And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.
The people said to Saul, 'Should Jonathan die, when he has brought this great victory to Israel? Absolutely not! As surely as the LORD lives, not a single hair on his head will be harmed, because he has worked with God today.' So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.
The people stood up to King Saul to protect Jonathan from his father's rash oath, recognizing that God had used Jonathan to bring them victory.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of 1 Samuel, King Saul was leading the Israelites in a desperate war against the Philistines, and his son Jonathan had boldly attacked the enemy, resulting in a miraculous victory for Israel. However, Jonathan unknowingly broke an oath that Saul had imposed, forbidding anyone to eat until evening, which led Saul to demand his son's death as punishment. The people of Israel intervened to save Jonathan, emphasizing their loyalty to a hero who had acted in faith and underscoring the conflict between a king's authority and the will of the community.
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