2 Samuel 1 · Verse 4

2 Samuel 1:4

And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.
2 Samuel 1:4, King James Version

2 Samuel 1:4 in other translations

BSB“What was the outcome?” David asked. “Please tell me.” “The troops fled from the battle,” he replied. “Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”
WEBDavid said to him, “How did it go? Please tell me.” He answered, “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead. Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.”
ASVAnd David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, The people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.
YLTAnd David saith unto him, ‘What hath been the matter? declare, I pray thee, to me.' And he saith, that ‘The people hath fled from the battle, and also a multitude hath fallen of the people, and they die; and also Saul and Jonathan his son have died.'
DARBYAnd David said to him, What has taken place? I pray thee, tell me. And he said that the people had fled from the battle, and many of the people also had fallen and died, and that Saul and Jonathan his son were dead also.
BBEAnd David said to him, How did things go? Give me the news. And in answer he said, The people have gone in flight from the fight, and a great number of them are dead; and Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.
WebsterAnd David said to him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen, and are dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.

What does 2 Samuel 1:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 1:2-12

2-12. a man came out of the camp from Saul--As the narrative of Saul's death, given in the last chapter, is inspired, it must be considered the true account, and the Amalekite's story a fiction of his own, invented to ingratiate himself with David, the presumptive successor to the throne. David's question, "How went the matter?" evinces the deep interest he took in the war, an interest that sprang from feelings of…

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 1:2-12 →

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 1:1-10

The blow which opened David's way to the throne was given about the time he had been sorely distressed. Those who commit their concerns to the Lord, will quietly abide his will. It shows that he desired not Saul's death, and he was not impatient to come to the throne.

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 1:1-10 →

2 Samuel 1:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
אֵלָ֥יו'e.Lavto himH413
דָּוִ֛דda.VidDavidH1732
מֶה\־meh-what?H4100
הָיָ֥הha.Yahwas itH1961
הַדָּבָ֖רha.da.Varthe wordH1697
הַגֶּד\־ha.ged-tellH5046
נָ֣אna'pleaseH4994
לִ֑יLito <the> me
וַ֠יֹּאמֶרVai.yo.merand he saidH559
אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-thatH834
נָ֨סnasit has fledH5127
הָעָ֜םha.'Amthe peopleH5971
מִן\־min-fromH4480
הַמִּלְחָמָ֗הha.mil.cha.Mahthe battleH4421
וְגַם\־ve.gam-and alsoH1571
הַרְבֵּ֞הhar.Beh[surely] a multitudeH7235
נָפַ֤לna.Fal<it> has fallenH5307
מִן\־min-ofH4480
הָעָם֙ha.'Amthe peopleH5971
וַיָּמֻ֔תוּvai.ya.Mu.tuand they have diedH4191
וְגַ֗םve.Gamand alsoH1571
שָׁא֛וּלsha.'UlSaulH7586
וִיהוֹנָתָ֥ןvi.ho.na.Tanand JonathanH3083
בְּנ֖וֹbe.Noson hisH1121
מֵֽתוּ\׃Me.tuthey have diedH4191

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 1:4

  • 1 Samuel 4:16

    And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son?

  • 1 Samuel 31:1-6

    Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi–shua, Saul’s sons. And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers. Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. …

  • 1 Chronicles 10:1-6

    Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. And the Philistines followed hard after Saul, and after his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi–shua, the sons of Saul. And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was wounded of the archers. Then said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
How went. Heb. What was, etc.
1Sa 4:16; *marg:
the people.
1Sa 31:1-6; 1Ch 10:1-6

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Samuel 1:3

    And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.

  • 2 Samuel 1:4

    And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.

  • 2 Samuel 1:5

    And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?

Read all of 2 Samuel 1

2 Samuel 1:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y David le dijo: ¿Qué ha acontecido? ruégote que me lo digas. Y él respondió: El pueblo huyó de la batalla, y también muchos del pueblo cayeron y son muertos: también Saúl y Jonathán su hijo murieron.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et David lui dit: Que s’est-il passé? raconte-le-moi, je te prie. Et il dit que le peuple s’était enfui de la bataille, et que beaucoup d’entre le peuple étaient tombés et étaient morts, et que Saül aussi et Jonathan, son fils, étaient morts.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und David sprach zu ihm: Wie steht die Sache? berichte mir doch. Und er sagte: Das Volk ist aus dem Streit geflohen, und auch viele von dem Volke sind gefallen und gestorben, und auch Saul und sein Sohn Jonathan sind tot.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et dixit ad eum David: Quod est verbum quod factum est? indica mihi. Qui ait: Fugit populus ex prælio, et multi corruentes e populo mortui sunt: sed et Saul et Jonathas filius ejus interierunt.