Page:02.BCOT.KD.HistoricalBooks.A.vol.2.EarlyProphets.djvu/672



Verses 43-44
When Saul asked him what he had done, Jonathan confessed that he had tasted a little honey (see 1Sa 14:27), and resigned himself to the punishment suspended over him, saying, “Behold, I shall die;” and Saul pronounced sentence of death upon him, accompanying it with an oath (“God do so,” etc.: vid., Rth 1:17).

Verse 45
But the people interposed, “Shall Jonathan die, who has achieved this great salvation (victory) ''in Israel? God forbid! As truly as Jehovah liveth, not a hair shall fall from his head upon the ground; for he hath wrought (the victory) with God to-day''.” Thus the people delivered Jonathan from death. The objection raised by the people was so conclusive, that Saul was obliged to yield. What Jonathan had done was not wrong in itself, but became so simply on account of the oath with which Saul had