2 Samuel 22:46 kjv
Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid out of their close places.
2 Samuel 22:46 nkjv
The foreigners fade away, And come frightened from their hideouts.
2 Samuel 22:46 niv
They all lose heart; they come trembling from their strongholds.
2 Samuel 22:46 esv
Foreigners lost heart and came trembling out of their fortresses.
2 Samuel 22:46 nlt
They all lose their courage
and come trembling from their strongholds.
2 Samuel 22 46 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 18:45 | Foreigners fade away and come trembling out of their strongholds. | Parallel verse, emphasizes God's victory. |
| Exo 15:14-16 | The peoples have heard, they tremble... terror and dread fall upon them... | Nations' fear before God's mighty acts. |
| Jos 2:9 | for the dread of you has fallen on us, and all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. | Jericho's inhabitants' terror before Israel. |
| Deut 2:25 | This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the peoples under the whole heaven... | God instills fear in enemies of His people. |
| Psa 91:2 | I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” | God as the true stronghold vs. worldly ones. |
| Psa 37:2 | For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. | Wicked are transient and will perish. |
| Psa 92:7 | that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever. | Evildoers flourish briefly then are destroyed. |
| Isa 40:24 | scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them away like stubble. | God's breath Withers powerful people. |
| Nah 1:7 | The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. | God is a stronghold for His own. |
| Jer 50:43 | The king of Babylon heard the report of them, and his hands fell helpless; anguish seized him, pain like a woman in labor. | King's hands fall helpless, extreme fear. |
| Isa 19:16 | In that day the Egyptians will be like women, and tremble with fear before the hand of the Lord of hosts, which he shakes over them. | Egypt's fear and weakness before God's judgment. |
| Zec 14:1-3 | For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be captured... Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations... | Nations gather against Jerusalem but face divine judgment. |
| Rev 19:19-21 | And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him... And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet... | Final defeat of enemies by Christ. |
| Psa 2:9-12 | You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel... Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way... | Messiah's triumph over rebellious nations. |
| Psa 110:5-6 | The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations... | Messiah will judge and shatter nations. |
| Isa 59:19 | So they shall fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun; for he will come like a rushing stream, which the breath of the Lord drives. | Nations will fear the Lord's coming judgment. |
| Col 2:15 | He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. | Christ's triumph over spiritual adversaries. |
| 1 Cor 15:24-26 | Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. | Christ's final victory over all opposition. |
| Eph 1:20-22 | which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion... | Christ's exaltation over all power and authority. |
| Dan 2:44 | And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed... it shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end... | God's kingdom will shatter and consume all other kingdoms. |
| Lam 2:9 | ...Her gates have sunk into the ground; he has destroyed and broken her bars; her king and her princes are among the nations; the law is no more, and her prophets find no vision from the Lord. | Destruction of city defenses, loss of security. |
| Hos 10:14 | Therefore the tumult of war shall arise among your people, and all your fortresses shall be destroyed, as Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle; mothers were dashed in pieces with their children. | Destruction of fortresses and complete devastation. |
2 Samuel 22 verses
2 Samuel 22 46 Meaning
This verse declares that foreign nations and adversaries who oppose God's anointed will utterly lose their strength and courage, becoming weak and terrified. They will be so thoroughly defeated that they will abandon even their most fortified places, driven out by overwhelming fear and panic, indicating a complete and humiliating downfall. It highlights God's sovereign power to deliver His servant and judge His enemies.
2 Samuel 22 46 Context
2 Samuel 22 is a profound psalm of thanksgiving attributed to David, delivered "on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul." This song is almost identical to Psalm 18. While specific mention of Saul grounds it in David's early struggles, the language extends to encompass all his adversaries throughout his life and reign, signifying comprehensive divine deliverance. The historical context reflects David's victories over numerous hostile nations surrounding Israel, such as the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, and Arameans, who consistently challenged his kingship and the nascent kingdom of Israel.
The chapter paints a vivid picture of God as a mighty warrior and deliverer, who personally intervened on David's behalf. It uses powerful imagery of natural phenomena (earthquakes, smoke, fire, thunder, flood) to describe the awe-inspiring power of God's intervention. Within this grand narrative of divine vindication and strength, verse 46 speaks specifically to the fate of those who opposed David—and by extension, those who oppose God's chosen king. The "strangers" are not just foreign entities but those outside the covenant and inherently hostile to God's plans. This verse stands as a triumphant declaration that all such opposition will crumble before the might of the Lord, making even their strongest defenses futile.
