The Meaning of 1 Samuel 18:11 Explained

1 Samuel 18:11

KJV: And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.

YLT: and Saul casteth the javelin, and saith, 'I smite through David, even through the wall;' and David turneth round out of his presence twice.

Darby: And Saul cast the spear, and thought, I will smite David and the wall. But David turned away from him twice.

ASV: and Saul cast the spear; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall. And David avoided out of his presence twice.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Saul  cast  the javelin;  for he said,  I will smite  David  even to the wall  [with it]. And David  avoided out  of his presence  twice. 

What does 1 Samuel 18:11 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 18:10-21 - Protected From Dastardly Assaults
The Lord was evidently with David. Mark how the sacred chronicle keeps this fact in view, 1 Samuel 18:12; 1 Samuel 18:14; 1 Samuel 18:28. And David behaved himself wisely, 1 Samuel 18:5; 1 Samuel 18:14-15; 1 Samuel 18:30. How judicious it would have been for Saul to bind David to himself! Instead of this he cherished his mad passion until it broke out in irresistible fury. Oh, beware of jealousy! It opens the soul's door to the devil. The best way of meeting it, apart from prayer, is to compel yourself to take an interest in your rival, and to put yourself loyally in his place. Overcome your mean and wicked soul, in the power of the Lord Jesus. "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh," Romans 13:14.
The evil spirit that possessed Saul is said to have come from God; that is, God permitted it to come. It came according to the ordered rule of the universe. "God," says one, "must be something to us; what He shall be depends on ourselves and on what we are to Him." See Psalms 18:25-26. The king, having failed to murder David, encouraged him in dangerous undertakings. But if David had fallen in battle, his death would still have been justly laid at Saul's door. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 18

1  Jonathan befriends David
5  Saul envies his praise
10  seeks to kill him in his fury
12  fears him for his good success
17  offers him his daughters for snare
23  David persuaded to be the king's son-in-law,
25  gives two hundred foreskins of the Philistines for Michal's dowry
28  Saul's hatred and David's glory increase

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 18:11 mean?

And cast Saul - the spear for he said I will pin David and to the wall but escaped David his presence twice
וַיָּ֤טֶל שָׁאוּל֙ אֶֽת־ הַחֲנִ֔ית וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אַכֶּ֥ה בְדָוִ֖ד וּבַקִּ֑יר וַיִּסֹּ֥ב דָּוִ֛ד מִפָּנָ֖יו פַּעֲמָֽיִם

וַיָּ֤טֶל  And  cast 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: טוּל  
Sense: to hurl, cast.
שָׁאוּל֙  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
אֶֽת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַחֲנִ֔ית  the  spear 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֲנִית  
Sense: spear.
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר  for  he  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אַכֶּ֥ה  I  will  pin 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
בְדָוִ֖ד  David 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
וּבַקִּ֑יר  and  to  the  wall 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קִיר  
Sense: wall, side.
וַיִּסֹּ֥ב  but  escaped 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָבַב  
Sense: to turn, turn about or around or aside or back or towards, go about or arou nd, surround, encircle, change direction.
דָּוִ֛ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
מִפָּנָ֖יו  his  presence 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
פַּעֲמָֽיִם  twice 
Parse: Noun, fd
Root: פַּעַם  
Sense: stroke, beat, foot, step, anvil, occurrence.