42 Saul said, "Cast the lot between me and Jonathan my son." And Jonathan was taken.
42 And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.
42 Then Saul said, "Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan." And Jonathan was taken.
42 Next Saul said, "Cast the lots between me and Jonathan - and death to the one God points to!" The soldiers protested, "No - this is not right. Stop this!" But Saul pushed on anyway. They cast the lots, Urim and Thummim, and the lot fell to Jonathan.
42 And Saul said, "Cast lots between my son Jonathan and me." So Jonathan was taken.
42 Then Saul said, "Now cast lots again and choose between me and Jonathan." And Jonathan was shown to be the guilty one.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Samuel 14:42
Commentary on 1 Samuel 14:36-46
(Read 1 Samuel 14:36-46)
If God turns away our prayer, we have reason to suspect it is for some sin harboured in our hearts, which we should find out, that we may put it away, and put it to death. We should always first suspect and examine ourselves; but an unhumbled heart suspects every other person, and looks every where but at home for the sinful cause of calamity. Jonathan was discovered to be the offender. Those most indulgent to their own sins are most severe upon others; those who most disregard God's authority, are most impatient when their own commands are slighted. Such as cast abroad curses, endanger themselves and their families. What do we observe in the whole of Saul's behaviour on this occasion, but an impetuous, proud, malignant, impious disposition? And do we not in every instance perceive that man, left to himself, betrays the depravity of his nature, and is enslaved to the basest tempers.