The Meaning of 1 Samuel 11:4 Explained

1 Samuel 11:4

KJV: Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept.

YLT: And the messengers come to Gibeah of Saul, and speak the words in the ears of the people, and all the people lift up their voice and weep;

Darby: And the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told these words in the ears of the people. And all the people lifted up their voice and wept.

ASV: Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and spake these words in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then came  the messengers  to Gibeah  of Saul,  and told  the tidings  in the ears  of the people:  and all the people  lifted up  their voices,  and wept. 

What does 1 Samuel 11:4 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 11:1-15 - The New King's Good Beginning
A hundred years before, the Ammonites had been defeated by Jephthah; now they were beleaguering Jabesh-gilead. Help seemed impossible. But when the Spirit of God comes upon a man, what cannot that man do! That was Saul's blessed experience. He aroused the country, after the manner of the Scottish chieftains with their fiery cross; then he sent a message of hope to the agonized city; and finally, as morning broke over the quiet pasture-lands, with his army of deliverance he burst upon the Ammonite camp.
Was there not a connection between Saul's previous self-control and his present victory? And must not that connection always be realized? Each of us must fight our fight against heredity, environment and habit; against self within and Satan without. The measure of our success will be the measure of our ability to help others. The mountain of temptation in the life of our Lord was followed in due course by His freeing the bodies and souls of men. In the hour of victory, Saul was borne to the throne. His success was the stairway to his coronation. We remember that when our Lord had destroyed and broken our foes, He took His seat, amid the acclaim of heaven, at the right hand of power. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 11

1  Nahash offers them of Jabesh Gilead a reproachful condition
4  They send messengers, and are delivered by Saul
12  Saul thereby is confirmed, and his kingdom renewed

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 11:4 mean?

So came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul and told the news in the hearing of the people and lifted up all the people - their voices and wept
וַיָּבֹ֤אוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים֙ גִּבְעַ֣ת שָׁא֔וּל וַיְדַבְּר֥וּ הַדְּבָרִ֖ים בְּאָזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וַיִּשְׂא֧וּ כָל־ הָעָ֛ם אֶת־ קוֹלָ֖ם וַיִּבְכּֽוּ

וַיָּבֹ֤אוּ  So  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
הַמַּלְאָכִים֙  the  messengers 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַלְאָךְ  
Sense: messenger, representative.
גִּבְעַ֣ת  to  Gibeah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: גִּבְעָה  
Sense: a city in the mountain district of Judah.
שָׁא֔וּל  of  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
וַיְדַבְּר֥וּ  and  told 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
הַדְּבָרִ֖ים  the  news 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
בְּאָזְנֵ֣י  in  the  hearing 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, fdc
Root: אֹזֶן  
Sense: ear, as part of the body.
הָעָ֑ם  of  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
וַיִּשְׂא֧וּ  and  lifted  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
הָעָ֛ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
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.
קוֹלָ֖ם  their  voices 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
וַיִּבְכּֽוּ  and  wept 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בָּכָה  
Sense: to weep, bewail, cry, shed tears.