The Meaning of 2 Samuel 6:19 Explained

2 Samuel 6:19

KJV: And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house.

YLT: and he apportioneth to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, from man even unto woman, to each, one cake of bread, and one eshpar, and one ashisha, and all the people go, each to his house.

Darby: And he dealt to all the people, to the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, to every one a cake of bread, and a measure of wine, and a raisin-cake. And all the people departed every one to his house.

ASV: And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to every one a cake of bread, and a portion of flesh , and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed every one to his house.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he dealt  among all the people,  [even] among the whole multitude  of Israel,  as well to the women  as men,  to every one  a  cake  of bread,  and a good piece  [of flesh], and a flagon  [of wine]. So all the people  departed  every one  to his house. 

What does 2 Samuel 6:19 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 6:12-23 - The Ark Tabernacled In The City Of David
Josephus tells us that from the moment the Ark rested beneath Obed-edom's roof, a tide of golden prosperity set in, and he passed from poverty to wealth. But 1 Chronicles 26:4-10 sheds a new light on the subject, for there we learn that the whole family became attached to the service of the Lord's house, and even the grandchildren became mighty. If only we would open our homes to God's Ark-that is, if we maintained the observances of religion for our children and dependents-for us also there would be similar blessing. One likes to imagine the reverence and joy with which those boys and girls lay down to sleep at night, feeling that the symbol of God's presence was in the house.
This time the prescribed ritual was minutely observed. The warning given by Uzzah's death had aroused the entire nation to a realization of their indifference and neglect. The stroke had been terrible, but the effect was eminently salutary. It seemed as if the flood-gates of David's joy had been thrown wide open, and he could not contain his ecstasy. Then from an overflowing heart, he turned to bless his people. The one event that marred the day was poor Michal's bitter speech. There is no perfect joy in this world; every rose has its thorn. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 6

1  David fetches the ark from Kirjath Jearim on a new cart,
6  Uzzah is smitten at Perez Uzzah
9  God blesses Obed-Edom for the ark
12  David brings the ark into Zion with sacrifices, and dances before it;
16  for which Michal despises him
17  He places it in a tabernacle with great joy and feasting
20  Michal, reproving David for his joy, is childless to her death

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 6:19 mean?

And he distributed among all the people among whole the multitude of Israel from the men and to the women to everyone loaf of bread one and piece [of meat] one and cake of raisins one so departed all the people everyone to his house
וַיְחַלֵּ֨ק לְכָל־ הָעָ֜ם לְכָל־ הֲמ֣וֹן יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ לְמֵאִ֣ישׁ וְעַד־ אִשָּׁה֒ לְאִ֗ישׁ חַלַּ֥ת לֶ֙חֶם֙ אַחַ֔ת וְאֶשְׁפָּ֣ר אֶחָ֔ד וַאֲשִׁישָׁ֖ה אֶחָ֑ת וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ כָּל־ הָעָ֖ם אִ֥ישׁ לְבֵיתֽוֹ

וַיְחַלֵּ֨ק  And  he  distributed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָלַק 
Sense: to divide, share, plunder, allot, apportion, assign.
לְכָל־  among  all 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָעָ֜ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
לְכָל־  among  whole 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הֲמ֣וֹן  the  multitude 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הָמֹון 
Sense: (Qal) murmur, roar, crowd, abundance, tumult, sound.
יִשְׂרָאֵל֮  of  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.
לְמֵאִ֣ישׁ  from  the  men 
Parse: Preposition-l, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
וְעַד־  and  to 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
אִשָּׁה֒  the  women 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
לְאִ֗ישׁ  to  everyone 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
חַלַּ֥ת  loaf 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חַלָּה  
Sense: cake, cake (if pierced) (probably perforated).
לֶ֙חֶם֙  of  bread 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
אַחַ֔ת  one 
Parse: Number, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
וְאֶשְׁפָּ֣ר  and  piece  [of  meat] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶשְׁפָּר  
Sense: piece of meat, measured portion, date-cake (meaning and significance obscure).
אֶחָ֔ד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
וַאֲשִׁישָׁ֖ה  and  cake  of  raisins 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲשִׁישָׁה  
Sense: raisin-cake, used in sacrificial feasts.
אֶחָ֑ת  one 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ  so  departed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
הָעָ֖ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אִ֥ישׁ  everyone 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
לְבֵיתֽוֹ  to  his  house 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.