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

1These are the final words of David: “The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man raised up as the ruler chosen by the God of Jacob, Israel’s beloved singer of songs: 2The Lord’s spirit spoke through me; his word was on my tongue. The God of Israel spoke, the protector of Israel spoke to me. The one who rules fairly among men, the one who rules in the fear of God, 4is like the light of morning when the sun comes up, a morning in which there are no clouds. He is like the brightness after rain that produces grass from the earth. 5My dynasty is approved by God, for he has made a perpetual covenant with me, arranged in all its particulars and secured. He always delivers me, and brings all I desire to fruition.

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 set up an altar and called it “The God of Israel is God.”
• Exodus 3:15God also said to Moses, “You must say this to the Israelites, ‘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 my memorial from generation to generation.’
• Exodus 19:5And now, if you will diligently listen to me and keep my covenant, then you will be my special possession out of all the nations, for all the earth is mine,
• Exodus 20:2“I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you from the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery.
• 2 Samuel 22:2He said: “The Lord is my high ridge, my stronghold, my deliverer.
• Deuteronomy 32:4As for the Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are just. He is a reliable God who is never unjust, he is fair and upright.
• Psalms 42:9I will pray to God, my high ridge: “Why do you ignore me? Why must I walk around mourning because my enemies oppress me?”
• Psalms 110:2The Lord extends your dominion from Zion. Rule in the midst of your enemies!
• Exodus 23:6“You must not turn away justice for your poor people in their lawsuits.
• Deuteronomy 16:18You must appoint judges and civil servants for each tribe in all your villages that the Lord your God is giving you, and they must judge the people fairly.
• Psalms 82:3Defend the cause of the poor and the fatherless! Vindicate the oppressed and suffering!
• Proverbs 31:9Open your mouth, judge in righteousness, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
• Isaiah 11:4He will treat the poor fairly, and make right decisions for the downtrodden of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and order the wicked to be executed.
• Isaiah 32:1Look, a king will promote fairness; officials will promote justice.
• Jeremiah 23:5“I, the Lord, promise that a new time will certainly come when I will raise up for them a righteous branch, a descendant of David. He will rule over them with wisdom and understanding and will do what is just and right in the land.
• Zechariah 9:9Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Look! Your king is coming to you: he is legitimate and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey – on a young donkey, the foal of a female 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