasons enough why God would not go on with the people for that night.