The Meaning of 2 Samuel 2:4 Explained

2 Samuel 2:4

KJV: And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul.

YLT: And the men of Judah come, and anoint there David for king over the house of Judah; and they declare to David, saying, 'The men of Jabesh-Gilead are they who buried Saul.'

Darby: And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, It is the men of Jabesh-Gilead that have buried Saul.

ASV: And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, The men of Jabesh-gilead were they that buried Saul.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the men  of Judah  came,  and there they anointed  David  king  over the house  of Judah.  And they told  David,  saying,  [That] the men  of Jabeshgilead  [were they] that buried  Saul. 

What does 2 Samuel 2:4 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 2:1-11 - A Divided People
David's habit of inquiring of the Lord was not discontinued when he ascended the throne. He allowed his steps still to be ordered by the Lord, who delighted in His servant's way. From how many blunders might we be saved, if we leaned less on our own understanding and trusted Him with all our hearts! Those who believe like this need not make haste.
This anointing in Hebron-the second in David's life-is parallel with the unction of the Holy One received by our Lord on His ascension. "Having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit," said Peter on the day of Pentecost, "He hath shed forth this." The house of Saul was still determined to rule. Its seat was across the Jordan. Is it not a type of the fashion of this world, which is destined to pass away? Between those who refuse and those who accept the Cross, with its separating death, there can be no peace. The war will be long and painful, but the result must end in the victory of the house of David, of which our Lord is both Root and Offspring, Revelation 22:16. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 2

1  David, by God's direction, with his company goes up to Hebron
4  where he is made king of Judah
5  He commends them of Jabesh Gilead for their king of Israel
8  Abner makes Ishbosheth king of Israel
12  A mortal skirmish between twelve of Abner's and twelve of Joab's men
18  Asahel is slain
25  At Abner's motion, Joab sounds a retreat
32  Asahel's burial

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 2:4 mean?

And came the men of Judah and they anointed there - David king over the house of Judah And they told David saying the men of Jabesh Gilead [were the ones] who buried Saul -
וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ אַנְשֵׁ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וַיִּמְשְׁחוּ־ שָׁ֧ם אֶת־ דָּוִ֛ד לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־ בֵּ֣ית יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיַּגִּ֤דוּ לְדָוִד֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אַנְשֵׁי֙ יָבֵ֣ישׁ גִּלְעָ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר קָבְר֖וּ שָׁאֽוּל ס

וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙  And  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אַנְשֵׁ֣י  the  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
יְהוּדָ֔ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
וַיִּמְשְׁחוּ־  and  they  anointed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: מָשַׁח  
Sense: to smear, anoint, spread a liquid.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
דָּוִ֛ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
לְמֶ֖לֶךְ  king 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
עַל־  over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
בֵּ֣ית  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יְהוּדָ֑ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
וַיַּגִּ֤דוּ  And  they  told 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
לְדָוִד֙  David 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אַנְשֵׁי֙  the  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
גִּלְעָ֔ד  Jabesh  Gilead 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: גִּלְעָד  
Sense: a mountainous region bounded on the west by the Jordan, on the north by Bashan, on the east by the Arabian plateau, and on the south by Moab and Ammon; sometimes called ‘Mount Gilead’ or the ‘land of Gilead’ or just ‘Gilead’.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  [were  the  ones]  who 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
קָבְר֖וּ  buried 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: קָבַר  
Sense: to bury.
שָׁאֽוּל  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation