2 Samuel 23:3

2 Samuel 23:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
• New International Version (NIV)The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: ‘When one rules over people in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God,
• English Standard Version (ESV)The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me: When one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear of God,
• New King James Version (NKJV)The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me: ‘He who rules over men must be just, Ruling in the fear of God.

Context of 2 Samuel 23:3

1Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse declares, The man who was raised on high declares, The anointed of the God of Jacob, And the sweet psalmist of Israel, 2“The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, And His word was on my tongue. The God of Israel, The Rock of Israel spoke to me, ‘He who rules over men righteously, Who rules in the fear of God, 4Is like the morning light when the sun rises, A morning without clouds, When the fresh grass springs out of the earth Through sunshine after rain.’ 5Truly is not my house so [blessed] with God? For He has made an everlasting covenant with me, Ordered in all things, and secured. For will He not cause to grow and prosper All my salvation and my every wish? Will He not make it grow and prosper?

2 Samuel 23:3 word by word

אָמַר֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לִ֥י דִבֶּ֖ר צ֣וּר יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מוֹשֵׁל֙ בָּאָדָ֔ם צַדִּ֕יק מוֹשֵׁ֖ל יִרְאַ֥ת אֱלֹהִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the Rockצוּרtsûr tsûr · rockH6697
• spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• to me, He that rulethמָשַׁלmâshal · to ruleH4910
• over menאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• justצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
• in the fearיִרְאָהyir'âh · fearH3374

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 23:3

• Genesis 33:20There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.
• Exodus 3:15Then God also said to Moses, “This is what you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (Israel), has sent me to you.’ This is My Name forever, and this is My memorial [name] to all generations.
• Exodus 19:5Now therefore, if you will in fact obey My voice and keep My covenant (agreement), then you shall be My own special possession and treasure from among all peoples [of the world], for all the earth is Mine;
• Exodus 20:2“I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
• 2 Samuel 22:2He said: “The Lord is my rock and my fortress [on the mountain] and my rescuer;
• Deuteronomy 32:4The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness without iniquity (injustice), Just and upright is He.
• Psalms 42:9I will say to God my rock, “Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
• Psalms 110:2The Lord will send the scepter of Your strength from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of Your enemies.”
• Exodus 23:6“You shall not pervert (bend) the justice due to your poor in his dispute.
• Deuteronomy 16:18“You shall appoint judges and officers in all your cities (gates) which the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.
• Psalms 82:3Vindicate the weak and fatherless; Do justice and maintain the rights of the afflicted and destitute.
• Proverbs 31:9Open your mouth, judge righteously, And administer justice for the afflicted and needy.
• Isaiah 11:4But with righteousness and justice He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the downtrodden of the earth; And He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.
• Isaiah 32:1Behold, a King will reign in righteousness, And princes will rule with justice.
• Jeremiah 23:5“Behold (listen closely), the days are coming,” says the Lord, “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as King and act wisely And will do [those things that accomplish] justice and righteousness in the land.
• Zechariah 9:9Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O Daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King (Messianic King) is coming to you; He is righteous and endowed with salvation, Humble and unassuming [in submission to the will of the Father] and riding on a donkey, Upon a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 23:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3The Rock of Israel - The Fountain whence Israel was derived. He that ruleth over men must be just - More literally, צדיק באדם מושל moshel baadam tsaddik, He that ruleth in man is the just one; or, The just one is the ruler among men. Ruling in the fear of God - It is by God's fear that Jesus Christ rules the hearts of all his followers; and he who has not the fear of God before his eyes, can never be a Christian.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-7This passage comes from the end of David’s career and reflects on his experience as king, even as 2 Samuel 22 reflects on his experience before becoming king.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. the Rock of Israel--This metaphor, which is commonly applied by the sacred writers to the Almighty, was very expressive to the minds of the Hebrew people. Their national fortresses, in which they sought security in war, were built on high and inaccessible rocks. spake to me--either preceptively, giving the following counsels respecting the character of an upright ruler in Israel, or prophetically, concerning David and his royal dynasty, and the great…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 23:3

• David
• Fear of God
• Jesus, the Christ
• Prophets
• Psalms
• Rock
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• God
• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• David
• Sure
• Troop
• Abishai
• Amasai

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings