The Meaning of 1 Samuel 19:4 Explained

1 Samuel 19:4

KJV: And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to theeward very good:

YLT: And Jonathan speaketh good of David unto Saul his father, and saith unto him, 'Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works for thee are very good;

Darby: And Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father, and said to him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against thee; for also what he did was very advantageous to thee;

ASV: And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Jonathan  spake  good  of David  unto Saul  his father,  and said  unto him, Let not the king  sin  against his servant,  against David;  because he hath not sinned  against thee, and because his works  [have been] to thee-ward very  good: 

What does 1 Samuel 19:4 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 19:1-12 - Noble Intercession Implacable Hate
Not content with exchanging his dress and weapons with his friend, Jonathan pleaded David's cause at court. He had the royal ear and spoke as David's daysman. As he touched upon his brother-in-law's devotion, modesty and courage, the father's heart relented. We must not, however, take Jonathan's interposition as illustrating our Lord's, because Jesus stands for us in the presence of One whose love requires no argument. But learn to abide in "the secret place of the Most High," and hide thyself, until thou hast learned what thou should do, 1 Samuel 19:2.
While Saul's troops were watching the house on the outside, the psalmist was appealing to God as his strength, and hiding in Him as his strong tower. See Psalms 59:9; Psalms 59:17. Wait on God during the hours when your enemy is waiting for you. We must not only pray for God's help, but expect and look out for it. All true waiting must be combined with singing. Sing, persecuted soul, in sure confidence that the glorious deliverance awaiting you is near at hand! Notice that Holy Scripture never conceals and never palliates wrong-doing. It does not excuse "lies of necessity." See Leviticus 19:11; Colossians 3:9. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 19

1  Elkanah, a Levite, having two wives, worships yearly at Shiloh
4  He cherishes Hannah, though barren, and provoked by Peninnah
9  Hannah in grief prays for a child
12  Eli first rebuking her, afterwards blesses her
19  Hannah, having born Samuel, stays at home till he is weaned
24  She presents him, according to her vow, to the Lord

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 19:4 mean?

Thus spoke Jonathan of David well to Saul his father and said to him not let sin the king against his servant against David because not he has sinned against you and because his works [have been] good toward you very
וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר יְהוֹנָתָ֤ן בְּדָוִד֙ ט֔וֹב אֶל־ שָׁא֖וּל אָבִ֑יו וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵ֠לָיו אַל־ יֶחֱטָ֨א הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ בְּעַבְדּ֣וֹ בְדָוִ֗ד כִּ֣י ל֤וֹא חָטָא֙ לָ֔ךְ וְכִ֥י מַעֲשָׂ֖יו טוֹב־ לְךָ֥ מְאֹֽד

וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר  Thus  spoke 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
יְהוֹנָתָ֤ן  Jonathan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹונָתָן  
Sense: a son of king Saul and a friend of David.
בְּדָוִד֙  of  David 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
ט֔וֹב  well 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
שָׁא֖וּל  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
אָבִ֑יו  his  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵ֠לָיו  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
יֶחֱטָ֨א  let  sin 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָטָא 
Sense: to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness.
הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
בְּעַבְדּ֣וֹ  against  his  servant 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
בְדָוִ֗ד  against  David 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
כִּ֣י  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
חָטָא֙  he  has  sinned 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָטָא 
Sense: to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness.
לָ֔ךְ  against  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular
וְכִ֥י  and  because 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
מַעֲשָׂ֖יו  his  works  [have  been] 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מַעֲשֶׂה  
Sense: deed, work.
טוֹב־  good 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
לְךָ֥  toward  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
מְאֹֽד  very 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְאֹד  
Sense: exceedingly, much subst.