The Meaning of 2 Samuel 4:8 Explained

2 Samuel 4:8

KJV: And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.

YLT: and bring in the head of Ish-Bosheth unto David in Hebron, and say unto the king, 'Lo, the head of Ish-Bosheth, son of Saul, thine enemy, who sought thy life; and Jehovah doth give to my lord the king vengeance this day, of Saul and of his seed.'

Darby: And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David in Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, thine enemy who sought thy life; and Jehovah has given to my lord the king to be avenged this day of Saul and of his seed.

ASV: And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold, the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, thine enemy, who sought thy life; and Jehovah hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And they brought  the head  of Ishbosheth  unto David  to Hebron,  and said  to the king,  Behold the head  of Ishbosheth  the son  of Saul  thine enemy,  which sought  thy life;  and the LORD  hath  avenged  my lord  the king  this day  of Saul,  and of his seed. 

What does 2 Samuel 4:8 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 4:8 mean?

And they brought - the head of Ishbosheth to David at Hebron and said the king Here is - of Ishbosheth son of Saul your enemy who sought your life and has avenged Yahweh my lord the king has avenged day this of Saul and his descendants -
וַ֠יָּבִאוּ אֶת־ רֹ֨אשׁ אִֽישׁ־ בֹּ֥שֶׁת אֶל־ דָּוִד֮ חֶבְרוֹן֒ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ הִנֵּֽה־ אִֽישׁ־ בֹּ֗שֶׁת בֶּן־ שָׁאוּל֙ אֹֽיִבְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּקֵּ֖שׁ נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ וַיִּתֵּ֣ן יְ֠הוָה לַֽאדֹנִ֨י הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ נְקָמוֹת֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה מִשָּׁא֖וּל וּמִזַּרְעֽוֹ ס

וַ֠יָּבִאוּ  And  they  brought 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
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.
רֹ֨אשׁ  the  head 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
בֹּ֥שֶׁת  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.
דָּוִד֮  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
חֶבְרוֹן֒  at  Hebron 
Parse: 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.
וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
הִנֵּֽה־  Here  is 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
אִֽישׁ־  - 
Parse:
בֹּ֗שֶׁת  of  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.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
שָׁאוּל֙  of  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
אֹֽיִבְךָ֔  your  enemy 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
בִּקֵּ֖שׁ  sought 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּקַשׁ  
Sense: to seek, require, desire, exact, request.
נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ  your  life 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
וַיִּתֵּ֣ן  and  has  avenged 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
יְ֠הוָה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לַֽאדֹנִ֨י  my  lord 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
נְקָמוֹת֙  has  avenged 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: נְקָמָה  
Sense: vengeance.
הַיּ֣וֹם  day 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַזֶּ֔ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
מִשָּׁא֖וּל  of  Saul 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
וּמִזַּרְעֽוֹ  and  his  descendants 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: זֶרַע  
Sense: seed, sowing, offspring.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation