2 Samuel 22:1-16 – I Called And God Saved

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church of Manhattan, KS 18 Jan 2015, 18 Dec 2022

Omitting greyed-out text should bring delivery time down to 45 minutes.

Translation (NAW):

Then David uttered to Yahweh the words of this song during the time that Yahweh caused him to escape from the control of all his enemies and from the control of Saul, and he said, “Yahweh, You are my rock-mountain and my stronghold and my deliverer for me. My God, You are my landmark-rock in which I will take refuge, my shield and horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my escape, my savior. You will save me from violence. He being praiseworthy, I will call Yahweh, and from my enemies I will be saved. For, crashing-waves of death drowned me; torrents of ungodliness overwhelmed me; pains of Sheol surrounded me; deathly noose-snares confronted me. During my distress, I would call Yahweh – indeed to my God I would call, and from His temple He would hear my voice, and my hollering [would make it] into His ears. Then the earth crashed and buckled; the foundations of the heavens trembled. Indeed, they crashed themselves because He was angry. Smoke went up in His anger, and fire from His mouth was consuming; coals burned out of Him! Then He parted the heavens and came down, and the fog was under His feet. He also rode upon a cherub, and flew and was seen upon wings of wind. He also placed darkness around Himself - pavilions of the cloudmass of waters, the density of stormclouds. Out of the brightness corresponding to Him, coals of fire burned. Yahweh caused it to thunder from the heavens, and the Most High put forth His voice. He also shot arrows – lightening, and made a commotion among them, and caused them to scatter. Then the beds of the sea were made visible; {and} the foundations of the world were laid bare by the rebuke of Yahweh - from the blast of the spirit of His anger. He will send from on high, {and} He will take me; He will pull me out of increasing waters. He will cause to deliver me from my strong enemy - from the ones who hate me - because they were stronger than me. They will confront me in my day of calamity, but Yahweh has became my support, and He has brought me out to freedom.

vs.1-3 Introduction and Metaphors for God

vs.4-7 David Cried Out To God In His Distresses

vs.8-16 God’s Powerful, Saving Response To David’s Cry

...the mountains trembled... Smoke... and fire... He came down and there was fog... darkness... dense stormclouds... hail... thunder... lightening... commotion... wind...”

vs.16-17 Application: Ask Jesus to Save you!



2 Samuel 22:1-28Side-by side comparison of versionsA

Ps.17 LXX

2Sa22 LXX

Brenton

Douay

KJV

NAW

2Sa.22 MT

Ps.18 MT

1 Εἰς τὸ τέλος· τῷ παιδὶ κυρίου τῷ Δαυιδ, ἃ ἐλάλησεν τῷ κυρίῳ τοὺς λόγους τῆς ᾠδῆς ταύτης ἐν ἡμέρᾳ, [] ἐρρύσατο αὐτὸν κύριος ἐκ χειρὸς πάντων τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκ χειρὸς Σαουλ, καὶ εἶπεν Ἀγαπήσω σε, κύριε ἡ ἰσχύς μου.



1 Καὶ ἐλάλησεν Δαυιδ τῷ κυρίῳ τοὺς λόγους τῆς ᾠδῆς ταύτης ἐν [ᾗ] ἡμέρᾳ ἐξείλατο αὐτὸν κύριος ἐκ χειρὸς πάντων τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκ χειρὸς Σαουλ,

1 And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song, in the day [in which] the Lord rescued him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul.

1 And David spoke to the Lord the words of this canticle, in the day that the Lord delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul,

1 And David spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:

1 Then David uttered to Yahweh the words of this song during the time that Yahweh caused him to escape from the control of all his enemies and from the control of Saul,

(א)B
וַיְדַבֵּר דָּוִד לַיהוָה אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת בְּיוֹם הִצִּיל יְהוָה אֹתוֹ מִכַּף כָּל אֹיְבָיו וּמִכַּףC שָׁאוּל.

א ... לְדָוִד אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לַיהוָה אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת בְּיוֹם הִצִּיל יְהוָה אוֹתוֹ מִכַּף כָּל אֹיְבָיו וּמִיַּד שָׁאוּל.

