The Meaning of 1 Chronicles 19:14 Explained

1 Chronicles 19:14

KJV: So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him.

YLT: And Joab draweth nigh, and the people who are with him, before Aram to battle, and they flee from his face;

Darby: And Joab and the people that were with him drew near in front of the Syrians to the battle; and they fled before him.

ASV: So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

So Joab  and the people  that [were] with him drew nigh  before  the Syrians  unto the battle;  and they fled  before  him. 

What does 1 Chronicles 19:14 Mean?

Chapter Summary: 1 Chronicles 19

1  David's messengers, sent to comfort Hanun, are villainously treated
6  The Ammonites, strengthened by the Syrians, are overcome by Joab and Abishai
16  Shobach, making a new supply of the Syrians, is slain by David

What do the individual words in 1 Chronicles 19:14 mean?

So drew near Joab and the people who [were] with him against Syria for the battle and they fled before him
וַיִּגַּ֨שׁ יוֹאָ֜ב וְהָעָ֧ם אֲשֶׁר־ עִמּ֛וֹ לִפְנֵ֥י אֲרָ֖ם לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וַיָּנ֖וּסוּ מִפָּנָֽיו

וַיִּגַּ֨שׁ  So  drew  near 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָגַשׁ  
Sense: to draw near, approach.
יוֹאָ֜ב  Joab 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄואָב  
Sense: son of David’s sister Zeruiah and general of David’s army.
וְהָעָ֧ם  and  the  people 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אֲשֶׁר־  who  [were] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עִמּ֛וֹ  with  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
לִפְנֵ֥י  against 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אֲרָ֖ם  Syria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲרָם 
Sense: Aram or Syria the nation.
לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה  for  the  battle 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.
וַיָּנ֖וּסוּ  and  they  fled 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נוּס  
Sense: to flee, escape.
מִפָּנָֽיו  before  him 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.