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

2The Lord’s spirit spoke through me; his word was on my tongue. 3The 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, is 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. 6But evil people are like thorns – all of them are tossed away, for they cannot be held in 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 5:31May all your enemies perish like this, O Lord! But may those who love you shine like the rising sun at its brightest!” And the land had rest for forty years.
• Psalms 89:36His dynasty will last forever. His throne will endure before me, like the sun,
• Psalms 110:3Your people willingly follow you when you go into battle. On the holy hills at sunrise the dew of your youth belongs to you.
• Proverbs 4:18But the path of the righteous is like the bright morning light, growing brighter and brighter until full day.
• Isaiah 60:1“Arise! Shine! For your light arrives! The splendor of the Lord shines on you!
• Hosea 6:5Therefore, I will certainly cut you into pieces at the hands of the prophets; I will certainly kill you in fulfillment of my oracles of judgment; for my judgment will come forth like the light of the dawn.
• Malachi 4:2But for you who respect my name, the sun of vindication will rise with healing wings, and you will skip about like calves released from the stall.
• Luke 1:78Because of our God’s tender mercy the dawn will break upon us from on high
• John 1:7He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that everyone might believe through him.
• Hosea 6:3So let us acknowledge him! Let us seek to acknowledge the Lord! He will come to our rescue as certainly as the appearance of the dawn, as certainly as the winter rain comes, as certainly as the spring rain that waters the land.”
• Deuteronomy 32:2My teaching will drop like the rain, my sayings will drip like the dew, as rain drops upon the grass, and showers upon new growth.
• Psalms 72:6He will descend like rain on the mown grass, like showers that drench the earth.
• Isaiah 4:2At that time the crops given by the Lord will bring admiration and honor; the produce of the land will be a source of pride and delight to those who remain in Israel.
• Micah 5:7Those survivors from Jacob will live in the midst of many nations. They will be like the dew the Lord sends, like the rain on the grass, that does not hope for men to come or wait around for humans to arrive.

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