The Meaning of 1 Samuel 14:38 Explained

1 Samuel 14:38

KJV: And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people: and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day.

YLT: And Saul saith, 'Draw ye nigh hither all, the chiefs of the people, and know and see in what this sin hath been to-day;

Darby: And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the heads of the people; and know and see wherein this sin has been this day.

ASV: And Saul said, Draw nigh hither, all ye chiefs of the people; and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Saul  said,  Draw ye near  hither,  all the chief  of the people:  and know  and see  wherein  this sin  hath been this day. 

What does 1 Samuel 14:38 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 14:38 mean?

And said Saul come over you here all the chiefs of people and know and see what was sin this today
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁא֔וּל גֹּ֣שֽׁוּ הֲלֹ֔ם כֹּ֖ל פִּנּ֣וֹת הָעָ֑ם וּדְע֣וּ וּרְא֔וּ בַּמָּ֗ה הָֽיְתָ֛ה הַחַטָּ֥את הַזֹּ֖את הַיּֽוֹם

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
שָׁא֔וּל  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
גֹּ֣שֽׁוּ  come  over  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: נָגַשׁ  
Sense: to draw near, approach.
הֲלֹ֔ם  here 
Parse: Adverb
Root: הֲלֹם  
Sense: here, hither.
פִּנּ֣וֹת  the  chiefs 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: פִּנָּה  
Sense: corner.
הָעָ֑ם  of  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
וּדְע֣וּ  and  know 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
וּרְא֔וּ  and  see 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
הַחַטָּ֥את  sin 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חַטָּאָה 
Sense: sin, sinful.
הַזֹּ֖את  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
הַיּֽוֹם  today 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.