2 κύριος
στερέωμά μου καὶ καταφυγή μου καὶ ῥύστης μου
X,

ὁ θεός μου
βοηθός
μου, [καὶ] ἐλπιῶ ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν, ὑπερασπιστής μου καὶ
κέρας σωτηρίας μου, ἀντιλήμπτωρ μου
X X
X X
X X X
X X
.

2 καὶ εἶπεν Κύριε, πέτρα μου καὶ ὀχύρωμά μου καὶ ἐξαιρούμενός με ἐμοί,

2 And the song was thusD: O Lord, my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer X,

2 And he said: The Lord is my rock, and my strength, and my saviour X.

2 And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer X;

2 and he said, “Yahweh, You are my rock-mountain and my stronghold and my deliverer for me.

ב וַיֹּאמַר יְהוָהE סַלְעִי וּמְצֻדָתִי וּמְפַלְטִי לִי.

וַיֹּאמַר ... ג
יְהוָה סַלְעִי וּמְצוּדָתִי וּמְפַלְטִי X

אֵלִXיF
צוּרִי אֶחֱסֶה בּוֹ מָגִנִּי וְקֶרֶן יִשְׁעִי מִשְׂגַּבִּי
X X
X
X
.

3 ὁ θεός μου φύλαξ [ἔσται] μου, πεποιθὼς ἔσομαι ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ, ὑπερασπιστής μου καὶ κέρας σωτηρίας μου, ἀντιλήμπτωρ μου καὶ καταφυγή μου σωτηρίας μου, ἐξ ἀδίκου σώσεις με.

3 my God; he shall [be to meG] my guard, I will trust in him: he is my protector, and the horn of my salvation, my helper, and my sure refuge; thou shalt save me from the unjust man.

3 X God is my strong one, in him will I trust: my shield, and the horn of my salvation: [he] lifteth me up, and is my refuge: my saviour, thou wilt deliver me from iniquity.

3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.

3 My God, You are my landmark-rock in which I will take refuge, my shield and horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my escape, my savior. You will save me from violence.

(ג) אֱלֹהֵי צוּרִי אֶחֱסֶה בּוֹ מָגִנִּי וְקֶרֶן יִשְׁעִי מִשְׂגַּבִּי וּמְנוּסִי מֹשִׁעִי מֵחָמָס תֹּשִׁעֵנִי.

3 αἰνῶν ἐπικαλέσομαι κύριον καὶ X ἐκ τῶν ἐχθρῶν μου σωθήσομαι.

4 αἰνετὸν ἐπικαλέσομαι κύριον καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἐχθρῶν μου σωθήσομαι.

4 I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised, and I shall be saved from my enemies.

4 I will call on the Lord who is worthy to be praised: and I shall be saved from my enemies.

4 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

4 He being praiseworthy, I will call Yahweh, and from my enemies I will be saved.

(ד) מְהֻלָּל אֶקְרָא יְהוָה וּמֵאֹיְבַי אִוָּשֵׁעַH.

ד מְהֻלָּל אֶקְרָא יְהוָה וּמִן אֹיְבַי אִוָּשֵׁעַ.

4 X περιέσχον με ὠδῖνες θανάτου, καὶ χείμαρροι ἀνομίας ἐξετάραξάν με

5 ὅτι περιέσχον με συντριμμοὶ θανάτου, χείμαρροι ἀνομίας ἐθάμβησάν με·

5 For the troubles of death compassed me, the floods of iniquity amazed me:

5 For the pangs of death have surrounded me: the floods of Belial have made me afraid.

5 When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;

5 For, crashing-waves of death drowned me; torrents of ungodliness overwhelmed me;

ה כִּי Iאֲפָפֻנִי Jמִשְׁבְּרֵי מָוֶת נַחֲלֵי בְלִיַּעַל יְבַעֲתֻנִי.

ה X אֲפָפוּנִי חֶבְלֵי מָוֶת וְנַחֲלֵי בְלִיַּעַל יְבַעֲתוּנִי.

5 ὠδῖνες ᾅδου περιεκύκλωσάν με, προέφθασάν με παγίδες θανάτου.

6 ὠδῖνες θανάτου ἐκύκλωσάν με, προέφθασάν με σκληρότητες θανάτου.

