What Does 1 Chronicles 11:6 Mean in the King James?
And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was chief.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Hebrew makes the one who goes first the head: Joab goes up first and becomes head, from the same root רֹאשׁ (rosh, “head”).
THE MEANING
The rule is plain: whoever first strikes the Jebusites receives the place of chief and captain. Joab goes up first, and the promised command becomes his. Power here follows the first blow and the ascent, with the violence left visible.
THE ROOT
רִאשׁוֹנָה
rishonah
GROWS FROM
ר־א־שׁ
resh
Head or top; by extension, beginning, first, and chief.
“first / chief” in this verse is rishonah. English separates “first” and “chief,” but the verse uses forms from one seed: rishonah, “first,” and rosh, “head/chief,” share the head-root. Joab’s first ascent becomes headship, binding going ahead to standing at the head.
ALSO GROWS
rosh: Head; chief or leader.
רֹאשׁ
This is the word for the position Joab receives: he becomes head of the command.
rishon: First; former.
רִאשׁוֹן
This is the word-family behind “first,” the qualification that leads to Joab’s appointment.
reshit: Beginning; first part.
רֵאשִׁית
This branch preserves the same head-first sense at the start of a sequence.
דָּוִד
Dāwid
GROWS FROM
ד־ו־ד
dalet
Beloved; the related word can also mean a close male relative, commonly an uncle.
David’s name carries the sense “beloved,” from דּוֹד (dod). The beloved king sets a violent contest for command, while Joab’s action makes the appointment concrete.
ALSO GROWS
dod: Beloved; also a close male relative or uncle.
דּוֹד
The name David carries the beloved sense into the scene.
dodi: My beloved.
דּוֹדִי
This related form makes the name’s relational sense audible as direct address.
THE PATTERN
Going before or being set at the head establishes the position from which others are led.
The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.THE THREAD
The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.Joab becomes לְרֹאשׁ (le-rosh, “head/chief”); Psalm 118 uses רֹאשׁ פִּנָּה (rosh pinnah, “head of the corner”) for the stone rejected by the builders. The same head-word links command over people with the stone that sets the corner.
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