The Meaning of 1 Samuel 14:6 Explained

1 Samuel 14:6

KJV: And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.

YLT: And Jonathan saith unto the young man bearing his weapons, 'Come, and we pass over unto the station of these uncircumcised; it may be Jehovah doth work for us, for there is no restraint to Jehovah to save by many or by few.'

Darby: And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armour, Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised: perhaps Jehovah will work for us; for there is no restraint to Jehovah to save by many or by few.

ASV: And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armor, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that Jehovah will work for us; for there is no restraint to Jehovah to save by many or by few.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Jonathan  said  to the young man  that bare  his armour,  Come,  and let us go over  unto the garrison  of these uncircumcised:  it may be that the LORD  will work  for us: for [there is] no restraint  to the LORD  to save  by many  or by few. 

What does 1 Samuel 14:6 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 14:1-15 - Jonathan's Exploit For The Lord
Jonathan was a true knight of God. He was the Hebrew Galahad, a soldier without fear and without reproach. His life was pure, his word was true, he was faithful to the high claims of human love, and followed the Christ, though as yet he knew Him not.
He had entered into the spirit of the divine Covenant, and could not believe that God had forgotten and forsaken. Was not the old promise true that "one [1] chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight"? Deuteronomy 32:30. Happy are they who can rise above depression and misfortune into the clear heaven of fellowship with God, allying their weakness with His might, their ignorance with His wisdom! "It may be that the Lord will work for us," said Jonathan; "for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few." Then he offered himself as the humble instrument of God's will. The people recognized this. They said: "He hath wrought with God this day." And the soul that reckons on God cannot be ashamed. "The Lord saved Israel that day."In such works God and man co-operate. See John 3:21. [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 14:6 mean?

And said Jonathan to the young man who bore his armor come and let us go over the garrison of uncircumcised these it may be that will work Yahweh for us for nothing Yahweh restrains from saving by many or by few
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוֹנָתָ֜ן אֶל־ הַנַּ֣עַר ׀ נֹשֵׂ֣א כֵלָ֗יו לְכָה֙ וְנַעְבְּרָ֗ה מַצַּב֙ הָעֲרֵלִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה אוּלַ֛י יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה לָ֑נוּ כִּ֣י אֵ֤ין לַֽיהוָה֙ מַעְצ֔וֹר לְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַ בְּרַ֖ב א֥וֹ בִמְעָֽט

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוֹנָתָ֜ן  Jonathan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹונָתָן  
Sense: a son of king Saul and a friend of David.
הַנַּ֣עַר ׀  the  young  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַעַר  
Sense: a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer.
נֹשֵׂ֣א  who  bore 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
כֵלָ֗יו  his  armor 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: כְּלִי  
Sense: article, vessel, implement, utensil.
לְכָה֙  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
וְנַעְבְּרָ֗ה  and  let  us  go  over 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative, first person common plural
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
מַצַּב֙  the  garrison 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַצָּב  
Sense: station, garrison, standing-place.
הָעֲרֵלִ֣ים  of  uncircumcised 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: עָרֵל  
Sense: uncircumcised, having foreskin.
הָאֵ֔לֶּה  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
אוּלַ֛י  it  may  be  that 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אוּלַי  
Sense: perhaps, peradventure.
יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה  will  work 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לָ֑נוּ  for  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
אֵ֤ין  nothing 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
לַֽיהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מַעְצ֔וֹר  restrains 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַעְצֹור  
Sense: restraint, hindrance.
לְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַ  from  saving 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: יָשַׁע 
Sense: to save, be saved, be delivered.
בְּרַ֖ב  by  many 
Parse: Preposition-b, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
בִמְעָֽט  by  few 
Parse: Preposition-b, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: מְעַט  
Sense: littleness, few, a little, fewness.