The Meaning of 2 Samuel 1:10 Explained

2 Samuel 1:10

KJV: So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.

YLT: And I stand over him, and put him to death, for I knew that he doth not live after his falling, and I take the crown which is on his head, and the bracelet which is on his arm, and bring them in unto my lord hither.'

Darby: So I stood over him, and put him to death, for I knew that he would not live after his fall; and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither to my lord.

ASV: So I stood beside him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

So I stood  upon him, and slew  him, because I was sure  that he could not live  after  that he was fallen:  and I took  the crown  that [was] upon his head,  and the bracelet  that [was] on his arm,  and have brought  them hither unto my lord. 

What does 2 Samuel 1:10 Mean?

Study Notes

stood
Cf.
hit him
Cf. 2 Samuel 1:10 ; 2 Samuel 21:12 . The order is:
(1) Saul is "hit"--wounded mortally, potentially "slain," by the Philistines;
(2) either to escape agony, or insult by the enemy, he falls upon his sword, and his armour-bearer, supposing him to be dead, slew himself;
(3) but Saul was not dead; raising himself upon his spear, he besought the Amalekite to put him to death. 2 Samuel 1:10 ; 2 Samuel 21:12 .

Context Summary

2 Samuel 1:1-16 - Touch Not Mine Anointed
The scene changes from Gilboa to Ziklag, whither the tidings were carried by an Amalekite. It is remarkable to notice how David received them. Though he had spent years in the rough life of a freebooter, surrounded by coarse and hardened men, he had not lost the delicacy and refinement of his earlier days. To men like Nabal, he seemed an outlaw; but those who were admitted to the inner circle of David's friendship knew that there was a whole heaven of difference between him and the men who followed him. Let us see to it that by fellowship with God, we keep our nature uncontaminated by the world, its fine edge, not blunted, its bloom not brushed off.
It was genuine grief that made David rend his clothes, and a genuine emotion of horror that led to the execution of this self-confessed regicide. Then from the depths of a guileless heart there poured forth the "Song of the Bow," one of the noblest elegies in any tongue. Let us speak tenderly of the dead. Let God in His infinite pity judge them, while we scatter rose-leaves on their graves. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 1

1  The Amalekite who accused himself of Saul's death is slain
17  David laments Saul and Jonathan with a song

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 1:10 mean?

So I stood over him and killed him because I was sure that not he could live after he had fallen And I took the crown that [was] on his head and the bracelet his arm and have brought them to my lord here
וָאֶעֱמֹ֤ד עָלָיו֙ וַאֲמֹ֣תְתֵ֔הוּ כִּ֣י יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֛י לֹ֥א יִֽחְיֶ֖ה אַחֲרֵ֣י נִפְל֑וֹ וָאֶקַּ֞ח הַנֵּ֣זֶר ׀ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־ רֹאשׁ֗וֹ וְאֶצְעָדָה֙ זְרֹע֔וֹ וָאֲבִיאֵ֥ם אֶל־ אֲדֹנִ֖י הֵֽנָּה

וָאֶעֱמֹ֤ד  So  I  stood 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
עָלָיו֙  over  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
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.
וַאֲמֹ֣תְתֵ֔הוּ  and  killed  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
כִּ֣י  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
יָדַ֔עְתִּי  I  was  sure 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כִּ֛י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
יִֽחְיֶ֖ה  he  could  live 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
אַחֲרֵ֣י  after 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
נִפְל֑וֹ  he  had  fallen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
וָאֶקַּ֞ח  And  I  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
הַנֵּ֣זֶר ׀  the  crown 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֵזֶר  
Sense: consecration, crown, separation, Nazariteship.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  that  [was] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
רֹאשׁ֗וֹ  his  head 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
וְאֶצְעָדָה֙  and  the  bracelet 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶצְעָדָה  
Sense: armlet, bracelet, ankle chain.
זְרֹע֔וֹ  his  arm 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: זְרֹועַ  
Sense: arm, forearm, shoulder, strength.
וָאֲבִיאֵ֥ם  and  have  brought  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֲדֹנִ֖י  my  lord 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
הֵֽנָּה  here 
Parse: Adverb
Root: הֵנָּה  
Sense: here, there, now, hither.