Bible Strands
1 Samuel 19:1
Then Saul ordered his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Jonathan delighted greatly in David,
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Saul commands his son Jonathan and all his household servants to execute David. This directive follows the escalation of Saul’s hostility, positioning Jonathan at the center of a royal order that directly threatens David’s life.
The words — The Hebrew verb וַיְדַבֵּר (va-yedabber) literally means “and he spoke,” introducing the royal decree. The noun עֲבָדָיו (avadav) translates to “his servants,” specifying the royal officials charged with carrying out the killing.
The thread — This command intersects with 1 Samuel 18:1, which records Jonathan’s soul being knit to David, and directly opposes 1 Samuel 18:9, which documents Saul’s sustained jealousy.
Why it lands — The text places Jonathan in a position where a direct royal command conflicts with his established loyalty to David. It requires the reader to note how covenant friendship functions when it directly contradicts political authority.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 18:1 After David had finished speaking with Saul, the souls of Jonathan and David were knit together, and Jonathan loved him as himself.
- 1 Samuel 18:9 And from that day forward Saul kept a jealous eye on David.