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, The anointed of the God of Jacob And the sweet psalmist of Israel, declares, 2“The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me, And His word was on my tongue. The God of Israel said it; The Rock of Israel spoke to me: ‘He who rules over mankind righteously, Who rules in the fear of God, 4Is like the light of the morning when the sun rises, A morning without clouds, When the fresh grass springs out of the earth From sunshine after rain.’ 5Is my house not indeed so with God? For He has made an everlasting covenant with me, Properly ordered in all things, and secured; For will He not indeed make All my salvation and all my delight grow?

2 Samuel 23:3 word by word

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

• The Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• The Rockצוּרtsûr tsûr · rockH6697
• spokeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• He who rulesמָשַׁלmâshal · to ruleH4910
• over mankindאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• righteouslyצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
• the fearיִרְאָהyir'âh · fearH3374

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 23:3

• Genesis 33:20Then he erected there an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.
• Exodus 3:15God furthermore said to Moses, “This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is the name for all generations to use to call upon Me.
• Exodus 19:5Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine;
• Exodus 20:2“I am the Lord your God, who 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 and my deliverer;
• Deuteronomy 32:4The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and just is He.
• Psalms 42:9I will say to God my rock, “Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
• Psalms 110:2The Lord will stretch out Your strong scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of Your enemies.”
• Exodus 23:6“You shall not pervert the justice due to your needy brother in his dispute.
• Deuteronomy 16:18“You shall appoint for yourself judges and officers in all your towns 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 to the afflicted and destitute.
• Proverbs 31:9Open your mouth, judge righteously, And defend the rights of the poor and needy.
• Isaiah 11:4But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the humble of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.
• Isaiah 32:1Behold, a king will reign righteously, And officials will rule justly.
• Jeremiah 23:5“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land.
• Zechariah 9:9Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is righteous and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even 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

• 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