42 And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.
43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die.
44 And Saul answered, God do so and more also:
for thou shalt surely die,
Jonathana.
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44a for thou shalt surely die,
Jonathan In the same vein of which Jephthah had swore and then
acted to kill his daughter because of his vain 'oath' (Judges 11), so also
did Saul swear an
oath which was of a vain nature, in that it was not made in righteousness of
administration of good and according to the will of the Lord. Sadly non was
there to stop Japethah from killing his daugher according to that vain oath
which he had sworn. For though an oath, if not in righteousness unto a
righteous purpose, an oath is vain and ought not to be so binding, but is to
be repented of. Luckily for Jonathan, the people 'rescued' Jonathan and turned
Saul from his vain oath though even sworn in the name of the LORD. But such is
the swearing of oaths and the vanity of man, that once spoken whither in
righteousness or not, they in their false pride would bind themselves to the
oath rather than to humble and repent themselves and turn therefrom that,
which is not righteous in the sight of the Lord.
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