2 Samuel 23:1
in 2 Samuel 23These are the last words of David: “The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man raised on high, the one anointed by the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel:
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse saith, And the man who was raised on high saith, The anointed of the God of Jacob, And the sweet psalmist of Israel:
KJV
Now 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,
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This verse in 2 Samuel 23
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The last words of David - i. e., his last Psalm, his last “words of song” 2Sa 22:1. The insertion of this Psalm, which is not in the Book of Psalms, was probably suggested by the insertion of the long Psalm in 2 Sam. 22. David the son of Jesse said ... - The original word for “said” is used between 200 and 300 times in the phrase, “saith the Lord,” designating the word of God in the mouth of the prophet.
This site's exposition
the last words of David
on 2 Samuel 23:1-3
David's titles are stacked in rising order: son of Jesse, the man raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel. The Spirit of the LORD spake by me is David's own account of how the psalms were made, one of only four occurrences of that name of the Spirit in these two books, and Acts 1:16 says the same thing of him from the other side. The oracle itself is one sentence: he that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
(2.) He was the sweet psalmist of Israel, and so was serviceable to them in their religious exercises. He penned the psalms, set the tunes, appointed both the singers and the instruments of music, by which the devotions of good people were much excited and enlarged. Note, The singing of psalms is a sweet ordinance, very agreeable to those that delight in praising God.
We have upon record the last words of Jacob and Moses, and here of David, designed, as those, for a legacy to those that were left behind. Whose last will and testament this is. This is related either, or is usual, by the testator himself, or rather, by the historian,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Now these be the last words of David--Various opinions are entertained as to the precise meaning of this statement, which, it is obvious, proceeded from the compiler or collector of the sacred canon. Some think that, as there is no division of chapters in the Hebrew Scriptures, this introduction was intended to show that what follows is no part of the preceding song.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
These are Dovid's words. Dovid's last prophecy. What were the first words? The words of the song that were said above. 1 But all the songs and praises that he [Dovid] said are not called "words". 2 The use of the word דִּבְרֵי here denotes prophecy, not songs and praises.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאֵ֛לֶּה | veeleh | and these | H428 → | 746 times |
| דִּבְרֵ֥י | divrei | [are] [the] words of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| דָוִ֖ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| הָאַֽחֲרֹנִ֑ים | haacharonim | <the> last | H314 → | 51 times |
| נְאֻ֧ם | neum | [the] utterance of | H5002 → | |
| דָּוִ֣ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשַׁ֗י | yishai | Jesse | H3448 → | |
| וּנְאֻ֤ם | uneum | and [the] utterance of | H5002 → | |
| הַגֶּ֙בֶר֙ | hagever | the man | H1397 → | |
| הֻ֣קַם | hukam | [who] he was raised up | H6965 → | 628 times |
| עָ֔ל | ʾal | height | H5920 → | |
| מְשִׁ֙יחַ֙ | meshiach | [the] [one] anointed of | H4899 → | 39 times |
| אֱלֹהֵ֣י | ʾelohei | [the] God of | H430 → | 2601 times |
| יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב | yaako | Jacob | H3290 → | |
| וּנְעִ֖ים | uneim | and [the] pleasant [one] of | H5273 → | |
| זְמִר֥וֹת | zemirot | [the] songs of | H2158 → | |
| יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
וְאֵ֛לֶּהand these
veelehH428 →746 times
דִּבְרֵ֥י[are] [the] words of
divreiH1697 →1440 times
דָוִ֖דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
הָאַֽחֲרֹנִ֑ים<the> last
haacharonimH314 →51 times
נְאֻ֧ם[the] utterance of
neumH5002 →
דָּוִ֣דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
בֶּן־[the] son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
יִשַׁ֗יJesse
yishaiH3448 →
וּנְאֻ֤םand [the] utterance of
uneumH5002 →
הַגֶּ֙בֶר֙the man
hageverH1397 →
הֻ֣קַם[who] he was raised up
hukamH6965 →628 times
עָ֔לheight
ʾalH5920 →
מְשִׁ֙יחַ֙[the] [one] anointed of
meshiachH4899 →39 times
אֱלֹהֵ֣י[the] God of
ʾeloheiH430 →2601 times
יַֽעֲקֹ֔בJacob
yaakoH3290 →
וּנְעִ֖יםand [the] pleasant [one] of
uneimH5273 →
זְמִר֥וֹת[the] songs of
zemirotH2158 →
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
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
Colossians 3:16Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to…
it leads to
- Psalms 119:11
I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.
- Ephesians 5:19
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord,
- John 15:7
If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
- Romans 10:17
Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
- Jeremiah 15:16
Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became my joy and my heart’s delight. For I bear Your name, O LORD God of Hosts.
- Psalms 119:11
Through
Psalms 89:20I have found My servant David; with My sacred oil I have anointed him.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 16:12–13
So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.”
- Isaiah 61:1–3
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty…
- 1 Samuel 16:1
Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending…
- 1 Samuel 16:12–13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Samuel
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Books of Samuel and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.