2 Samuel

2 Samuel 23:1–7

1These are the last words of David:

“The oracle of David son of Jesse,

the oracle of the man raised on high,

the one anointed by the God of Jacob,

and the sweet psalmist of Israel:a

2The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me;

His word was on my tongue.

3The God of Israel spoke;

the Rock of Israel said to me,

‘He who rules the people with justice,

who rules in the fear of God,

4is like the light of the morning

at sunrise of a cloudless dawn,

the glistening after the rain

on the sprouting grass of the earth.’

5Is not my house right with God?

For He has established with me

an everlasting covenant,

ordered and secured in every part.

Will He not bring about my full salvation

and my every desire?

6But the worthless are all like thorns raked aside,

for they can never be gathered by hand.

7The man who touches them must be armed with iron

or with the shaft of a spear.

The fire burns them to ashes

in the place where they lie.”

Footnotes

  • a 23:1 Or the hero of the songs of Israel or the favorite of the Strong One of Israel

Read all of 2 Samuel 23

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

2 Samuel 23:1

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Theseוְאֵ֛לֶּהwə·’êl·lehConjunctive waw; Pronoun - common pluralH428 these
are the lastהָאַֽחֲרֹנִ֑יםhā·’a·ḥă·rō·nîmArticle; Adjective - masculine pluralH314 coming after
wordsדִּבְרֵ֥יdiḇ·rêNoun - masculine plural constructH1697 speech, word
of Davidדָוִ֖דḏā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
The oracleנְאֻ֧םnə·’umNoun - masculine singular constructH5002 utterance
of Davidדָּוִ֣דdā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
sonבֶּן־ben-Noun - masculine singular constructH1121 son
of Jesseיִשַׁ֗יyi·šayNoun - proper - masculine singularH3448 Jishai
the oracleוּנְאֻ֤םū·nə·’umConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular constructH5002 utterance
of the manהַגֶּ֙בֶר֙hag·ge·ḇerArticle; Noun - masculine singularH1397 man
raisedהֻ֣קַםhu·qamVerb - Hofal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH6965 arise, stand up, stand
on highעָ֔ל‘ālNoun - masculine singularH5920 height
the one anointedמְשִׁ֙יחַ֙mə·šî·aḥAdjective - masculine singular constructH4899 anointed
by the Godאֱלֹהֵ֣י’ĕ·lō·hêNoun - masculine plural constructH430 God
of Jacobיַֽעֲקֹ֔בya·‘ă·qōḇNoun - proper - masculine singularH3290 Jacob
and the sweetוּנְעִ֖יםū·nə·‘îmConjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine singular constructH5273 pleasant, delightful
psalmistזְמִר֥וֹתzə·mi·rō·wṯNoun - masculine plural constructH2158 song
of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃yiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel

2 Samuel 23:2

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
The Spiritר֥וּחַrū·aḥNoun - common singular constructH7307 breath, wind, spirit
of the LORDיְהוָ֖הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
spoke throughדִּבֶּר־dib·ber-Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularH1696 speak
meבִּ֑יbîPreposition; first person common singular
His wordוּמִלָּת֖וֹū·mil·lā·ṯōwConjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH4405 word, speech, utterance
was onעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
my tongueלְשׁוֹנִֽי׃lə·šō·w·nîNoun - common singular construct; first person common singularH3956 tongue

2 Samuel 23:3

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
The Godאֱלֹהֵ֣י’ĕ·lō·hêNoun - masculine plural constructH430 God
of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לyiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel
spokeאָמַר֙’ā·marVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
the Rockצ֣וּרṣūrNoun - masculine singular constructH6697 rock, cliff
of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לyiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel
saidדִבֶּ֖רḏib·berVerb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularH1696 speak
to meלִ֥יlîPreposition; first person common singular
He who rulesמוֹשֵׁל֙mō·wō·šêlVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH4910 rule, have dominion, reign
the peopleבָּאָדָ֔םbā·’ā·ḏāmPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singularH120 man, mankind
with justiceצַדִּ֕יקṣad·dîqAdjective - masculine singularH6662 just, righteous
who rulesמוֹשֵׁ֖לmō·wō·šêlVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH4910 rule, have dominion, reign
in the fearיִרְאַ֥תyir·’aṯNoun - feminine singular constructH3374 fear
of Godאֱלֹהִֽים׃’ĕ·lō·hîmNoun - masculine pluralH430 God

2 Samuel 23:4

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
is like the lightוּכְא֥וֹרū·ḵə·’ō·wrConjunctive waw, Preposition-k; Noun - common singular constructH216 light
of the morningבֹּ֖קֶרbō·qerNoun - masculine singularH1242 morning
at sunriseשָׁ֑מֶשׁšā·mešNoun - common singularH8121 sun
of a cloudlessלֹ֣אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
dawnבֹּ֚קֶרbō·qerNoun - masculine singularH1242 morning
the glisteningמִנֹּ֥גַהּmin·nō·ḡahPreposition-m; Noun - feminine singularH5051 brightness
after the rainמִמָּטָ֖רmim·mā·ṭārPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singularH4306 rain
on the sprouting grassדֶּ֥שֶׁאde·šeNoun - masculine singularH1877 grass
of the earthמֵאָֽרֶץ׃mê·’ā·reṣPreposition-m; Noun - feminine singularH776 earth, land