6 the pangs of death surrounded me, the agonies of death prevented me.

6 The cords of hell compassed me: the snares of death prevented me.

6 The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;

6 pains of Sheol surrounded me; deathly noose-snares confronted me.

(ו) חֶבְלֵיK שְׁאוֹל סַבֻּנִי קִדְּמֻנִי מֹקְשֵׁי מָוֶת.

ו חֶבְלֵי שְׁאוֹל סְבָבוּנִי קִדְּמוּנִי מוֹקְשֵׁי מָוֶת.

6 καὶ ἐν τῷ θλίβεσθαί με ἐπεκαλεσάμην τὸν κύριον καὶ πρὸς τὸν θεόν μου ἐκέκραξα· X κουσεν ἐκ ναοῦ ἁγίου αὐτοῦ φωνῆς μου, καὶ ἡ κραυγή μου ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ εἰσελεύσεται εἰς ττα αὐτοῦ.

7 ἐν τῷ θλίβεσθαί με ἐπικαλέσομαι κύριον καὶ πρὸς τὸν θεόν μου βοήσομαι· καὶ ἐπακούσεται ἐκ ναοῦ αὐτοῦ φωνῆς μου, καὶ ἡ κραυγή μου ἐν τοῖς ὠσὶν αὐτοῦ.


7 When I am afflicted I will call upon the Lord, and will cry to my God, and he shall hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry [shalt come] into his ears.

7 In my distress I will call upon the Lord, and I will cry to my God: and he will hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry [shall come] to his ears.

7 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry [did enter] into his ears.

7 During my distress, I would call Yahweh – indeed to my God I would call, and from His temple He would hear my voice, and my hollering [would make it] into His ears.

(ז) בַּצַּר לִי Lאֶקְרָא יְהוָה וְאֶל אֱלֹהַי אֶקְרָא וַיִּשְׁמַע מֵהֵיכָלוֹ קוֹלִי וְשַׁוְעָתִיM בְּאָזְנָיו.

ז בַּצַּר לִי אֶקְרָא יְהוָה וְאֶל אֱלֹהַי אֲשַׁוֵּעַN xיִשְׁמַע מֵהֵיכָלוֹ קוֹלִי וְשַׁוְעָתִי לְפָנָיו תָּבוֹא בְאָזְנָיו.

7 καὶ ἐσαλεύθη καὶ ἔντρομος ἐγενήθη ἡ γῆ, καὶ τὰ θεμέλια τῶν ὀρέων Xἐταράχθησαν καὶ ἐσαλεύθησαν, ὅτι ὠργίσθη αὐτοῖς [ὁ θεός].

8 καὶ ἐταράχθη καὶ ἐσείσθη ἡ γῆ, [καὶ] τὰ θεμέλια τοῦ οὐρανοῦ συνεταράχθησαν καὶ ἐσπαράχθησαν, ὅτι ἐθυμώθη [κύριος] αὐτοῖς.

8 And the earth was troubled and quaked, [and] the foundations of heaven were confounded and torn asunder, because [the Lord] was wroth with them.

8 X The earth shook and trembled, the foundations of the mountains were moved, and shaken, because he was angryO [with them].

8 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth.

8 Then the earth crashed and buckled; the foundations of the heavens trembled. Indeed, they crashed themselves because He was angry.

ח וַתִּגְעַשׁP וַתִּרְעַשׁ הָאָרֶץ Qמוֹסְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם יִרְגָּזוּ וַיִּתְגָּעֲשׁוּ כִּי חָרָה לוֹR.

ח וַתִּגְעַשׁ וַתִּרְעַשׁ הָאָרֶץ וּמוֹסְדֵי הָרִים יִרְגָּזוּ וַיִּתְגָּעֲשׁוּ כִּי חָרָה לוֹ.

8 ἀνέβη καπνὸς ἐν x ὀργῇ αὐτοῦ, καὶ πῦρ ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ κατεφλόγισεν, ἄνθρακες ἀνήφθησαν ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

9 ἀνέβη καπνὸς ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ αὐτοῦ, καὶ πῦρ ἐκ στόματος αὐτοῦ κατέδεται, ἄνθρακες ἐξεκαύθησαν ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

9 There went up a smoke in his wrath, and fire out of his mouth devours: coals [were] kindled at it.

9 A smoke went up from his nostrils, and a devouring fire out of his mouth: coals[ were] kindled by it.

9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals [were] kindled by it.

9 Smoke went up in His anger, and fire from His mouth was consuming; coals burned out of Him!

ט עָלָה עָשָׁן Sבְּאַפּוֹ וְאֵשׁ מִפִּיו תֹּאכֵל גֶּחָלִים בָּעֲרוּ מִמֶּנּוּ.

ט עָלָה עָשָׁן בְּאַפּוֹ וְאֵשׁ מִפִּיו תֹּאכֵל גֶּחָלִים בָּעֲרוּ מִמֶּנּוּ.

9 καὶ ἔκλινεν οὐρανὸν καὶ κατέβη, καὶ γνόφος ὑπὸX τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ.

10 καὶ ἔκλινεν οὐρανοὺς καὶ κατέβη, καὶ γνόφος ὑποκάτω τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ.

10 And he bowed the heavens, and came down, and there was darkness under his feet.

10 X He bowed the heavens, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.

10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet.

10 Then He parted the heavens and came down, and the fog was under His feet.

י וַיֵּט שָׁמַיִם וַיֵּרַד וַעֲרָפֶלT תַּחַת רַגְלָיו.

י וַיֵּט שָׁמַיִם וַיֵּרַד וַעֲרָפֶל תַּחַת רַגְלָיו.

10 καὶ ἐπέβη ἐπὶ χερουβιν καὶ ἐπετάσθη, ἐπετάσθη ἐπὶ πτερύγων ἀνέμων.

11 καὶ ἐπεκάθισεν ἐπὶ χερουβιν καὶ ἐπετάσθη καὶ ὤφθη ἐπὶ πτερύγων ἀνέμου.

11 And he rode upon the cherub[s] and did fly, and was seen upon the wings of the wind.

11 And he rode upon the cherub[ims], and flew: and slid upon the wings of the wind.

11 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind.

11 He also rode upon a cherub, and flew and was seen upon wings of wind.

(יא) וַיִּרְכַּב עַל כְּרוּבU וַיָּעֹף וַיֵּרָאV עַל כַּנְפֵי רוּחַ.

יא וַיִּרְכַּב עַל כְּרוּב וַיָּעֹף וַיֵּדֶא עַל כַּנְפֵי רוּחַ.

11 καὶ ἔθετο σκότος ἀποκρυφὴν αὐτοῦ· κύκλῳ αὐτοῦ
σκηνὴ αὐτοῦ, σκοτεινὸν ὕδωρ X ἐν νεφέλαις ἀέρων.

12 καὶ ἔθετο σκότος [ἀποκρυφὴν αὐτοῦ] κύκλῳ αὐτοῦ, [ἡ] σκηνὴX [αὐτοῦ] σκότος ὑδάτων· ἐπάχυνεν [ἐν] νεφέλαις [ἀέρος].

12 And he made darkness [his hiding-place]; [his] tabernacleX round about him was the darkness of waters, he condensed it [with] the clouds [of the air].

12 X He made darkness a coveringX round about him: dropping waters out of the clouds of the heavens.

12 And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.

12 He also placed darkness around Himself - pavilions of the cloudmass of waters, the density of stormclouds.

(יב) וַיָּשֶׁת חֹשֶׁךְW סְבִיבֹתָיו סֻכּוֹתX חַשְׁרַתY מַיִם עָבֵי שְׁחָקִים.

יב xיָשֶׁת חֹשֶׁךְ סִתְרוֹ סְבִיבוֹתָיו סֻכָּתוֹ חֶשְׁכַת
מַיִם עָבֵי שְׁחָקִים.

12 ἀπὸ τῆς τηλαυγήσεως ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ αἱ νεφέλαι διῆλθον, χάλαζα καὶ ἄνθρακες πυρός.

13 ἀπὸ τοῦ φέγγους ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ ἐξεκαύθησαν ἄνθρακες πυρός.

13 At the brightness before him coals of fire [were] kindled.

13 By the brightness before him, the coals of fire [were] kindled.

13 Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled.

