The Meaning of 1 Samuel 18:4 Explained

1 Samuel 18:4

KJV: And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

YLT: and Jonathan strippeth himself of the upper robe which is upon him, and giveth it to David, and his long robe, even unto his sword, and unto his bow, and unto his girdle.

Darby: And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his dress, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

ASV: And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his apparel, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Jonathan  stripped  himself of the robe  that [was] upon him, and gave  it to David,  and his garments,  even to his sword,  and to his bow,  and to his girdle. 

What does 1 Samuel 18:4 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 18:1-9 - A Loyal Friend And A Jealous Enemy
These verses make very good reading. They present the one ray of light in a story which, from this point on, becomes more and more somber. David's bearing in the hour of victory was so modest and unaffected that Jonathan's heart leaped out to greet him as a kindred soul; while his advances awoke in David a love almost womanly in its tenderness. When we see Jonathan arraying his newfound friend in his own raiment, we are reminded of our Lord's great exchange with us. He was made sin, that we might become the righteousness of God in him, 2 Corinthians 5:21.
David's harp was now, for the most part, exchanged for the sword, and he became a popular hero. It was the refrain of the women's ode of victory that opened Saul's soul to the envenomed dart of jealousy. The milk of human kindness suddenly turned sour. "He eyed David from that day," not with affectionate admiration, but always with desire to place a malicious construction on every act and word and look. With terrible accuracy James shows the certain progress and development of such an attitude, James 1:14-15. [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 18:4 mean?

And took off Jonathan - the robe [was] that on him and gave it to David and with his armor and even to his sword and his bow his belt
וַיִּתְפַּשֵּׁ֣ט יְהוֹנָתָ֗ן אֶֽת־ הַמְּעִיל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָלָ֔יו וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֖הוּ לְדָוִ֑ד וּמַדָּ֕יו וְעַד־ חַרְבּ֥וֹ וְעַד־ קַשְׁתּ֖וֹ חֲגֹרֽוֹ

וַיִּתְפַּשֵּׁ֣ט  And  took  off 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּשַׁט  
Sense: to strip, invade, strip off, make a dash, raid, spread out.
יְהוֹנָתָ֗ן  Jonathan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹונָתָן  
Sense: a son of king Saul and a friend of David.
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.
הַמְּעִיל֙  the  robe  [was] 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְעִיל  
Sense: robe.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עָלָ֔יו  on  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
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.
וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֖הוּ  and  gave  it 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לְדָוִ֑ד  to  David 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
וּמַדָּ֕יו  and  with  his  armor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מַד  
Sense: measure, cloth garment.
וְעַד־  and  even  to 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
חַרְבּ֥וֹ  his  sword 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
קַשְׁתּ֖וֹ  his  bow 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קֶשֶׁת  
Sense: bow.
חֲגֹרֽוֹ  his  belt 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֲגֹור 
Sense: girdle, belt.