The Meaning of 2 Samuel 15:30 Explained

2 Samuel 15:30

KJV: And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

YLT: And David is going up in the ascent of the olives, going up and weeping, and he hath the head covered, and he is going barefooted, and all the people who are with him have covered each his head, and have gone up, going up and weeping;

Darby: But David went up by the ascent of the Olives, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot; and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

ASV: And David went up by the ascent of the mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered, and went barefoot: and all the people that were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And David  went up  by the ascent  of [mount] Olivet,  and wept  as he went up,  and had his head  covered,  and he went  barefoot:  and all the people  that [was] with him covered  every man  his head,  and they went up,  weeping  as they went up. 

What does 2 Samuel 15:30 Mean?

Context Summary

2Samuel 15:24-37 - The Friends Of The Fleeing King
Outside the story of our Lord, the Bible records nothing more admirable than David's behavior as he passed through this thicket of thorns. He never appeared to better advantage than during those awful days. Tribulation had wrought patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and his hope was destined not to be ashamed. The psalms in which he embalms these experiences are the heritage of the saints. Among them are Psalms 3:1-8; Psalms 4:1-8; Psalms 26:1-12; Psalms 27:1-14; Psalms 28:1-9, and probably 62. The procession reminds us of another-only that was still more sorrowful-led by his Son and Lord, Matthew 26:1-75.
Adversity sifts out the false from the true, the spurious from the genuine. The trusted counselor turns traitor, 2 Samuel 15:31; but against this must be set the loyalty of Zadok and Abiathar, and the devotion of Hushai. There are indications that Bathsheba was Ahithophel's granddaughter. This would explain why Absalom sent for him, why he was so bitter, and why he committed suicide. The Cross has been the touchstone of trial to myriads! Have you been true to your exiled King? Let us go forth to Him without the camp, bearing his reproach! Hebrews 13:13. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2Samuel 15

1  Absalom, by fair speeches and courtesies, steals the hearts of Israel
7  By pretense of a vow, he obtains leave to go to Hebron
10  He makes there a great conspiracy
13  David upon the news flees from Jerusalem
19  Ittai will leave him
24  Zadok and Abiathar are sent back with the ark
30  David and his company go up mount Olivet weeping,
31  He curses Ahithophel's counsel
32  Hushai is sent back with instructions

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 15:30 mean?

So David went up by the Ascent of the [Mount of] Olives as he went up and wept and head his had covered and he went barefoot And all the people who [were] with him covered man their heads and went up as they went up and weeping
וְדָוִ֡ד עֹלֶה֩ בְמַעֲלֵ֨ה הַזֵּיתִ֜ים עֹלֶ֣ה ׀ וּבוֹכֶ֗ה וְרֹ֥אשׁ לוֹ֙ חָפ֔וּי וְה֖וּא הֹלֵ֣ךְ יָחֵ֑ף וְכָל־ הָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־ אִתּ֗וֹ חָפוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ רֹאשׁ֔וֹ וְעָל֥וּ עָלֹ֖ה וּבָכֹֽה

וְדָוִ֡ד  So  David 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
עֹלֶה֩  went  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
בְמַעֲלֵ֨ה  by  the  Ascent 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַעֲלֶה  
Sense: ascent, incline.
הַזֵּיתִ֜ים  of  the  [Mount  of]  Olives 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: זַיִת  
Sense: olive, olive tree.
עֹלֶ֣ה ׀  as  he  went  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
וּבוֹכֶ֗ה  and  wept 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בָּכָה  
Sense: to weep, bewail, cry, shed tears.
וְרֹ֥אשׁ  and  head 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
לוֹ֙  his 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
חָפ֔וּי  had  covered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: חָפָה  
Sense: to cover, overlay, wainscotted, covered with boards or panelling.
וְה֖וּא  and  he 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
הֹלֵ֣ךְ  went 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
יָחֵ֑ף  barefoot 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: יָחֵף  
Sense: barefoot.
וְכָל־  And  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָעָ֣ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אֲשֶׁר־  who  [were] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
אִתּ֗וֹ  with  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
חָפוּ֙  covered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: חָפָה  
Sense: to cover, overlay, wainscotted, covered with boards or panelling.
אִ֣ישׁ  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
רֹאשׁ֔וֹ  their  heads 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
וְעָל֥וּ  and  went  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
עָלֹ֖ה  as  they  went  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
וּבָכֹֽה  and  weeping 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: בָּכָה  
Sense: to weep, bewail, cry, shed tears.