2 Samuel 23:5

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Is notלֹא־lō-Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
my houseבֵּיתִ֖יbê·ṯîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH1004 house
rightכֵ֥ןḵênAdverbH3651 right, veritable, honest
withעִם־‘im-PrepositionH5973 with
Godאֵ֑ל’êlNoun - masculine singularH410 god
Forכִּי֩kîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
He has establishedשָׂ֣םśāmVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH7760 put, place, set
with meלִ֗יlîPreposition; first person common singular
an everlastingעוֹלָ֜ם‘ō·w·lāmNoun - masculine singularH5769 long duration, antiquity, futurity
covenantבְרִ֨יתḇə·rîṯNoun - feminine singular constructH1285 covenant
orderedעֲרוּכָ֤ה‘ă·rū·ḵāhVerb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singularH6186 arrange or set in order
and securedוּשְׁמֻרָ֔הū·šə·mu·rāhConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singularH8104 keep, watch, preserve
in every partבַכֹּל֙ḇak·kōlPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singularH3605 the whole, all
Will He notלֹ֥אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
bring aboutיַצְמִֽיחַ׃yaṣ·mî·aḥVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH6779 sprout, spring up
my fullכָל־ḵālNoun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
salvationיִשְׁעִ֥יyiš·‘îNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH3468 deliverance, rescue, salvation
and my everyוְכָל־wə·ḵālConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
desireחֵ֖פֶץḥê·p̄eṣNoun - masculine singularH2656 delight, pleasure

2 Samuel 23:6

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
But the worthlessוּבְלִיַּ֕עַלū·ḇə·lî·ya·‘alConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singularH1100 worthlessness
are allכֻּלָּ֑הַםkul·lā·hamNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine pluralH3605 the whole, all
like thornsכְּק֥וֹץkə·qō·wṣPreposition-k; Noun - masculine singularH6975 thornbush, thorn
raked asideמֻנָ֖דmu·nāḏVerb - Hofal - Participle - masculine singularH5074 retreat, flee, depart, stray, wander, flutter
forכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
they can neverלֹ֥אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
be gatheredיִקָּֽחוּ׃yiq·qā·ḥūVerb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralH3947 take
by handבְיָ֖דḇə·yāḏPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singularH3027 hand

2 Samuel 23:7

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
The manוְאִישׁ֙wə·’îšConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singularH376 man
touchesיִגַּ֣עyig·ga‘Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH5060 touch, reach, strike
themבָּהֶ֔םbā·hemPreposition; third person masculine plural
must be armedיִמָּלֵ֥אyim·mā·lêVerb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH4390 be full, fill
with ironבַרְזֶ֖לḇar·zelNoun - masculine singularH1270 iron
or with the shaftוְעֵ֣ץwə·‘êṣConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular constructH6086 tree, trees, wood
of a spearחֲנִ֑יתḥă·nîṯNoun - feminine singularH2595 spear
The fireוּבָאֵ֕שׁū·ḇā·’êšConjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article; Noun - common singularH784 fire
burns them to ashesשָׂר֥וֹףśā·rō·wp̄Verb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteH8313 burn
inבַּשָּֽׁבֶת׃פbaš·šā·ḇeṯPreposition-b, Article; Adjective - feminine singularH7675 seat, dwelling, place

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

2 Samuel 23:1 1 Samuel 16:12–13 · Psalm 89:20 · 2 Samuel 7:8–9 · Psalm 78:70–71 · Colossians 3:16 · Luke 24:44 · 1 Chronicles 16:9 · Psalm 72:20 · 1 Chronicles 16:7 · Amos 6:5 · Psalm 2:6 · Ephesians 5:19–20

2 Samuel 23:2 2 Peter 1:21 · Matthew 22:43 · Mark 12:36 · Acts 2:25–31 · Hebrews 3:7–8

2 Samuel 23:3 Deuteronomy 32:4 · Exodus 18:21 · 2 Samuel 22:32 · Psalm 72:2 · Exodus 23:6–8 · Deuteronomy 16:18–20 · Zechariah 9:9 · Hebrews 1:8 · Psalm 82:3–4 · Psalm 42:9 · Genesis 33:20 · Isaiah 32:1

2 Samuel 23:4 Judges 5:31 · Psalm 72:6 · Psalm 89:36 · Hosea 6:5

2 Samuel 23:5 Isaiah 55:3 · 2 Samuel 7:14–16 · Isaiah 9:6–7 · Psalm 89:28–29 · Jeremiah 32:40 · Hebrews 6:19 · Hebrews 13:20 · Ezekiel 37:26 · Jeremiah 33:25–26 · 1 Chronicles 17:11–14 · Acts 13:34 · Isaiah 11:1

2 Samuel 23:6 Isaiah 33:12 · Deuteronomy 13:13 · Ezekiel 2:6 · 2 Samuel 20:1 · 1 Samuel 2:12 · Song of Solomon 2:2 · Genesis 3:18 · Matthew 13:41

2 Samuel 23:7 Hebrews 6:8 · 2 Thessalonians 2:8

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.