Christian Standard Bible
2 Samuel 23:3
3The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, “The one who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God,
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
1These are the last words of David: The declaration of David son of Jesse, the declaration of the man raised on high, the one anointed by the God of Jacob. This is the most delightful of Israel’s songs. 2The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me, his word was on my tongue. The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, “The one who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God, 4is like the morning light when the sun rises on a cloudless morning, the glisten of rain on sprouting grass.” 5Is it not true my house is with God? For he has established a permanent covenant with me, ordered and secured in every detail. Will he not bring about my whole salvation and my every desire?
Read all of 2 Samuel 232 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 33:20And he set up an altar there and called it God, the God of Israel.
- Exodus 3:15God also said to Moses, “Say this to the Israelites: The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is my name forever; this is how I am to be remembered in every generation.
- Exodus 19:5Now if you will carefully listen to me and keep my covenant, you will be my own possession out of all the peoples, although the whole earth is mine,
- Exodus 20:2I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.
- 2 Samuel 22:2He said: The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,
- Deuteronomy 32:4The Rock — his work is perfect; all his ways are just. A faithful God, without bias, he is righteous and true.
- Psalms 42:9I will say to God, my rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about in sorrow because of the enemy’s oppression?”
- Psalms 110:2The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion. Rule over your surrounding enemies.
- Exodus 23:6“You must not deny justice to a poor person among you in his lawsuit.
- Deuteronomy 16:18“Appoint judges and officials for your tribes in all your towns the Lord your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment.
- Psalms 82:3Provide justice for the needy and the fatherless; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.
- Proverbs 31:9Speak up, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the oppressed and needy.
- Isaiah 11:4but he will judge the poor righteously and execute justice for the oppressed of the land. He will strike the land with a scepter from his mouth, and he will kill the wicked with a command from his lips.
- Isaiah 32:1Indeed, a king will reign righteously, and rulers will rule justly.
- Jeremiah 23:5“Look, the days are coming” — this is the Lord’s declaration — “when I will raise up a Righteous Branch for David. He will reign wisely as king and administer justice and righteousness in the land.
- Zechariah 9:9Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout in triumph, Daughter Jerusalem! Look, your King is coming to you; he is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on 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
In the dictionaries
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
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