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2 Samuel 2:7

in 2 Samuel 2

Now then, be strong and courageous, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me as their king.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be ye valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

KJV

Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

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This verse in 2 Samuel 2

Commentary

6 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

Now let your hands be strengthened - David certainly wished to attach the men of Jabesh to his interest; he saw that they were generous and valiant, and must be of great service to him whose part they espoused; and he was no doubt afraid that they would attach themselves to the house of Saul, in consideration of the eminent services Saul had rendered them in rescuing them from Nahash, king of the Ammonites.

This site's exposition

Blessed be ye of the Lord

on 2 Samuel 2:5-7

David sends a blessing to Jabesh-gilead for the kindness they showed Saul in burying him, calling it kindness and truth and promising to requite it. The vocabulary anticipates the kindness shown later to Jonathan's line at 9:3, though here it is spoken over the grave of the king David never raised his own hand against. The message closes with a summons, let their hands be strengthened, for Judah has already made David king, an invitation to the rest of Israel left open rather than forced.

This site's exposition

be strong and courageous

Adam Clarke reads the summons as an appeal for the loyalty of Jabesh-gilead. Saul had once rescued that town from Nahash, king of the Ammonites, and Clarke judges that David feared its men would hold to the house of Saul. Their courage was known.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

10 Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. 11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:98%@v10-11

Now therefore let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead--There can be no doubt that this message of thanks for their bold and dangerous enterprise in rescuing the bodies of Saul and his sons was an expression of David's personal and genuine feeling of satisfaction. At the same time, it was a stroke of sound and timely policy.

The words behind it

17 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וְעַתָּ֣ה׀and now

    veatahH6258 →433 times

  • תֶּחֱזַ֣קְנָהlet them be strong

    techezaknahH2388 →291 times

  • יְדֵיכֶ֗םhands your

    yedeikhemH3027 →1618 times

  • וִֽהְיוּ֙and become

    vihyuH1961 →3559 times

  • לִבְנֵי־<into> sons of

    livnei-H1121 →4930 times

  • חַ֔יִלstrength

    chayilH2428 →246 times

  • כִּי־for

    ki-H3588 →4482 times

  • מֵ֖תhe has died

    metH4191 →839 times

  • אֲדֹנֵיכֶ֣םlord<s> your

    ʾadoneikhemH113 →333 times

  • שָׁא֑וּלSaul

    shaulH7586 →402 times

  • וְגַם־and also

    vegam-H1571 →769 times

  • אֹתִ֗י<obj.> me

    ʾotiH853 →10935 times

  • מָשְׁח֧וּthey have anointed

    mashechuH4886 →70 times

  • בֵית־[the] house of

    veit-H1004 →2046 times

  • יְהוּדָ֛הJudah

    yehudahH3063 →819 times

  • לְמֶ֖לֶךְto king

    lemelekhH4428 →2525 times

  • עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ פover them

    ʾaleihemH5921 →5755 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

13 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Nehemiah 2:18I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me, and what the king had said to me. “Let us start rebuilding,” they replied, and they set their hands to this good work.7 worksEphesians 6:10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.5 works2 Samuel 10:12Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do what is good in His sight.”4 works2 Samuel 16:21Ahithophel replied, “Sleep with your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become a stench to your father, then the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”3 works1 Samuel 4:9Take courage and be men, O Philistines! Otherwise, you will serve the Hebrews just as they served you. Now be men and fight!”2 works1 Samuel 31:12all their men of valor set out, journeyed all night, and retrieved the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth-shan. When they arrived at Jabesh, they burned the bodies there.2 works
The other 7 cross-references, with their words ▾
Genesis 15:1After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”2 works1 Chronicles 26:6Also to his son Shemaiah were born sons who ruled over their families because they were strong, capable men.2 works2 Chronicles 18:16So Micaiah declared: “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These people have no master; let each one return home in peace.’”2 works2 Kings 11:12Then Jehoiada brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, presented him with the Testimony, and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and declared, “Long live the king!”2 works2 Samuel 2:4Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”2 works1 Samuel 31:7When the Israelites along the valley and those on the other side of the Jordan saw that the army of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their cities and ran away. So the Philistines came and occupied their cities.1 works1 Corinthians 16:13Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong.1 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Ephesians 6:10

    Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

    it leads to

    • Philippians 4:13

      I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

    • Isaiah 40:31

      But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.

    • Joshua 1:9

      Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

    • 1 Corinthians 16:13

      Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong.

    • 1 Peter 5:10

      And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish…

  • Through

    Genesis 15:1

    After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”

    it leads to

    • Isaiah 41:10

      Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…

    • Psalms 119:114

      You are my hiding place and my shield; I put my hope in Your word.

    • Psalms 84:11

      For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.

About 2 Samuel

Combat between Soldiers of Ish-bosheth and David — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
Combat between Soldiers of Ish-bosheth and David — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
2 Samuel: the study guide →Read 2 Samuel 2 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in 2 Samuel 2 →