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.
• 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.’
• New Living Translation (NLT)is like the light of morning at sunrise, like a morning without clouds, like the gleaming of the sun on new grass after rain.’

Context of 2 Samuel 23:4

2“The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me; his word was on my tongue. 3The 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, he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings grass from the earth.’ 5“If my house were not right with God, surely he would not have made with me an everlasting covenant, arranged and secured in every part; surely he would not bring to fruition my salvation and grant me my every desire. 6But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns, which are not gathered 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 5:31“So may all your enemies perish, Lord! But may all who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had peace forty years.
• Psalms 89:36that his line will continue forever and his throne endure before me like the sun;
• Psalms 110:3Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy splendor, your young men will come to you like dew from the morning’s womb.
• Proverbs 4:18The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
• Isaiah 60:1“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
• Hosea 6:5Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of my mouth— then my judgments go forth like the sun.
• Malachi 4:2But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves.
• Luke 1:78because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
• John 1:7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.
• Hosea 6:3Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.”
• Deuteronomy 32:2Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.
• Psalms 72:6May he be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth.
• Isaiah 4:2In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel.
• Micah 5:7The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for anyone or depend on man.

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