The Meaning of 1 Samuel 31:2 Explained

1 Samuel 31:2

KJV: And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons.

YLT: and the Philistines follow Saul and his sons, and the Philistines smite Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, sons of Saul.

Darby: And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines smote Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons.

ASV: And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the Philistines  followed hard  upon Saul  and upon his sons;  and the Philistines  slew  Jonathan,  and Abinadab,  and Malchishua,  Saul's  sons. 

What does 1 Samuel 31:2 Mean?

Context Summary

1Samuel 31:1-13 - One Brave Deed On A Dark Day
#VALUE! [source]

Chapter Summary: 1Samuel 31

1  Saul, having lost his army, and his sons slain,
4  he and his armor bearer kill themselves
7  The Philistines possess the forsaken towns of the Israelites
8  They triumph over the dead bodies
11  They of Jabesh Gilead recovering the dead bodies by night,
12  burn them at Jabesh,
13  and mournfully bury their bodies

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 31:2 mean?

And followed hard after the Philistines - Saul and his sons and killed Jonathan Abinadab from Malchishua sons of Saul
וַיַּדְבְּק֣וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים אֶת־ שָׁא֖וּל וְאֶת־ בָּנָ֑יו וַיַּכּ֣וּ יְהוֹנָתָ֧ן אֲבִינָדָ֛ב מַלְכִּי־ שׁ֖וּעַ בְּנֵ֥י שָׁאֽוּל

וַיַּדְבְּק֣וּ  And  followed  hard  after 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: דָּבַק  
Sense: to cling, stick, stay close, cleave, keep close, stick to, stick with, follow closely, join to, overtake, catch.
פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים  the  Philistines 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
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.
שָׁא֖וּל  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
בָּנָ֑יו  his  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
וַיַּכּ֣וּ  and  killed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
יְהוֹנָתָ֧ן  Jonathan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹונָתָן  
Sense: a son of king Saul and a friend of David.
אֲבִינָדָ֛ב  Abinadab 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִינָדָב  
Sense: a man of Gibeah who sheltered the ark.
שׁ֖וּעַ  Malchishua 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַלְכִּי־שׁוּעַ  
Sense: a son of king Saul of Israel.
בְּנֵ֥י  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
שָׁאֽוּל  of  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.