2 Samuel 23 2

2 Samuel 23:2 kjv

The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

2 Samuel 23:2 nkjv

"The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, And His word was on my tongue.

2 Samuel 23:2 niv

"The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; his word was on my tongue.

2 Samuel 23:2 esv

"The Spirit of the LORD speaks by me; his word is on my tongue.

2 Samuel 23:2 nlt

"The Spirit of the LORD speaks through me;
his words are upon my tongue.

2 Samuel 23 verses

2 Samuel 23 2 Meaning

David's declaration in 2 Samuel 23:2 serves as the divine validation for his "last words," testifying that they were not merely his human reflections but directly inspired utterances from God. He states that the Spirit of the Lord was the primary speaker, communicating through him, and the very words spoken originated from God, supernaturally placed upon his tongue. This profoundly affirms David's role as a prophet-king, serving as an authoritative channel for God's revealed truth.

2 Samuel 23 2 Context

This verse introduces "the last words of David" (2 Sam 23:1), presenting a solemn and prophetic testament from the end of his life and reign. It follows the accounting of David's mighty men (2 Sam 23:8-39), elevating the narrative's focus from human military strength to the divine source of David's authority and wisdom. Historically, these are profound final utterances from Israel's greatest king, deeply rooted in covenant theology, particularly the Davidic Covenant (2 Sam 7). David, acting as king and prophet, here delivers not personal sentiment but divinely ordained truth about God's steadfast promises and the character of a righteous ruler.

2 Samuel 23 2 Word analysis

• The Spirit of the Lord: Hebrew Ruach Yahweh (רוּחַ יְהוָה).

  • Ruach (רוּחַ) signifies wind, breath, or Spirit. It embodies power, vitality, and supernatural influence. In biblical theology, the "Spirit of God" often denotes divine agency, particularly in creation, empowerment, and prophecy.
  • Yahweh (יְהוָה) is the personal, covenantal name of God. This specifies the unique, sovereign God of Israel as the source.
  • Significance: Pinpoints the divine, non-human origin of David's words. It connects his speech directly to God's own being and power, establishing a profound theological link between God's active presence and the prophetic utterance.

• spoke by me: Hebrew diber bi (דִּבֶּר־בִּי).

  • diber (דִּבֶּר) is the verb "to speak," indicating a direct act of verbal communication.
  • bi (בִּי) is the preposition "in me" or "through me," emphasizing instrumentality. David is the channel, not the author.
  • Significance: Clarifies that David was the recipient and vessel of God's message, not its originator. It highlights the divine initiative and David's responsive role in proclaiming God's word.

• and his word: Hebrew u'd'varo (וּדְבָרֹו).

  • u' is a conjunction meaning "and."
  • d'var (דְבַר) refers to a word, message, or matter.
  • The suffix -o is possessive, meaning "His."
  • Significance: This phrase explicitly confirms that the content communicated was God's specific message. It guarantees the truth, authority, and faithfulness of David's pronouncement to the divine intent.

• was on my tongue: Hebrew al leshoni (עַל־לְשׁוֹנִי).

  • al (עַל) means "upon" or "on."
  • leshoni (לְשׁוֹנִי) is "my tongue."
  • Significance: A vivid, idiomatic expression that illustrates immediate, direct, and authoritative divine dictation or impression. It suggests precision and certainty, implying that David's speech served as a literal extension for God's precise words. This imagery underlines the trustworthiness and binding nature of his final oracle.

• The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me: This phrase unequivocally identifies the Holy Spirit as the direct agent of revelation. David is presented not as a poet merely reflecting on his life, but as a divinely chosen mouthpiece through whom God articulates His unchanging purposes and covenant truths. This sets the entire discourse as sacred Scripture, God-breathed.

• and his word was on my tongue: This completes the process of inspiration, ensuring the veracity of the spoken message. The proximity of "Spirit" and "word" is crucial: the Spirit empowers, and the Word is the direct result. This connection emphasizes that the spoken prophetic message is precise, not a general influence, but specific words originating from God and pronounced by the human instrument.

2 Samuel 23 2 Bonus section

This powerful declaration from David implicitly stands in stark contrast to the claims of ancient Near Eastern rulers, who often asserted their own divine lineage or proclaimed their edicts as inherently absolute without attributing source beyond themselves. David's humility in crediting Yahweh alone for the words highlights the unique, transcendent nature of Israel's God, who sovereignly empowers and uses human vessels, even mighty kings, to communicate His precise messages to His people. This concept of the Spirit of God guiding and empowering for precise verbalization anticipates the New Covenant reality where the Spirit not only equips prophets but also indwells all believers, enabling them to comprehend and speak God's truth, leading them into all truth (Jn 16:13).

2 Samuel 23 2 Commentary

2 Samuel 23:2 serves as a pivotal theological statement on the nature of divine inspiration within the Old Testament, echoed later in the New Testament regarding all Scripture. David, reflecting at the culmination of his life, emphatically asserts that his ensuing words are not his own. This personal testimony attributes complete authorship to "the Spirit of the Lord," who supernaturally spoke through him, directly placing "His word" on David's "tongue." This declaration transforms David from a king-warrior into a true prophet whose pronouncements carry the immutable authority of God Himself. It demonstrates God's sovereignty over human speech, confirming that He chooses and empowers individuals to accurately convey His divine revelation without distortion, thereby ensuring the infallibility and divine origin of this particular "word."