The Meaning of 2 Samuel 4:12 Explained

2 Samuel 4:12

KJV: And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

YLT: And David commandeth the young men, and they slay them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hang them over the pool in Hebron, and the head of Ish-Bosheth they have taken, and bury it in the burying-place of Abner in Hebron.

Darby: And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

ASV: And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And David  commanded  his young men,  and they slew  them, and cut off  their hands  and their feet,  and hanged [them] up  over the pool  in Hebron.  But they took  the head  of Ishbosheth,  and buried  [it] in the sepulchre  of Abner  in Hebron. 

What does 2 Samuel 4:12 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 4:1-12 - Another Treacherous Deed And Its Penalty
Abner's death rendered hopeless the cause of Ish-bosheth. Two captains incurred lasting shame and deserved punishment by their dastardly act of murder. Their act was the more despicable because of their prince's trust.
How little do coarse natures understand the workings of a really religious nature! These men knew that, if they were in David's place, nothing would please them better than the removal of the last obstacle to the throne. They reasoned that David would feel thus and reward them munificently. But to their astonishment, he turned on them with honest indignation. We must dare to act apart from self-interest, as in the light and fire of the Eternal Throne.
Notice David's devout spirit. He ascribed his redemption to God's tender mercy, 2 Samuel 4:9. His first thought was always of God's love and grace and help. Ah, Christian soul, you, too, will one day attain the sunny heights, standing on which you also will be able to say, "He hath redeemed my soul from all adversity." The night may be long, but the day-spring is at hand. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 4

1  The Israelites being troubled at the death of Abner
2  Baanah and Rechab slay Ish-Bosheth, and bring his head to Hebron
9  David causes them to be slain, and Ish-Bosheth's head to be buried

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 4:12 mean?

so commanded David - his young men and they executed them and cut off their hands and feet and hanged [them] by the pool in Hebron But the head of Ishbosheth they took and buried [it] in the tomb of Abner in Hebron -
וַיְצַו֩ דָּוִ֨ד אֶת־ הַנְּעָרִ֜ים וַיַּהַרְג֗וּם וַֽיְקַצְּצ֤וּ יְדֵיהֶם֙ וְאֶת־ רַגְלֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּתְל֥וּ עַל־ הַבְּרֵכָ֖ה בְּחֶבְר֑וֹן וְאֵ֨ת רֹ֤אשׁ אִֽישׁ־ בֹּ֙שֶׁת֙ לָקָ֔חוּ וַיִּקְבְּר֥וּ בְקֶֽבֶר־ אַבְנֵ֖ר בְּחֶבְרֽוֹן פ

וַיְצַו֩  so  commanded 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
דָּוִ֨ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
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.
הַנְּעָרִ֜ים  his  young  men 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: נַעַר  
Sense: a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer.
וַיַּהַרְג֗וּם  and  they  executed  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural, third person masculine plural
Root: הָרַג  
Sense: to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand.
וַֽיְקַצְּצ֤וּ  and  cut  off 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קָצוּץ 
Sense: to cut off.
יְדֵיהֶם֙  their  hands 
Parse: Noun, fdc, third person masculine plural
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
רַגְלֵיהֶ֔ם  feet 
Parse: Noun, fdc, third person masculine plural
Root: רֶגֶל  
Sense: foot.
וַיִּתְל֥וּ  and  hanged  [them] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: תָּלָה  
Sense: to hang.
הַבְּרֵכָ֖ה  the  pool 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּרֵכָה  
Sense: pool, pond.
בְּחֶבְר֑וֹן  in  Hebron 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶבְרֹון 
Sense: a city in south Judah approx 20 south of Jerusalem and approx 20 miles (30 km) north of Beersheba and near where Abraham built an altar.
רֹ֤אשׁ  the  head 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
בֹּ֙שֶׁת֙  Ishbosheth 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ־בֹּשֶׁת  
Sense: surviving son of Saul, king of Israel for 7 years while David was king over Judah; succeeded by David who united the kingdom.
לָקָ֔חוּ  they  took 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
וַיִּקְבְּר֥וּ  and  buried  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קָבַר  
Sense: to bury.
בְקֶֽבֶר־  in  the  tomb 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֶבֶר  
Sense: grave, sepulchre, tomb.
אַבְנֵ֖ר  of  Abner 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִינֵר 
Sense: Saul’s cousin and army captain, treacherously slain by Joab.
בְּחֶבְרֽוֹן  in  Hebron 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶבְרֹון 
Sense: a city in south Judah approx 20 south of Jerusalem and approx 20 miles (30 km) north of Beersheba and near where Abraham built an altar.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation