The Meaning of 2 Samuel 1:6 Explained

2 Samuel 1:6

KJV: And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.

YLT: And the youth who is declaring it to him saith, I happened to meet in mount Gilboa, and lo, Saul is leaning on his spear; and lo, the chariots and those possessing horses have followed him;

Darby: And the young man that told him said, I happened by chance to be upon mount Gilboa, and behold, Saul leaned on his spear; and behold, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.

ASV: And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and the horsemen followed hard after him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the young man  that told  him said,  As I happened  by chance  upon mount  Gilboa,  behold, Saul  leaned  upon his spear;  and, lo, the chariots  and horsemen  followed hard  after him. 

What does 2 Samuel 1:6 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 1:6 mean?

And said the young man who told him by chance as I happened [to be] on Mount Gilboa and there was Saul leaning on his spear and indeed the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him
וַיֹּ֜אמֶר הַנַּ֣עַר ׀ הַמַּגִּ֣יד ל֗וֹ נִקְרֹ֤א נִקְרֵ֙יתִי֙ בְּהַ֣ר הַגִּלְבֹּ֔עַ וְהִנֵּ֥ה שָׁא֖וּל נִשְׁעָ֣ן עַל־ חֲנִית֑וֹ וְהִנֵּ֥ה הָרֶ֛כֶב וּבַעֲלֵ֥י הַפָּרָשִׁ֖ים הִדְבִּקֻֽהוּ

וַיֹּ֜אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הַנַּ֣עַר ׀  the  young  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַעַר  
Sense: a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer.
הַמַּגִּ֣יד  who  told 
Parse: Article, Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
נִקְרֹ֤א  by  chance 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Infinitive absolute
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to encounter, befall, meet.
נִקְרֵ֙יתִי֙  as  I  happened  [to  be] 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: קָרָה 
Sense: to encounter, meet, befall, happen, come to meet.
בְּהַ֣ר  on  Mount 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
הַגִּלְבֹּ֔עַ  Gilboa 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: גִּלְבֹּעַ  
Sense: a mountain-ridge at the southeastern end of the plain of Jezreel, site of the death of Saul and Jonathan.
וְהִנֵּ֥ה  and  there  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
שָׁא֖וּל  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
נִשְׁעָ֣ן  leaning 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁעַן  
Sense: to lean on, trust in, support.
חֲנִית֑וֹ  his  spear 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֲנִית  
Sense: spear.
וְהִנֵּ֥ה  and  indeed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
הָרֶ֛כֶב  the  chariots 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֶכֶב  
Sense: a team, chariot, chariotry, mill-stone, riders.
הַפָּרָשִׁ֖ים  horsemen 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: פָּרָשׁ 
Sense: horse, steed, warhorse.
הִדְבִּקֻֽהוּ  followed  hard  after  him 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַק  
Sense: to cling, stick, stay close, cleave, keep close, stick to, stick with, follow closely, join to, overtake, catch.