The Meaning of 2 Samuel 5:2 Explained

2 Samuel 5:2

KJV: Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.

YLT: also heretofore, in Saul's being king over us, thou hast been he who is bringing out and bringing in Israel, and Jehovah saith to thee, Thou dost feed My people Israel, and thou art for leader over Israel.'

Darby: Even aforetime, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel; and Jehovah said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be prince over Israel.

ASV: In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was thou that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and Jehovah said to thee, Thou shalt be shepherd of my people Israel, and thou shalt be prince over Israel.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Also in time past,  when Saul  was king  over us, thou wast he that leddest out  and broughtest in  Israel:  and the LORD  said  to thee, Thou shalt feed  my people  Israel,  and thou shalt be a captain  over Israel. 

What does 2 Samuel 5:2 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 5:1-12 - David King In Jerusalem
David was anointed thrice: by Samuel in his home, by the men of Judah, and here. So our Lord has been crowned in the Father's purpose and by his Church. There awaits another day, when he will be recognized as King by the entire universe, Revelation 11:15, etc. The reasons for David's coronation apply equally to our Lord: (1) kinship; (2) power to lead; (3) God's eternal purpose.
Because of its impregnable position, it was wise policy to secure Jerusalem as the site of the capital. Here was the beginning of new prosperity for Israel, and for Jerusalem as well, which was now to become "the joy of the whole earth." See 1 Chronicles 12:23, etc. David's influence increased by leaps and bounds, 2 Samuel 5:10. There broke on his mind a perception of the divine purpose, 2 Samuel 5:12. Often we are unable to descry this in the earlier stages of our life. We see no meaning, no purpose. But as year is added to year, God's great scheme begins to unfold. Only be sure that any position or opportunity is intended, not for us alone, but for his people's sake. [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 5:2 mean?

Also in time past again in time past when was Saul king over us you - were the one - who led out - and brought them in - Israel and said Yahweh to you You shall shepherd My people Israel and you be ruler over Israel
גַּם־ אֶתְמ֣וֹל גַּם־ שִׁלְשׁ֗וֹם בִּהְי֨וֹת שָׁא֥וּל מֶ֙לֶךְ֙ עָלֵ֔ינוּ אַתָּ֗ה [הייתה] (הָיִ֛יתָ) [מוציא] (הַמּוֹצִ֥יא) [והמבי] (וְהַמֵּבִ֖יא) אֶת־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה לְךָ֗ אַתָּ֨ה תִרְעֶ֤ה עַמִּי֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאַתָּ֛ה תִּהְיֶ֥ה לְנָגִ֖יד עַל־ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

גַּם־  Also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
אֶתְמ֣וֹל  in  time  past 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אֶתְמֹול  
Sense: yesterday, recently, formerly.
גַּם־  again 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
שִׁלְשׁ֗וֹם  in  time  past 
Parse: Adverb
Root: שִׁלְשֹׁום  
Sense: day before yesterday, three days ago.
בִּהְי֨וֹת  when  was 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
שָׁא֥וּל  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
מֶ֙לֶךְ֙  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
עָלֵ֔ינוּ  over  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
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.
[הייתה]  - 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
(הָיִ֛יתָ)  were  the  one 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
[מוציא]  - 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
(הַמּוֹצִ֥יא)  who  led  out 
Parse: Article, Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
[והמבי]  - 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
(וְהַמֵּבִ֖יא)  and  brought  them  in 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
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.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  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.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֜ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לְךָ֗  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
תִרְעֶ֤ה  shall  shepherd 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
עַמִּי֙  My  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
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.
וְאַתָּ֛ה  and  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
לְנָגִ֖יד  ruler 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָגִיד  
Sense: leader, ruler, captain, prince.
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.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  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.