2 Samuel 23:4

2 Samuel 23:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
• New International Version (NIV)he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings grass from the earth.’
• English Standard Version (ESV)he dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises, A morning without clouds, Like the tender grass springing out of the earth, By clear shining after rain.’

Context of 2 Samuel 23:4

2“The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, And His word was on my tongue. 3The God of Israel, The Rock of Israel spoke to me, ‘He who rules over men righteously, Who rules in the fear of God, Is 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? 6But the wicked and worthless are all to be thrown away like thorns, Because they cannot be taken with the hand;

2 Samuel 23:4 word by word

וּכְא֥וֹר בֹּ֖קֶר יִזְרַח־שָׁ֑מֶשׁ בֹּ֚קֶר לֹ֣א עָב֔וֹת מִנֹּ֥גַהּ מִמָּטָ֖ר דֶּ֥שֶׁא מֵאָֽרֶץ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• as the lightאוֹר'ôr · lightH216
• of the morningבֹּ֫קֶרbôqer · morningH1242
• the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
• risethזָרַחzârach · to riseH2224
• withoutלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• cloudsעָב‛âb · cloudH5645
• the tender grassדֶּ֫שֶׁאdeshe' · grassH1877
• out of the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: soilH776
• by clear shiningנֹ֫גַהּnôgahh · brightnessH5051
• after rainמָטַרmâţâr · rainH4306

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 23:4

• Judges 5:31So let all Your enemies perish, O Lord; But let those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its might.” And the land was at rest for forty years.
• Psalms 89:36His descendants shall endure forever And his throne [will continue] as the sun before Me.
• Psalms 110:3Your people will offer themselves willingly [to participate in Your battle] in the day of Your power; In the splendor of holiness, from the womb of the dawn, Your young men are to You as the dew.
• Proverbs 4:18But the path of the just (righteous) is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day.
• Isaiah 60:1“Arise [from spiritual depression to a new life], shine [be radiant with the glory and brilliance of the Lord]; for your light has come, And the glory and brilliance of the Lord has risen upon you.
• Hosea 6:5Therefore, I have hewn them in pieces by [the words of] the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth; My judgments [pronounced upon them by the prophets] are like the light that shines forth [obvious to all].
• Malachi 4:2But for you who fear My name [with awe-filled reverence] the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go forward and leap [joyfully] like calves [released] from the stall.
• Luke 1:78Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise (the Messiah) from on high will dawn and visit us,
• John 1:7This man came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe [in Christ, the Light] through him.
• Hosea 6:3So let us know and become personally acquainted with Him; let us press on to know and understand fully the [greatness of the] Lord [to honor, heed, and deeply cherish Him]. His appearing is prepared and is as certain as the dawn, And He will come to us [in salvation] like the [heavy] rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth.”
• Deuteronomy 32:2Let my teaching drop as the rain, My speech distill as the dew, As the light rain upon the tender grass, And as the spring showers upon the herb.
• Psalms 72:6May he come down like rain on the mown grass, Like showers that water the earth.
• Isaiah 4:2In that day the Branch of the Lord will be splendid and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be excellent and lovely to those of Israel who have survived.
• Micah 5:7Then the remnant of Jacob Shall be among many peoples Like dew from the Lord, Like showers on the grass [a source of blessing] Which [come suddenly and] do not wait for man Nor delay for the sons of men.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 23:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4He shall be as the light of the morning - This verse is very obscure, for it does not appear from it who the person is of whom the prophet speaks. As the Messiah seems to be the whole subject of these last words of David, he is probably the person intended. One of Dr. Kennicott's MSS. Supplies the word יהוה Yehovah ; and he therefore translates, As the light of the morning ariseth Jehovah (see below) He shall be the Sun of righteousness, bringing…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Comparisons illustrating the prosperity of the righteous king.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. 44. as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain--Little patches of grass are seen rapidly springing up in Palestine after rain; and even where the ground has been long parched and bare, within a few days or hours after the enriching showers begin to fall, the face of the earth is so renewed that it is covered over with a pure fresh mantle of green.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 23:4

• David
• Jesus, the Christ
• Psalms
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• David
• Sure
• Troop
• Abishai
• Amasai
• Christ, Offices of
• Clear; Clearness
• Cloud
• Genealogy
• Grass

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