The Meaning of 1 Samuel 11:6 Explained

1 Samuel 11:6

KJV: And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.

YLT: And the Spirit of God doth prosper over Saul, in his hearing these words, and his anger burneth greatly,

Darby: And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly.

ASV: And the Spirit of God came mightily upon Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the Spirit  of God  came  upon Saul  when he heard  those tidings,  and his anger  was kindled  greatly. 

What does 1 Samuel 11:6 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 11:6 mean?

And came the Spirit of God upon Saul - when he heard - words these and was aroused his anger greatly
וַתִּצְלַ֤ח רֽוּחַ־ אֱלֹהִים֙ עַל־ שָׁא֔וּל [בשמעו] (כְּשָׁמְע֖וֹ) אֶת־ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיִּ֥חַר אַפּ֖וֹ מְאֹֽד

וַתִּצְלַ֤ח  And  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: צָלַח 
Sense: (Qal) to rush.
רֽוּחַ־  the  Spirit 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
אֱלֹהִים֙  of  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
עַל־  upon 
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.
שָׁא֔וּל  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
[בשמעו]  - 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
(כְּשָׁמְע֖וֹ)  when  he  heard 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
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.
הַדְּבָרִ֣ים  words 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הָאֵ֑לֶּה  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
וַיִּ֥חַר  and  was  aroused 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָרָה  
Sense: to be hot, furious, burn, become angry, be kindled.
אַפּ֖וֹ  his  anger 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אַף 
Sense: nostril, nose, face.
מְאֹֽד  greatly 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְאֹד  
Sense: exceedingly, much subst.