The Meaning of 1 Samuel 30:4 Explained

1 Samuel 30:4

KJV: Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

YLT: And David lifteth up -- and the people who are with him -- their voice and weep, till that they have no power to weep.

Darby: Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

ASV: Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then David  and the people  that [were] with him lifted up  their voice  and wept,  until they had no more power  to weep. 

What does 1 Samuel 30:4 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 30:1-15 - A Blow That Led Back To God
As David was leaving the battlefield, a number of men of Manasseh fell to him, 1 Chronicles 12:20, so his following was greatly increased. It was as if God had anticipated his coming trial, and prepared him to encounter it. "The God of his mercy prevented (literally, went before) him." But what a mercy it was that he had been sent back; that no garrison had been left to guard the women, which might have irritated the depredators; and that nobody had been killed, 1 Samuel 30:2!
In the first outburst of grief and horror, only divine and gracious interposition could have saved David's life. But this was the hour of his return to God. With the charred embers at his feet and anxiety gnawing at his heart, the threat of violence in his ears, and bitter compunction of conscience, "he strengthened himself in the Lord his God." From that hour he was his old, strong, glad, noble self. After months of neglect, he bade Abiathar bring him the ephod, and he inquired the will of God. Then with marvelous vigor he went in pursuit and recovered all. He had been brought out of an horrible pit, and again his feet were on the rock, Psalms 40:2. His "goings" could now be established. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 30

1  The Amalekites raid Ziklag
4  David asking counsel, is encouraged by God to pursue them
11  By the means of a received Egyptian he is brought to the enemies,
18  and recovers all the spoil
22  David's law to divide the spoil equally
26  He sends presents to his friends

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 30:4 mean?

And lifted up David and the people who [were] with him - their voices and wept until that had no more they power to weep
וַיִּשָּׂ֨א דָוִ֜ד וְהָעָ֧ם אֲשֶׁר־ אִתּ֛וֹ אֶת־ קוֹלָ֖ם וַיִּבְכּ֑וּ עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁ֧ר אֵין־ בָּהֶ֛ם כֹּ֖חַ לִבְכּֽוֹת

וַיִּשָּׂ֨א  And  lifted  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
דָוִ֜ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
וְהָעָ֧ם  and  the  people 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אֲשֶׁר־  who  [were] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
אִתּ֛וֹ  with  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
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.
וַיִּבְכּ֑וּ  and  wept 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בָּכָה  
Sense: to weep, bewail, cry, shed tears.
עַ֣ד  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
אֲשֶׁ֧ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
אֵין־  had  no  more 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
כֹּ֖חַ  power 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּחַ 
Sense: strength, power, might.
לִבְכּֽוֹת  to  weep 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בָּכָה  
Sense: to weep, bewail, cry, shed tears.