The Meaning of 1 Samuel 14:39 Explained

1 Samuel 14:39

KJV: For, as the LORD liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him.

YLT: for, Jehovah liveth, who is saving Israel: surely if it be in Jonathan my son, surely he doth certainly die;' and none is answering him out of all the people.

Darby: For, as Jehovah liveth, who has saved Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall certainly die. And no one answered him among all the people.

ASV: For, as Jehovah liveth, who saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For, [as] the LORD  liveth,  which saveth  Israel,  though it be  in Jonathan  my son,  he shall surely  die.  But [there was] not a man among all the people  [that] answered  him. 

What does 1 Samuel 14:39 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 14:36-52 - The Man Who Wrought With God Rescued
In this case the voice of the people was the voice of God. If a man dares to stand alone with God, he cannot be put to shame. If he says of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust." Ten thousand voices answer: "He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shall thou trust"¦. Thou shalt not be afraid." "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn," One with God is always on the stronger side.
How safe are they who do God's commandments, hearkening to the voice of His wind! When our Lord was arrested, He stood boldly before His captors and, interposing between them and His timid disciples, said, "If ye seek me, let these go their way." This is His invariable method. As the mother-bird interposes for her helpless young; as the ring-fence of fire intercepts the night attack of the wild beast: as the broad river and its streams bar the progress of the foe; as the arm of masonry protects the ships from the storm, so the Lord is round about His people forever! [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 14

1  Jonathan goes and miraculously smites the Philistine's garrison
15  A divine terror makes them beat themselves
17  Saul, not staying the priest's answer, sets on them
21  The captivated Hebrews, and the hidden Israelites, join against them
24  Saul's unadvised adjuration hinders the victory
31  He restrains the people from eating blood
35  He builds an altar
37  Jonathan, taken by lot, is save by the people
47  Saul's victories, strength, and family

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 14:39 mean?

For [as] lives Yahweh who saves - Israel though though it be in Jonathan my son for surely he shall die But not a man answered him among all the people
כִּ֣י חַי־ יְהוָ֗ה הַמּוֹשִׁ֙יעַ֙ אֶת־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּ֧י אִם־ יֶשְׁנ֛וֹ בְּיוֹנָתָ֥ן בְּנִ֖י כִּ֣י מ֣וֹת יָמ֑וּת וְאֵ֥ין עֹנֵ֖הוּ מִכָּל־ הָעָֽם

כִּ֣י  For  [as] 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
חַי־  lives 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
יְהוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הַמּוֹשִׁ֙יעַ֙  who  saves 
Parse: Article, Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁע 
Sense: to save, be saved, be delivered.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
כִּ֧י  though 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
אִם־  though 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
יֶשְׁנ֛וֹ  it  be 
Parse: Adverb, third person masculine singular
Root: יֵשׁ  
Sense: being, existence, substance, there is or are.
בְּיוֹנָתָ֥ן  in  Jonathan 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄונָתָן  
Sense: a son of king Saul and a friend of David.
בְּנִ֖י  my  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
מ֣וֹת  surely 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
יָמ֑וּת  he  shall  die 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
וְאֵ֥ין  But  not  a  man 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
עֹנֵ֖הוּ  answered  him 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
מִכָּל־  among  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָעָֽם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.