2 Samuel 22 46 Word analysis
- Strangers (זָרִים - zarim): Literally means "foreigners," "aliens," or "non-kinsmen." In this context, it refers to nations and peoples who were not part of Israel, and specifically those who were hostile to David and to the Lord. Significance: It highlights an 'outsider' status not only geographically but also covenantally, implying those without divine protection, and often, under divine judgment. It signifies all forms of opposition that are inherently separate from and antagonistic to God's chosen people and His reign.
- shall fade away (יִבְּל֑וּ - yivvelu): From the root יָבֵל (yavel), meaning "to wither," "to fade," "to decay," "to languish." This term denotes a loss of vitality, strength, and substance, much like a plant that dries up and dies. Significance: It indicates a process of internal collapse and degeneration, not just external defeat. The enemies will not just be overthrown; they will lose their intrinsic power and vigor, becoming weak and impotent. It conveys divine judgment stripping them of their perceived strength.
- and come trembling (וְיֶחְרְגוּ - weyeḥreḡu): From the root חָרַג (ḥaraḡ), meaning "to tremble," "to shake with fear," "to be afraid." This verb vividly describes intense, uncontrollable fear that leads to involuntary physical reactions and loss of composure. Significance: This signifies overwhelming panic, utter dismay, and disarray. It shows that the defeat is so absolute it induces profound psychological and physical terror, breaking their will to resist. This fear is a direct result of confronting the unstoppable power of God.
- out of their strongholds (מִמִּסְגְּרוֹתֵיהֶם - mimmisgĕrôṯêhem): "From" (מִן - min): Indicates movement away from or expulsion from. "Strongholds" (מִסְגְּרוֹתֵיהֶם - misgĕrôṯêhem): From סִגְרָה (siḡrâ) which refers to enclosed, fortified places, fortresses, or dungeons. The plural suffix '-ehem' denotes 'their'. * Significance: Strongholds were places of refuge and defense, offering perceived security against attack. Being forced "out of" them means that even their ultimate places of perceived safety—their most secure, impenetrable defenses—will offer no protection. Their self-reliance is utterly exposed and their false security collapses. This is a direct polemic against reliance on human strength, walls, or fortifications rather than trusting in God, showcasing God's power to overcome even the greatest human defenses.
- "Strangers shall fade away and come trembling": This phrase combines the internal decay and the external manifestation of fear. The adversaries are shown as not merely retreating, but literally falling apart internally and being paralyzed by terror externally. It's a dual effect of God's judgment and power, rendering them completely incapable of effective opposition.
- "fade away and come trembling out of their strongholds": This describes the complete and total defeat. They not only lose their power and courage but are also stripped of their last vestiges of security. They are driven from their places of defense, illustrating the inevitability and completeness of their overthrow by divine power. The collapse is not partial but absolute, leaving no place for refuge or re-mobilization.
2 Samuel 22 46 Bonus section
This verse carries a significant prophetic dimension beyond David's immediate historical context. While it celebrates God's deliverance for King David, the language of enemies "fading away" and "trembling out of their strongholds" anticipates the universal triumph of God's Messiah. In the New Testament, this imagery finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ's victory over spiritual principalities, powers, and all forms of evil. Satan and his domain, though once holding strongholds, are ultimately defeated and disarmed (Col 2:15). Every opposition to God's Kingdom is destined for this same fate of weakening, terror, and eventual expulsion from their perceived territories. The verse thus serves as an assurance of God's faithfulness to His covenant promises and the ultimate certainty of His final victory over all evil, visible and invisible.
2 Samuel 22 46 Commentary
2 Samuel 22:46 stands as a powerful testament to God's unassailable sovereignty and His active role as the deliverer of His chosen. It vividly portrays the inevitable downfall of those who oppose God and His anointed leader, David. The "strangers"—the hostile foreign nations—are depicted as losing all vitality, becoming weak and impotent (fading away), then driven by sheer terror from their most secure fortresses (coming trembling out of their strongholds). This demonstrates that no human power, no military might, and no fortified defense can ultimately withstand the force of God's will and judgment. Their defeat is comprehensive: internal collapse of will and strength, coupled with external expulsion from their places of supposed safety. The verse implicitly champions God as the ultimate Stronghold and Refuge, contrasting with the futile reliance of adversaries on their own fortifications. It points to a profound truth across all Scripture: opposition to God’s plan or His chosen instruments is destined to wither and collapse under the weight of His righteous judgment. This has deep resonance, ultimately pointing beyond David's specific battles to the final triumph of Christ over all hostile powers, where every knee will bow and every enemy will be subdued.