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 be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, 2The Spirit of Yhwh spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. 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. 4And 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. 5Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to 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
• 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 33:20And he erected there an altar, and called it El–elohe–Israel.
• Exodus 3:15And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, Yhwh God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
• Exodus 19:5Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
• Exodus 20:2I am Yhwh thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
• 2 Samuel 22:2And he said, Yhwh is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
• Deuteronomy 32:4He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
• Psalms 42:9I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
• Psalms 110:2Yhwh shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
• Exodus 23:6Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.
• Deuteronomy 16:18Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which Yhwh thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.
• Psalms 82:3Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
• Proverbs 31:9Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
• Isaiah 11:4But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
• Isaiah 32:1Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.
• Jeremiah 23:5Behold, the days come, saith Yhwh, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
• Zechariah 9:9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon a donkey, and upon 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