2 Samuel 22:5
in 2 Samuel 22For the waves of death engulfed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For the waves of death compassed me; The floods of ungodliness made me afraid:
KJV
When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;
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This verse in 2 Samuel 22
Commentary
5 notes on this verseWhen the waves of death compassed me - Though in a primary sense many of these things belong to David, yet generally and fully they belong to the Messiah alone.
This site's exposition
call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised
on 2 Samuel 22:4-6
David names the danger three times in three verses, the waves of death, the floods of ungodly men, and the sorrows of hell, piling up the imagery of drowning and the grave together. Adam Clarke notes that while these words fit David's own history, in their fullest sense they belong to the Messiah alone, who met death and hell in earnest. The word prevented in verse six carries its old sense of came before or overtook rather than hindered, so the snares of death had already closed on him before he cried out.
This site's exposition
the waves of death engulfed me
Matthew Henry names the torrents the floods of Belial, the wicked one working through wicked men, which John Gill's King James text renders ungodly men. Where Samuel has waves, Psalm 18:4 has cords, so this copy sets drowning ahead of the snares of verse 6. Henry sees death and hell in arms against David.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. See Gill on Psa 18:4.
The floods of Belial, the wicked one, and his wicked instruments, made him afraid; he trembled to see not only earth, but death and hell, in arms against him. (2.) That his deliverance was an answer to prayer,
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אֲפָפֻ֖נִי | ʾafafuni | they surrounded me | H661 → | |
| מִשְׁבְּרֵי־ | mishberei- | [the] breakers of | H4867 → | |
| מָ֑וֶת | mavet | death | H4194 → | 156 times |
| נַחֲלֵ֥י | nachalei | torrents of | H5158 → | 141 times |
| בְלִיַּ֖עַל | veliyaal | worthlessness | H1100 → | 27 times |
| יְבַעֲתֻֽנִי׃ | yevaatuni | they overwhelmed me | H1204 → |
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
אֲפָפֻ֖נִיthey surrounded me
ʾafafuniH661 →
מִשְׁבְּרֵי־[the] breakers of
mishberei-H4867 →
מָ֑וֶתdeath
mavetH4194 →156 times
נַחֲלֵ֥יtorrents of
nachaleiH5158 →141 times
בְלִיַּ֖עַלworthlessness
veliyaalH1100 →27 times
יְבַעֲתֻֽנִי׃they overwhelmed me
yevaatuniH1204 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Isaiah 59:19So shall they fear the name of the LORD where the sun sets, and His glory where it rises. For He will come like a raging flood, driven by the breath of the LORD.
it leads to
- Daniel 7:27
Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all…
- Psalms 113:3
From where the sun rises to where it sets, the name of the LORD is praised.
- Zechariah 4:6
So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts.
- Revelation 12:15–17
Then from the mouth of the serpent spewed water like a river to overtake the woman and sweep her away in the torrent.
- Revelation 17:14–15
They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen…
- Daniel 7:27
Through
Jonah 2:3For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the current swirled about me; all Your breakers and waves swept over me.
it leads to
- Psalms 42:7
Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and waves have rolled over me.
- Lamentations 3:54
The waters flowed over my head, and I thought I was going to die.
- Psalms 42:7
Through
Revelation 17:1Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters.
it leads to
- Revelation 19:2
For His judgments are true and just. He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the blood of His servants that was poured out by her…
- Revelation 19:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 2 Samuel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.