13 Out of the brightness corresponding to Him, coals of fire burned.

(יג) מִנֹּגַהּ נֶגְדּוֹ בָּעֲרוּZ גַּחֲלֵי אֵשׁAA.

יג מִנֹּגַהּ נֶגְדּוֹ עָבָיו עָבְרוּ בָּרָד וְגַחֲלֵי אֵשׁ.

13 καὶ ἐβρόντησεν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ κύριος, καὶ ὁ ὕψιστος ἔδωκεν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ· X X X X

14 ἐβρόντησεν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ κύριος, καὶ ὁ ὕψιστος ἔδωκεν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ

14 The Lord thundered out of heaven, and the Most High uttered his voice.

14 The Lord shall thunder from heaven: and the most high shall give forth his voice.

14 The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.

14 Yahweh caused it to thunder from the heavens, and the Most High put forth His voice.

יד יַרְעֵםAB ACמִן שָׁמַיִם יְהוָה וְעֶלְיוֹןAD יִתֵּן קוֹלוֹ.

יד וַיַּרְעֵם בַּשָּׁמַיִם יְהוָה וְעֶלְיוֹן יִתֵּן קֹלוֹ בָּרָד וְגַחֲלֵי אֵשׁ.

14 καὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν XAE βέλη καὶ ἐσκόρ­πισεν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀστραπὰς ἐπλήθυνεν καὶ συνετάραξεν αὐτούς.

15 καὶ ἀπέστειλεν βέλη καὶ ἐσκόρπισεν αὐτούς, ἀστραπὴν καὶ ἐξέστησεν αὐτούς.

15 And he sent forth arrows, and scattered them, [and he flashedAF] lightning, and dismayed them.

15 XAG He shot arrows and scattered them: lightning, and consumed them.

15 And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them.

15 He also shot arrows lightening, and made a commotion among them, and caused them to scatter.

טו וַיִּשְׁלַח חִצִּים וַיְפִיצֵםAH בָּרָקAI ‎ וַיְהֻמֵּםAJ.

טו וַיִּשְׁלַח חִצָּיו וַיְפִיצֵם וּבְרָקִים רָב וַיְהֻמֵּם.

15 καὶ ὤφθησαν αἱ πηγαὶ τῶν ὑδάτων, καὶ ἀνεκαλύφθη τὰ θεμέλια τῆς οἰκου­μένης ἀπὸ ἐπιτιμή­σεώς σου, κύριε, ἀπὸ ἐμπνεύσεως πνεύματος ὀργῆς σου.

16 καὶ ὤφθησαν ἀφέσεις θαλάσσης, [καὶ] ἀπεκαλύφθη θεμέλια τῆς οἰκουμένης ἐν τῇ ἐπιτιμήσει κυρίου, ἀπὸ πνοῆς πνεύματος θυμοῦ αὐτοῦ.

16 And the channels of the sea were seen, [and] the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of the breath of his angerAK.

16 And the overflowings of the sea X appeared, [and] the foundations of the world were laid open at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of the spirit of his wrath.

16 And the channels of the sea X appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of his nostril[s].

16 Then the beds of the sea were made visible; {and} the foundations of the world were laid bare by the rebuke of Yahweh - from the blast of the spirit of His anger.

(טז) וַיֵּרָאוּ אֲפִקֵי יָם יִגָּלוּAL מֹסְדוֹת תֵּבֵל בְּגַעֲרַתAM יְהוָה מִנִּשְׁמַת רוּחַ אַפּוֹ.

טז וַיֵּרָאוּ אֲפִיקֵי מַיִם וַיִּגָּלוּ מוֹסְדוֹת תֵּבֵל מִגַּעֲרָתְךָ יְהוָה מִנִּשְׁמַת רוּחַ אַפֶּךָ.

16 ἐξαπέστειλεν ἐξ ὕψους [καὶ] ἔλαβέν με, προσελάβετό με ἐξ ὑδάτων πολλῶν.

17 ἀπέστειλεν ἐξ ὕψους [καὶ] ἔλαβέν με εἵλκυσέν με ἐξ ὑδάτων πολλῶν

17 He sent from above [and] took me; he drew me out of many waters.

17 He sent from on high, [and] took me, and drew me out of many waters.

17 He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters;

17 He will send from on high, {and} He will take me; He will pull me out of increasing waters.

(יז) יִשְׁלַח מִמָּרוֹם AN יִקָּחֵנִי יַמְשֵׁנִי מִמַּיִם רַבִּים.

יז יִשְׁלַח מִמָּרוֹם יִקָּחֵנִי יַמְשֵׁנִי מִמַּיִם רַבִּים.



1LXX=hope

2cf. Psalms 5:11; 7:1; 11:1; 16:1; 17:7; 18: 30; 25:20; 31:1,19; 34:8,22; 36:7; 37:40; 57:1; 61:4; 64:10; 71:1; 91:4; 118:8,9; 141:8; 144:2.

3Hannah, the mother of the Prophet Samuel is the first person in the Bible to use this imagery. When God gave her first child to her, she said in 1 Sam 2:1, “My heart rejoices in the LORD, my horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.”

4“Christ, as prefigured in Dauid... beeing made sinne and a curse for vs, did feele the sorrowes and torment of hell...” ~Andrew Willett

5In other places, coals of fire and smoke are associated with the presence of God, such as during God’s covenant-making ceremony with Abraham (Gen. 15:12-17) when God arrived under cover of “darkness” and the “smoking” lamp passed through the animal sacrifices or during God’s covenant-making ceremony with the nation of Israel at Mt. Sinai where there was lots of smoke and thunder and lightening and earthquakes and foggy clouds (Exodus 19:16-18, Deut. 4:11, 9:15), or even in Isaiah’s and Ezekiel’s visions of heaven (Isa. 6, Ezek. 1:13 and 10:2).

6Multiple commentators also noted similarity between David’s words here and God’s awesome display at Mt. Sinai. e.g. Keil & Delitzsch: “The theophany under which David depicts the deliverance he had experienced, had its type in the miraculous phenomenon which accompanied the descent of God upon Sinai (Es. 19:18), and which suggested, as in the song of Deborah, the idea of a terrible storm.”

7 Although they could just as well be applied to God’s visitation on Mt. Sinai at the giving of the law, so I don’t want to be dogmatic about this allusion.

AMy original chart includes the NASB, NIV, and ESV, but their copyright restrictions have forced me to remove them from the publicly-available edition of this chart. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use of italics or greyed-out text, I put the added words in [square brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different from all the other translations, I underline it. When a version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout. And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between the various editions and versions when there are more than two different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea Scrolls containing 2 Samuel 21 are 4Q51 Samuela (containing parts of verses 1-17 and dated between 50-25 BC) and 1Q7 (containing parts of verses 16-19 and dated c. 150 BC). No DSS of Chronicles has been discovered. Where the DSS is legible and in agreement with the MT, the MT is colored purple. Where the DSS supports the LXX (or Vulgate) with omissions or text not in the MT, I have highlighted with yellow the LXX and its translation into English, and where I have accepted that into my NAW translation, I have marked it with {pointed brackets}.
In the parallel Greek and Hebrew readings from Psalm 18, I have colored orange the words which are spelled differently and colored grey the words which are not in the 2 Sam. text. In most cases, the orange words are synonyms for the words in the 2 Sam. 22 text. It is clear that the differences between them are not the result of accidental copy errors, but rather are a result of a purposeful editing process. Tsumura commented that in almost every case the Psalms edition uses standardized Hebrew spelling with full spellings of long vowel consonants, so it was written to be read, whereas the 2 Samuel edition would sound practically the same but was written to be heard. The 2 Sam. 22 text seems to be the earlier edition, and Ps. 18 the later edition.

B“The heading is formed precisely according to the introductory formula of the song of Moses in Deut. 31:30” ~Keil & Delitzsch

C2 Sam. 22:1 reads “palm” instead of Psalm 18’s synonym “hand” here and omits the phrase, “I love You, O LORD my strength,” which is in Psalm 18. Curiously, the Syriac and Lucian Rescription retain that phrase in their versions of 2 Sam. 22. Various interpretations of the conjunction at the beginning of this word have been proposed, depending on whether Saul should be lumped together with David’s enemies (“as,” “especially”) or treated separately (“and”).

