The Meaning of 1 Kings 11:15 Explained

1 Kings 11:15

KJV: For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom;

YLT: and it cometh to pass, in David's being with Edom, in the going up of Joab head of the host to bury the slain, that he smiteth every male in Edom --

Darby: Now it came to pass when David was in Edom, when Joab the captain of the host had gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom

ASV: For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, and had smitten every male in Edom;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For it came to pass, when David  was in Edom,  and Joab  the captain  of the host  was gone up  to bury  the slain,  after he had smitten  every male  in Edom; 

What does 1 Kings 11:15 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 11:14-25 - Adversaries Of The Recreant King
Two of the instruments of Solomon's chastisement are enumerated in this paragraph.
First, Hadad, the Edomite, 1 Kings 11:14-22. Notice the importance of a little child. All the male representatives of the royal family of Edom had perished; but in this child, the line was preserved and perpetuated, to be, through long years, a formidable menace to Israel. Never neglect a little child. You never know what good or ill may be hidden in a tiny bud-an Ingersoll or a Garfield, a Paine or a Wilberforce. Mark in this man Hadad the trace of those strange impulses which determine destiny. He could not assign the reason that led him to leave Egypt, but he knew he must go, 1 Kings 11:22. Thus migratory birds feel the call of southern lands.
Second, Rezon, also, hated Israel, 1 Kings 11:23-25. It is an awful thing when such hatred arises between two peoples. We as Christians must use all our power to arrest and allay it. Only love and good-will can guarantee a lasting peace. It was by these two human "rods" that God chastened Solomon. Let us live in such conformity to His will that he may not need to chasten us as individuals or as a nation. "Our God is a consuming fire!"
1 Kings 11:1-43 - Breaking Three Commandments
From a worldly point of view Naboth might have done a good stroke of business by selling his estate to. Ahab. A royal price and assured favor might have been his-but he had a conscience! Above the persuasive tones of the monarch's offer sounded the voice of God: "The land shall not be sold for ever, for the land is mine." See Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7; Ezekiel 46:18.
Ahab knew perfectly well that Jezebel could not give him the property of another except by foul means, but he took pains not to inquire. Though the direct orders for Naboth's death did not come from him, yet, by his silence, he was an accomplice and an accessory; and divine justice penetrates all such specious excuses. God holds us responsible for wrongs which we do not arrest, though we have the power. The crime was blacker because of the pretext of religion, as suggested by a fast. See also 2 Kings 9:26. The blood of murdered innocence cries to God, and his requital, though delayed, is inevitable. See Revelation 6:9-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 11

1  Solomon's wives and concubines
4  In his old age they draw him to idolatry
9  God threatens him,
14  Solomon's adversaries were Hadad, who was entertained in Egypt
23  Rezon, who reigned in Damascus
26  And Jeroboam, to whom Ahijah prophesied
41  Solomon's acts, reign, and death Rehoboam succeeds him

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 11:15 mean?

For it came to pass when was David in Edom had gone up and Joab the commander of the army to bury - the slain and after he had killed every male in Edom
וַיְהִ֗י בִּֽהְי֤וֹת דָּוִד֙ אֶת־ אֱד֔וֹם בַּעֲל֗וֹת יוֹאָב֙ שַׂ֣ר הַצָּבָ֔א לְקַבֵּ֖ר אֶת־ הַחֲלָלִ֑ים וַיַּ֥ךְ כָּל־ זָכָ֖ר בֶּאֱדֽוֹם

וַיְהִ֗י  For  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.
בִּֽהְי֤וֹת  when  was 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
דָּוִד֙  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
אֱד֔וֹם  Edom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱדֹום 
Sense: Edom.
בַּעֲל֗וֹת  had  gone  up 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
יוֹאָב֙  and  Joab 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄואָב  
Sense: son of David’s sister Zeruiah and general of David’s army.
שַׂ֣ר  the  commander 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
הַצָּבָ֔א  of  the  army 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
לְקַבֵּ֖ר  to  bury 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: קָבַר  
Sense: to bury.
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.
הַחֲלָלִ֑ים  the  slain 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חָלָל 
Sense: slain, fatally wounded, pierced.
וַיַּ֥ךְ  and  after  he  had  killed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
כָּל־  every 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
זָכָ֖ר  male 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָכָר  
Sense: male (of humans and animals) adj.
בֶּאֱדֽוֹם  in  Edom 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱדֹום 
Sense: Edom.