The Meaning of 2 Samuel 4:4 Explained

2 Samuel 4:4

KJV: And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

YLT: And to Jonathan son of Saul is a son -- lame; he was a son of five years at the coming in of the rumour of the death of Saul and Jonathan, out of Jezreel, and his nurse lifteth him up, and fleeth, and it cometh to pass in her hasting to flee, that he falleth, and becometh lame, and his name is Mephibosheth.

Darby: And Jonathan Saul's son had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the news came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jizreel; and his nurse took him up and fled. And it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

ASV: Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel; and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Jonathan,  Saul's  son,  had a son  [that was] lame  of [his] feet.  He was five  years  old  when the tidings  came  of Saul  and Jonathan  out of Jezreel,  and his nurse  took him up,  and fled:  and it came to pass, as she made haste  to flee,  that he fell,  and became lame.  And his name  [was] Mephibosheth. 

What does 2 Samuel 4:4 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 4:1-12 - Another Treacherous Deed And Its Penalty
Abner's death rendered hopeless the cause of Ish-bosheth. Two captains incurred lasting shame and deserved punishment by their dastardly act of murder. Their act was the more despicable because of their prince's trust.
How little do coarse natures understand the workings of a really religious nature! These men knew that, if they were in David's place, nothing would please them better than the removal of the last obstacle to the throne. They reasoned that David would feel thus and reward them munificently. But to their astonishment, he turned on them with honest indignation. We must dare to act apart from self-interest, as in the light and fire of the Eternal Throne.
Notice David's devout spirit. He ascribed his redemption to God's tender mercy, 2 Samuel 4:9. His first thought was always of God's love and grace and help. Ah, Christian soul, you, too, will one day attain the sunny heights, standing on which you also will be able to say, "He hath redeemed my soul from all adversity." The night may be long, but the day-spring is at hand. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 4

1  The Israelites being troubled at the death of Abner
2  Baanah and Rechab slay Ish-Bosheth, and bring his head to Hebron
9  David causes them to be slain, and Ish-Bosheth's head to be buried

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 4:4 mean?

And Jonathan son of Saul had a son [who was] lame in [his] feet Old five years He was when came the news about Saul and Jonathan from Jezreel and took him up his nurse and fled And it came to pass as she made haste to flee that he fell and became lame and His name [was] Mephibosheth
וְלִיהֽוֹנָתָן֙ בֶּן־ שָׁא֔וּל בֵּ֖ן נְכֵ֣ה רַגְלָ֑יִם בֶּן־ חָמֵ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֣ים הָיָ֡ה בְּבֹ֣א שְׁמֻעַת֩ שָׁא֨וּל וִיהֽוֹנָתָ֜ן מִֽיִּזְרְעֶ֗אל וַתִּשָּׂאֵ֤הוּ אֹֽמַנְתּוֹ֙ וַתָּנֹ֔ס וַיְהִ֞י בְּחָפְזָ֥הּ לָנ֛וּס וַיִּפֹּ֥ל וַיִּפָּסֵ֖חַ וּשְׁמ֥וֹ מְפִיבֹֽשֶׁת

וְלִיהֽוֹנָתָן֙  And  Jonathan 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹונָתָן  
Sense: a son of king Saul and a friend of David.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
שָׁא֔וּל  of  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
בֵּ֖ן  had  a  son  [who  was] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
נְכֵ֣ה  lame  in 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: נָכֶה  
Sense: stricken, smitten.
רַגְלָ֑יִם  [his]  feet 
Parse: Noun, fd
Root: רֶגֶל  
Sense: foot.
בֶּן־  Old 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
חָמֵ֣שׁ  five 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: חָמֵשׁ  
Sense: five.
שָׁנִ֣ים  years 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
הָיָ֡ה  He  was 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בְּבֹ֣א  when  came 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
שְׁמֻעַת֩  the  news  about 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: שְׁמוּעָה  
Sense: report, news, rumour.
שָׁא֨וּל  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
וִיהֽוֹנָתָ֜ן  and  Jonathan 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹונָתָן  
Sense: a son of king Saul and a friend of David.
מִֽיִּזְרְעֶ֗אל  from  Jezreel 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יִזְרְעֶאל 
Sense: a descendant of the father or founder of Etam of Judah.
וַתִּשָּׂאֵ֤הוּ  and  took  him  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
אֹֽמַנְתּוֹ֙  his  nurse 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַן 
Sense: to support, confirm, be faithful.
וַתָּנֹ֔ס  and  fled 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: נוּס  
Sense: to flee, escape.
וַיְהִ֞י  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בְּחָפְזָ֥הּ  as  she  made  haste 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person feminine singular
Root: חָפַז  
Sense: to hurry, flee, hasten, fear, be terrified.
לָנ֛וּס  to  flee 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: נוּס  
Sense: to flee, escape.
וַיִּפֹּ֥ל  that  he  fell 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
וַיִּפָּסֵ֖חַ  and  became  lame 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּסַח 
Sense: to pass over, spring over.
וּשְׁמ֥וֹ  and  His  name  [was] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
מְפִיבֹֽשֶׁת  Mephibosheth 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְפִיבֹשֶׁת 
Sense: grandson of Saul and son of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, Saul’s concubine; he and his brother Armoni were among the 7 victims surrendered by David to the Gibeonites to avert a famine.