The Meaning of 2 Samuel 19:8 Explained

2 Samuel 19:8

KJV: Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.

YLT: And the king riseth, and sitteth in the gate, and to all the people they have declared, saying, 'Lo, the king is sitting in the gate;' and all the people come in before the king, and Israel hath fled, each to his tents.

Darby: Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told all the people, saying, Behold, the king is sitting in the gate. And all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent.

ASV: Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king is sitting in the gate: and all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then the king  arose,  and sat  in the gate.  And they told  unto all the people,  saying,  Behold, the king  doth sit  in the gate.  And all the people  came  before  the king:  for Israel  had fled  every man  to his tent. 

What does 2 Samuel 19:8 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 19:1-8 - Mourning Too Late
What an awful day that was for David, seated between the inner and outer gates, scanning the landscape, and speaking now and again to the sentry posted above him. Did not the Spirit work an even deeper repentance than ever before, recalling the self-indulgence, the failure to watch, the lapse of fellowship? But was it not also an hour when David put his finger on the Covenant and asked God, notwithstanding all, to do as he had said, 2 Samuel 7:15?
As David waited, his heart interceded for Absalom. How exactly his attitude is that of many who read these words, who are unable to join in the activities of life, and who spend days and nights in uttering one dear name before God! But he loves our Absaloms more than we do! David wished that he might have died for his son, and you have felt the same. But did not Jesus die for the ungodly? We must leave all with Him, the Judge of all the earth, but also its Redeemer and Savior. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 19

1  Joab causes the king to cease his mourning
9  The Israelites are earnest to bring the king back
11  David sends to the priest to incite them of Judah
18  Shimei is pardoned
24  Mephibosheth excused
32  Barzillai dismissed, and Chimham his son taken into the king's family
41  The Israelites expostulate with Judah for bringing home the king without them

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 19:8 mean?

And arose the king and sat in the gate And all the people they told saying there is the king sitting in the gate So came all the people before the king For Israel had fled everyone of to his tent -
וַיָּ֥קָם הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב בַּשָּׁ֑עַר וּֽלְכָל־ הָעָ֞ם הִגִּ֣ידוּ לֵאמֹ֗ר הִנֵּ֤ה הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בַּשַּׁ֔עַר וַיָּבֹ֤א כָל־ הָעָם֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל נָ֖ס אִ֥ישׁ לְאֹהָלָֽיו ס

וַיָּ֥קָם  And  arose 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב  and  sat 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
בַּשָּׁ֑עַר  in  the  gate 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
וּֽלְכָל־  And  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָעָ֞ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הִגִּ֣ידוּ  they  told 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
לֵאמֹ֗ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הִנֵּ֤ה  there  is 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יוֹשֵׁ֣ב  sitting 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
בַּשַּׁ֔עַר  in  the  gate 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
וַיָּבֹ֤א  So  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
הָעָם֙  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
לִפְנֵ֣י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  For  Israel 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
נָ֖ס  had  fled 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נוּס  
Sense: to flee, escape.
אִ֥ישׁ  everyone 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
לְאֹהָלָֽיו  of  to  his  tent 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation