2 Samuel 22:17 kjv
He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters;
2 Samuel 22:17 nkjv
"He sent from above, He took me, He drew me out of many waters.
2 Samuel 22:17 niv
"He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.
2 Samuel 22:17 esv
"He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters.
2 Samuel 22:17 nlt
"He reached down from heaven and rescued me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
2 Samuel 22 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 18:16 | He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. | Direct parallel to this verse. |
| Ps 69:1-2 | Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck... I sink in deep mire... deep waters overflow me. | Metaphor of being overwhelmed by trouble. |
| Ps 69:14-15 | Deliver me from the mire... rescue me from the deep waters, from the flood... let not the deep swallow me. | Prayer for deliverance from watery peril. |
| Ps 144:7 | Send forth Your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me out of great waters, out of the hand of foreigners. | Request for divine rescue from great waters. |
| Isa 43:2 | When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. | God's promise of presence through danger. |
| Jonah 2:3,5,6 | For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the floods engulfed me... The waters closed in over me to take my life. | Rescue from the depths of the sea/death. |
| Exod 14:21-31 | Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord swept the sea back by a strong east wind... and the sons of Israel walked through the sea. | God's deliverance through parted waters. |
| Job 26:12 | By His power He quieted the sea, and by His understanding He shattered Rahab. | God's sovereignty over chaotic waters. |
| Ps 29:3-4 | The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; The God of glory thunders... The voice of the Lord is powerful. | God's powerful voice controls the waters. |
| Ps 93:3-4 | The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice... The Lord on high is more majestic than the roar of mighty waters. | God's supremacy over raging floods. |
| Lam 3:55-58 | I called on Your name, O Lord, from the lowest dungeon. You have heard my voice... You have redeemed my life. | God hears cries from dire depths and delivers. |
| Dan 6:22 | My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths... because I was found innocent before Him. | God sends help to deliver from peril. |
| Lk 1:78-79 | Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us. | God's salvation as "Sunrise from on high." |
| Acts 26:17 | delivering you from the people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you. | God's continuous deliverance from dangers. |
| Ps 34:4-6 | I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears... This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him. | God's deliverance in response to seeking. |
| Ps 116:3-4 | The cords of death encompassed me and the snares of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow. Then I called upon the name of the Lord. | God answers in times of deadly peril. |
| Mt 8:26-27 | He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm... What kind of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him? | Christ's divine authority over nature. |
| Col 1:13-14 | He has rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son. | God's ultimate rescue and transference. |
| Rom 5:8 | But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. | God's active, pre-emptive salvation. |
| Heb 2:14-15 | That through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those... | Christ's ultimate rescue from death. |
| Rev 12:15-16 | And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away by the flood... But the earth helped the woman. | God's counter-intervention against destructive forces. |
2 Samuel 22 verses
2 Samuel 22 17 Meaning
2 Samuel 22:17 articulates a profound truth about God's sovereign and compassionate intervention. It describes God actively reaching down from His heavenly abode to rescue David from overwhelming danger, metaphorically described as "many waters." This verse conveys the Lord's power to deliver His chosen one from what seems like insurmountable peril, highlighting His initiative and personal involvement in salvation.
2 Samuel 22 17 Context
This verse is part of David's song of deliverance, found in 2 Samuel chapter 22, which is nearly identical to Psalm 18. This song is attributed to David on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. It is a profound declaration of faith and thanksgiving, recalling specific moments of dire distress and God's miraculous rescue. The immediate context of this particular verse fits within the poetic depiction of David's life as a series of intense struggles and God's powerful, sovereign interventions. The "many waters" refer to the overwhelming forces of his adversaries—Saul's relentless pursuit, the Philistines, and various other hostile nations that sought his destruction. It captures a moment where David felt utterly lost and hopeless, highlighting that his rescue came entirely from God's initiative, not his own strength or ingenuity.
2 Samuel 22 17 Word analysis
- He sent (יִשְׁלַח, yishlach): A Qal imperfect verb from shalach, meaning "to send." This highlights God's initiative. The action is entirely divine; it is God who initiates the rescue by sending help from His majestic dwelling. It is not David seeking, but God reaching.
- from above (מִמָּרוֹם, mimmarom): Literally "from a high place," or "from the heights/heavens." This emphasizes God's transcendent nature, His omnipotence, and His seat of authority and power far above human struggles. The help comes directly from the divine realm.
- He took me (יִקָּחֵנִי, yiqqacheni): A Qal imperfect verb from laqach, meaning "to take," "to grasp," or "to seize." This conveys a direct, personal, and forceful act of rescue. God doesn't just delegate; He personally reaches out and grasps David.
- He drew me out (יַמְשֵׁנִי, yamsheni): A Hiphil imperfect verb from mashah, meaning "to draw out," "to pull out," or "to extract." This is a highly significant verb, echoing the name of Moses (Mosheh), who was "drawn out" of the water. This highlights God's consistent character as the deliverer who pulls His people from impossible situations.
- of many waters (מִמַּיִם רַבִּים, mimmayim rabbim): Literally "from great/abundant waters." In biblical and ancient Near Eastern thought, "waters" (especially "deep waters" or "many waters") often symbolize chaos, death, overwhelming trouble, hostile forces, or the primeval watery abyss (Tiamat/Tehom). David uses this metaphor to convey the profound, life-threatening, and seemingly inescapable dangers he faced. The image emphasizes the extent of the peril and the miraculous nature of God's rescue from complete engulfment. This can also carry a subtle polemic against polytheistic views, asserting that Yahweh alone controls the forces of chaos and destruction.
2 Samuel 22 17 Bonus section
The identical nature of 2 Samuel 22:17 with Psalm 18:16 highlights a recurring theme in Scripture: God is a present help in trouble (Ps 46:1). The use of water imagery is a robust biblical motif for overwhelming danger or the chaotic forces that oppose God's order. This metaphor not only describes David's personal struggles but can also be seen as reflecting humanity's condition—often adrift in the "many waters" of sin and mortality, from which only God can "draw out" or save. Ultimately, the New Testament echoes this theme, showing Christ's mastery over actual waters (Matthew 8:26-27) and His ultimate "drawing out" of humanity from the death-dealing waters of sin through His sacrificial act (Colossians 1:13-14), fulfilling the very essence of divine deliverance illustrated in David's psalm.
2 Samuel 22 17 Commentary
2 Samuel 22:17 is a poetic declaration of God's profound, personal, and powerful deliverance. David portrays himself in the midst of a life-threatening torrent, facing forces that could drown him. Yet, God does not remain distant or impassive. Instead, He actively intervenes "from above," a clear declaration of His heavenly sovereignty and His authority over all earthly and even chaotic powers. The phrases "He took me" and "He drew me out" reveal an intimate and determined act of rescue. This wasn't accidental escape; it was God reaching down and meticulously extracting David from certain destruction. The "many waters" signify not just physical danger, but also spiritual or emotional overwhelm—the despair and hopelessness that can accompany profound trials. This verse assures believers that no matter how deep or vast the troubles, God's arm is not too short to save, and His intention is always to rescue His own. It underscores that salvation, both temporal and eternal, is an act initiated and accomplished by God, showcasing His love and faithfulness.