The Meaning of 1 Samuel 24:2 Explained

1 Samuel 24:2

KJV: Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.

YLT: And Saul taketh three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and goeth to seek David and his men, on the front of the rocks of the wild goats,

Darby: And Saul took three thousand men, chosen out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.

ASV: Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then Saul  took  three  thousand  chosen  men  out of all Israel,  and went  to seek  David  and his men  upon  the rocks  of the wild goats. 

What does 1 Samuel 24:2 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 24:1-15 - Returning Good For Evil
Engedi is situated on the western shore of the Dead Sea. As Saul entered the cave, a very insidious temptation presented itself to David. Why not rid the kingdom of this cruel and oppressive monarch? Would it not confer a public benefit? Had not Samuel promised David the kingdom? Even if he himself did not strike the blow, why not let his men, who were not so squeamish, do so!But the man of God must not yield to such suggestions. He insisted on waiting the Lord's own time. He would not anticipate, by a single hour, the fulfillment of the great word on which he had been taught to rest through these weary years. The sensitiveness of his conscience was indicated in his compunction at having cut off a piece of the royal robe.
Never forget that opportunity does not make a wrong thing right. That the ship was waiting to sail to Tarshish did not make it right for Jonah to take passage. Our actions must not be determined by the opening of the door of circumstance, but by conscience, faith, obedience, and the high sense of Christian honor. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 24

1  David, in a cave at En Gedi, spares his life
8  He shows thereby his innocence,
16  Saul, acknowledging his fault, takes an oath of David, and departs

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 24:2 mean?

And took Saul three thousand men chosen from all Israel and went to seek - David and his men in on the Rocks of the Wild Goats
וַיִּקַּ֣ח שָׁא֗וּל שְׁלֹ֧שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֛ים אִ֥ישׁ בָּח֖וּר מִכָּל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ לְבַקֵּ֤שׁ אֶת־ דָּוִד֙ וַֽאֲנָשָׁ֔יו עַל־ פְּנֵ֖י צוּרֵ֥י הַיְּעֵלִֽים

וַיִּקַּ֣ח  And  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
שָׁא֗וּל  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
שְׁלֹ֧שֶׁת  three 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
אֲלָפִ֛ים  thousand 
Parse: Number, masculine plural
Root: אֶלֶף 
Sense: a thousand.
אִ֥ישׁ  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
בָּח֖וּר  chosen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: youth, young man.
מִכָּל־  from  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ  and  went 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
לְבַקֵּ֤שׁ  to  seek 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: בָּקַשׁ  
Sense: to seek, require, desire, exact, request.
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.
דָּוִד֙  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
וַֽאֲנָשָׁ֔יו  and  his  men 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
צוּרֵ֥י  the  Rocks 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: צוּר 
Sense: rock, cliff.
הַיְּעֵלִֽים  of  the  Wild  Goats 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יָעֵל  
Sense: mountain goat.