2 Samuel 23:1-7
New English Translation
David’s Final Words
23 These are the final words of David:
“The oracle of David son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man raised up as
the ruler chosen by the God of Jacob,[a]
Israel’s beloved[b] singer of songs:
2 The Lord’s Spirit spoke through me;
his word was on my tongue.
3 The God of Israel spoke,
the Protector[c] of Israel spoke to me.
The one who rules fairly among men,
the one who rules in the fear of God,
4 is like the light of morning when the sun comes up,
a morning in which there are no clouds.
He is like the brightness after rain
that produces grass from the earth.
5 My dynasty is approved by God,[d]
for he has made a perpetual covenant with me,
arranged in all its particulars and secured.
He always delivers me,
and brings all I desire to fruition.[e]
6 But evil people are like thorns—
all of them are tossed away,
for they cannot be held in the hand.
7 The one who touches them
must use an iron instrument
or the wooden shaft of a spear.
They are completely burned up right where they lie!”[f]
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 23:1 tn Heb “the anointed one of the God of Jacob.”
- 2 Samuel 23:1 tn Or “pleasant.”
- 2 Samuel 23:3 tn Heb “rock,” used as a metaphor of divine protection.
- 2 Samuel 23:5 tn Heb “For not thus [is] my house with God?”
- 2 Samuel 23:5 tn Heb “for all my deliverance and every desire, surely does he not make [it] grow?”
- 2 Samuel 23:7 tn Heb “and with fire they are completely burned up in [the place where they] remain.” The infinitive absolute is used before the finite verb to emphasize that they are completely consumed by the fire.
2 Samuel 23:1-7
Christian Standard Bible
David’s Last Words
23 These are the last words of David:
The declaration of David son of Jesse,(A)
the declaration of the man raised on high,[a]
the one anointed by the God of Jacob.(B)
This is the most delightful of Israel’s songs.
2 The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me,
his word was on my tongue.(C)
3 The God of Israel spoke;
the Rock of Israel said to me,
“The one who rules the people with justice,
who rules in the fear of God,(D)
4 is like the morning light when the sun rises
on a cloudless morning,
the glisten of rain on sprouting grass.”
5 Is it not true my house is with God?
For he has established a permanent covenant(E) with me,
ordered and secured in every detail.(F)
Will he not bring about
my whole salvation and my every desire?
6 But all the wicked are like thorns raked aside;
they can never be picked up by hand.
7 The man who touches them
must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear.
They will be completely burned up on the spot.
Footnotes
- 23:1 Or raised up by the high God
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