The Meaning of 1 Samuel 30:8 Explained

1 Samuel 30:8

KJV: And David inquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.

YLT: and David asketh at Jehovah, saying, 'I pursue after this troop -- do I overtake it?' And He saith to him, 'Pursue, for thou dost certainly overtake, and dost certainly deliver.'

Darby: And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he said to him, Pursue; for thou shalt assuredly overtake them and shalt certainly recover.

ASV: And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, If I pursue after this troop, shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue; for thou shalt surely overtake them , and shalt without fail recover all .

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And David  enquired  at the LORD,  saying,  Shall I pursue  after  this troop?  shall I overtake  them? And he answered  him, Pursue:  for thou shalt surely  overtake  [them], and without fail  recover  [all]. 

What does 1 Samuel 30:8 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 30:1-15 - A Blow That Led Back To God
As David was leaving the battlefield, a number of men of Manasseh fell to him, 1 Chronicles 12:20, so his following was greatly increased. It was as if God had anticipated his coming trial, and prepared him to encounter it. "The God of his mercy prevented (literally, went before) him." But what a mercy it was that he had been sent back; that no garrison had been left to guard the women, which might have irritated the depredators; and that nobody had been killed, 1 Samuel 30:2!
In the first outburst of grief and horror, only divine and gracious interposition could have saved David's life. But this was the hour of his return to God. With the charred embers at his feet and anxiety gnawing at his heart, the threat of violence in his ears, and bitter compunction of conscience, "he strengthened himself in the Lord his God." From that hour he was his old, strong, glad, noble self. After months of neglect, he bade Abiathar bring him the ephod, and he inquired the will of God. Then with marvelous vigor he went in pursuit and recovered all. He had been brought out of an horrible pit, and again his feet were on the rock, Psalms 40:2. His "goings" could now be established. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 30

1  The Amalekites raid Ziklag
4  David asking counsel, is encouraged by God to pursue them
11  By the means of a received Egyptian he is brought to the enemies,
18  and recovers all the spoil
22  David's law to divide the spoil equally
26  He sends presents to his friends

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 30:8 mean?

So inquired David of Yahweh saying shall I pursue after troop this shall I overtake them and He answered him Pursue for surely you shall overtake [them] and without fail recover [all]
וַיִּשְׁאַ֨ל דָּוִ֤ד בַּֽיהוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אֶרְדֹּ֛ף אַחֲרֵ֥י ؟ הַגְּדוּד־ הַזֶּ֖ה הַֽאַשִּׂגֶ֑נּוּ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ רְדֹ֔ף כִּֽי־ הַשֵּׂ֥ג תַּשִּׂ֖יג וְהַצֵּ֥ל תַּצִּֽיל

וַיִּשְׁאַ֨ל  So  inquired 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁאַל 
Sense: to ask, enquire, borrow, beg.
דָּוִ֤ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
בַּֽיהוָה֙  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֶרְדֹּ֛ף  shall  I  pursue 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: רָדַף  
Sense: to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after.
אַחֲרֵ֥י  after 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
؟ הַגְּדוּד־  troop 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גְּדוּד  
Sense: a band, troop, marauding band.
הַזֶּ֖ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
הַֽאַשִּׂגֶ֑נּוּ  shall  I  overtake  them 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular, third person masculine singular
Root: מַשֶּׂגֶת 
Sense: to reach, overtake, take hold upon.
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  and  He  answered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
רְדֹ֔ף  Pursue 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: רָדַף  
Sense: to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after.
הַשֵּׂ֥ג  surely 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive absolute
Root: מַשֶּׂגֶת 
Sense: to reach, overtake, take hold upon.
תַּשִּׂ֖יג  you  shall  overtake  [them] 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: מַשֶּׂגֶת 
Sense: to reach, overtake, take hold upon.
וְהַצֵּ֥ל  and  without  fail 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive absolute
Root: נָצַל  
Sense: to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder.
תַּצִּֽיל  recover  [all] 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: נָצַל  
Sense: to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder.