The Meaning of 2 Samuel 22:38 Explained

2 Samuel 22:38

KJV: I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had consumed them.

YLT: I pursue mine enemies and destroy them, And I turn not till they are consumed.

Darby: I pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them, And I turned not again till they were consumed.

ASV: I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; Neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I have pursued  mine enemies,  and destroyed  them; and turned not again  until I had consumed  them. 

What does 2 Samuel 22:38 Mean?

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 22

1  David's psalm of thanksgiving for God's deliverance and blessings

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 22:38 mean?

I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them and neither I did turn back again till they were destroyed
אֶרְדְּפָ֥ה אֹיְבַ֖י וָאַשְׁמִידֵ֑ם וְלֹ֥א אָשׁ֖וּב עַד־ כַּלּוֹתָֽם

אֶרְדְּפָ֥ה  I  have  pursued 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: רָדַף  
Sense: to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after.
אֹיְבַ֖י  my  enemies 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
וָאַשְׁמִידֵ֑ם  and  destroyed  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַד  
Sense: to destroy, exterminate, be destroyed, be exterminated.
וְלֹ֥א  and  neither 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
אָשׁ֖וּב  I  did  turn  back  again 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
עַד־  till 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
כַּלּוֹתָֽם  they  were  destroyed 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כָּלָה  
Sense: to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent.