The Meaning of 1 Chronicles 18:12 Explained

1 Chronicles 18:12

KJV: Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah slew of the Edomites in the valley of salt eighteen thousand.

YLT: And Abishai son of Zeruiah hath smitten Edom in the valley of salt -- eighteen thousand,

Darby: And Abishai the son of Zeruiah smote of the Edomites in the valley of salt eighteen thousand.

ASV: Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah smote of the Edomites in the Valley of Salt eighteen thousand.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Moreover Abishai  the son  of Zeruiah  slew  of the Edomites  in the valley  of salt  eighteen  thousand. 

What does 1 Chronicles 18:12 Mean?

Study Notes

Abishai
Nephew of David, brother to Joab. 2 Samuel 23:18 ; 1 Chronicles 2:16 .

Chapter Summary: 1 Chronicles 18

1  David subdues the Philistines and the Moabites
3  He smites Hadarezer and the Syrians
9  Tou sends Hadoram with presents to bless David
11  The presents and the spoil David dedicates to God
13  He put garrisons in Edom
14  David's officers

What do the individual words in 1 Chronicles 18:12 mean?

Moreover Abishai son of Zeruiah killed - Edom in the Valley of Salt of salt eight [and] ten thousand
וְאַבְשַׁ֣י בֶּן־ צְרוּיָ֗ה הִכָּ֤ה אֶת־ אֱדוֹם֙ בְּגֵ֣יא הַמֶּ֔לַח שְׁמוֹנָ֥ה עָשָׂ֖ר אָֽלֶף

וְאַבְשַׁ֣י  Moreover  Abishai 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִישַׁי 
Sense: grandson of Jesse, nephew of David via his sister Zeruiah, brother of Joab.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
צְרוּיָ֗ה  of  Zeruiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: צְרוּיָה  
Sense: sister of David and mother of the 3 leading heroes of David’s army—Abishai, Joab, and Asahel.
הִכָּ֤ה  killed 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
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.
אֱדוֹם֙  Edom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱדֹום 
Sense: Edom.
בְּגֵ֣יא  in  the  Valley  of  Salt 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: גַּיְא  
Sense: valley, a steep valley, narrow gorge.
הַמֶּ֔לַח  of  salt 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלַח  
Sense: salt.
שְׁמוֹנָ֥ה  eight 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: שְׁמֹנֶה  
Sense: eight, eighth.
עָשָׂ֖ר  [and]  ten 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂר 
Sense: ten, -teen (in combination with other numbers).
אָֽלֶף  thousand 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶלֶף 
Sense: a thousand.