The Meaning of 2 Samuel 1:15 Explained

2 Samuel 1:15

KJV: And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.

YLT: And David calleth to one of the youths, and saith, 'Draw nigh -- fall upon him;' and he smiteth him, and he dieth;

Darby: Then David called one of the young men and said, Draw near, and fall on him. And he smote him that he died.

ASV: And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him, so that he died.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And David  called  one  of the young men,  and said,  Go near,  [and] fall  upon him. And he smote  him that he died. 

What does 2 Samuel 1:15 Mean?

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 1:15 mean?

and called David one of the young men and said go near [and] execute him and he struck him so that he died
וַיִּקְרָ֣א דָוִ֗ד לְאַחַד֙ מֵֽהַנְּעָרִ֔ים וַיֹּ֖אמֶר גַּ֣שׁ פְּגַע־ בּ֑וֹ וַיַּכֵּ֖הוּ וַיָּמֹֽת

וַיִּקְרָ֣א  and  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
דָוִ֗ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
לְאַחַד֙  one 
Parse: Preposition-l, Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
מֵֽהַנְּעָרִ֔ים  of  the  young  men 
Parse: Preposition-m, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: נַעַר  
Sense: a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer.
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
גַּ֣שׁ  go  near 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: נָגַשׁ  
Sense: to draw near, approach.
פְּגַע־  [and]  execute 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: פָּגַע  
Sense: to encounter, meet, reach, entreat, make intercession.
וַיַּכֵּ֖הוּ  and  he  struck  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
וַיָּמֹֽת  so  that  he  died 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.