What Does 1 Samuel 14:1 Mean in the King James?
Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verb “go over” belongs to the crossing-root associated with עִבְרִי (ʿivri, Hebrew; one from beyond): Jonathan’s defining move is passage to the far side.
THE MEANING
A crossing takes shape as Jonathan names the far side and invites the person carrying his weapons to go with him. His father remains outside the plan, holding initiative, companionship, and secrecy together in the same moment.
THE ROOT
נַעְבְּרָה
naʿavrah
GROWS FROM
עבר
To cross over, pass through, or move beyond.
“go over” in this verse is naʿavrah. The root gives the movement a direction: across a boundary, toward the far side. עִבְרִי (ʿivri, Hebrew; traditionally associated with one from beyond) and מַעֲבָר (maʿavar, passage or crossing) carry the same crossing-shape.
ALSO GROWS
ʿeber: The region across from here.
עֵבֶר
The related word makes the far side in Jonathan’s invitation part of the root’s meaning.
ʿivri: Hebrew; traditionally linked with the sense of coming from across.
עִבְרִי
The root connects a name for a people with crossing and being from the other side.
maʿavar: A way through or across.
מַעֲבָר
It shows the crossing as a passage to be entered, not simply a change of location.
יְהוֹנָתָן
Yehonatan
GROWS FROM
נתן
To give, set, or place.
Jonathan’s name means “the LORD has given,” with נתן (natan, give) inside it. The verse places that name at the center of a chosen crossing, while his father remains uninformed.
ALSO GROWS
natan: To give, set, or place.
נָתַן
This verb is the root carried in Jonathan’s name.
mattanah: A gift or present.
מַתָּנָה
This branch shows the same root as something given.
שָׁאוּל
Shaʾul
GROWS FROM
שאל
To ask or request.
“Saul” in this verse is Shaʾul. Shaʾul carries the sense “asked for” or “requested.” The father kept outside the plan bears a name rooted in asking; the verse leaves Jonathan’s reason for the silence unstated.
ALSO GROWS
shaʾal: To ask for something.
שָׁאַל
This is the verb from which Saul’s name is formed.
sheʾelah: A question or something requested.
שְׁאֵלָה
This branch keeps the sense of asking visible in the name’s root.
THE PATTERN
Scripture uses crossing to make passage from one side into another visible.
And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.THE THREAD
And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines’ garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.The same crossing-root returns as Jonathan’s attempt to go over. The route runs between sharp rocks on both sides, turning the invitation in verse 1 into a specific passage toward the garrison.
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