The Meaning of 2 Samuel 5:17 Explained

2 Samuel 5:17

KJV: But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold.

YLT: And the Philistines hear that they have anointed David for king over Israel, and all the Philistines come up to seek David, and David heareth, and goeth down unto the fortress,

Darby: And the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, and all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the stronghold.

ASV: And when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the stronghold.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But when the Philistines  heard  that they had anointed  David  king  over Israel,  all the Philistines  came up  to seek  David;  and David  heard  [of it], and went down  to the hold. 

What does 2 Samuel 5:17 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 5:13-25 - Jehovah's Victories Over The Philistines
David's prosperity led to luxurious living and sensual indulgence, out of which sprang the troubles of his after-life, 2 Samuel 5:13; 2 Samuel 5:15.
The Philistines watched the acquisition of Jerusalem with profound anxiety. It was against their policy for David to be the head of a united nation. It would seem that their first onset drove him back to the cave of Adullam, 2 Samuel 5:17. This was a startling reversal of fortune, but it was salutary that, now as ever, David should learn how dependent he was on God, and that God, who had given him so much, might at any time withdraw his gifts. Loneliness, failure, solitude are necessary for us all! Twice David sought direction as to the ordering of the fight. On the first occasion, the command was, Go up; on the second, Thou shalt not go up. In the first battle the Philistine position was carried by assault; in the second it was turned by ambush. The movement in the trees suggests the footfalls of angel-squadrons. Oh, for the quick ear to detect the goings-forth of God's help, and grace to bestir ourselves to follow! [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 5

1  The tribes come to Hebron and anoint David over Israel,
4  David's age
6  Taking Zion from the Jebusites, he dwells in it
11  Hiram sends to David,
13  Eleven sons are born to him in Jerusalem
17  David, directed by God, smites the Philistines at Baal-perazim
22  And again at the mulberry trees

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 5:17 mean?

And when heard the Philistines that they had anointed - David king over Israel and went up all the Philistines to search for David and heard [of it] David and went down to the stronghold
וַיִּשְׁמְע֣וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים כִּי־ מָשְׁח֨וּ אֶת־ דָּוִ֤ד לְמֶ֙לֶךְ֙ עַל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיַּעֲל֥וּ כָל־ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים לְבַקֵּ֣שׁ דָּוִ֑ד וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע דָּוִ֔ד וַיֵּ֖רֶד אֶל־ הַמְּצוּדָֽה

וַיִּשְׁמְע֣וּ  And  when  heard 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים  the  Philistines 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
כִּי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
מָשְׁח֨וּ  they  had  anointed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: מָשַׁח  
Sense: to smear, anoint, spread a liquid.
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.
דָּוִ֤ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
לְמֶ֙לֶךְ֙  king 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
עַל־  over 
Parse: Preposition
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.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וַיַּעֲל֥וּ  and  went  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים  the  Philistines 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
לְבַקֵּ֣שׁ  to  search  for 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: בָּקַשׁ  
Sense: to seek, require, desire, exact, request.
דָּוִ֑ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע  and  heard  [of  it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
דָּוִ֔ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
וַיֵּ֖רֶד  and  went  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
הַמְּצוּדָֽה  the  stronghold 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְצוּדָה 
Sense: net, prey, net prey.