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 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 by me, And His word was on my tongue. 3The 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. 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.’ 5“Although my house is not so with God, Yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant, Ordered in all things and secure. For this is all my salvation and all my desire; Will He not make it increase? 6But the sons of rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away, Because they cannot be taken with hands.

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“Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Lord! But let those who love Him be like the sun When it comes out in full strength.” So the land had rest for forty years.
• Psalms 89:36His seed shall endure forever, And his throne as the sun before Me;
• Psalms 110:3Your people shall be volunteers In the day of Your power; In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth.
• Proverbs 4:18But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.
• Isaiah 60:1Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
• Hosea 6:5Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of My mouth; And your judgments are like light that goes forth.
• Malachi 4:2But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
• Luke 1:78Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
• John 1:7This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.
• Hosea 6:3Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter and former rain to the earth.
• Deuteronomy 32:2Let my teaching drop as the rain, My speech distill as the dew, As raindrops on the tender herb, And as showers on the grass.
• Psalms 72:6He shall come down like rain upon the grass before mowing, Like showers that water the earth.
• Isaiah 4:2In that day the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious; And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing For those of Israel who have escaped.
• Micah 5:7Then the remnant of Jacob Shall be in the midst of many peoples, Like dew from the Lord, Like showers on the grass, That tarry for no man Nor wait for the sons of men.

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