DVaticanus reads ωδη (“ode”) instead of κυριε (“lord”). The LXX majority follows the MT, though.

ETsumura pointed out that the LXX was right in translating “LORD” vocatively instead of as a predicate nominative. David “spoke this to the LORD” (v.1), so he would have referred to Him in second person rather than third, as the end of v.3 explicitly bears out.

FSpelled without abbreviation in 2 Sam. 22 and in the Cairo manuscript (elohim instead of el).

GVaticanus adds an extra “me” not in the LXX. Greek versions interpreted the Hebrew Tsur as “guard” in terms of confinement of the occupant from getting out, whereas most others interpret it as confinement of outsiders from getting in, but the Hebrew word can support both interpretations.

HKeil & Delitzsch believed that the imperfect verbs in this verse were “to denote what continually happens,” and Tsumura agreed, saying, “[T]he yqtls in v.4 should be taken as his present conviction.” The verbs switch to perfect tense (past action) in vs. 5-6.

IOnly three other instances of this verb in the O.T. besides this Psalm: Psalm 40:12 (evil), Psalm 116:3 (pangs of death), and Jonah 2:5 (waters).

JSyriac seems to be following the text of Psalm 18, rendering this verb ‎ חבלא and inserting a vav conjunction before the next verb.

KPsalm 116:3 closely parallels verses 5-7 here, but with more terse language (Tsumura).

LThe verbs switch back to imperfects for this verse.

MOnce again the Syriac follows the text of Psalm 18, which inserts “would come before Him.”

N2 Sam 22:7 repeats אֶקְרָא here, but it’s a synonym. It also doesn’t have the liphney (“before His face”), but this is implied by the following phrase.

OThis seems to be an addition from Douay, since the Vulgate does not say “them.”

PQere suggests the Hithpael spelling וַיִּתְגָּעַשׁ, but it doesn’t make a significant difference in meaning. There are lots of synonyms in Hebrew for shaking sorts of motion. When I surveyed all seven verses with this particular verb (וַתִּגְעַשׁ), I concluded that the English word “crashed” would fit every instance, which includes the motion of storm-tossed water, drunkenness, and destruction. The very next verb is only one letter different in spelling, and I think that “buckled” works well for it, since it includes the crouching of legs as well as the collapsing motion of physical features before a superior force.

QThe Psalm text adds an “and” here, and the LXX, Syriac, some Targums, and some Hebrew manuscripts of 2 Sam. 22 also have an “and” here. This doesn’t change the meaning, but the next word is different: 2 Sam 22 reads “heavens,” whereas Psalm 18 reads “mountains.” There are also a couple of Hebrew manuscripts of 2 Sam. 22 which read “mountains,” along with the Syriac and Vulgate of 2 Samuel 22. This seems to be another instance of the Syriac following the Psalm text form rather than the 2 Sam. MT text form.

RThe Greek and Syriac interpret this as God’s anger against the heavens and earth, interpreting the singular pronoun in the Hebrew to refer to both of them, but it seems more likely that the singular pronoun is referring to God, literally, “there was anger belonging to Him.”

SAlthough the parallelism with “mouth” might indicate the literal translation of aph to be “nose,” the beth prepositional prefix “in/by/with” fits better with the figurative translation of “anger.” All the English translations translated the preposition as though it were mem instead of beth, but the Septuagint rendered it the way I did.

TThe meaning of arphel is not “darkness” (choshek) but “thickness.” It is generally in parallel with the anan cloud, so I think that “fog” is a more accurate rendering in English than “darkness.” Although it can carry the negative meaning of “ignorance” or “disorientation” that our English word “fog” also carries, it is sometimes associated with brightly-lit clouds.

ULXX, Vulgate, & Targums read “cherubin” instead of the Hebrew “cherub.” Syriac reads “cheru’a.” “Cherub” means “near,” but, like the Greek and Latin, it is transliterated into English as “cherub.” The Hebrew plural for “cherub” is “cherubim;” “cherubin” could be interpreted as a plural form, as it is in Arabic, or it could be interpreted as a proper noun without focus on actual meaning, which is why it gets transliterated instead of translated. Revelation seems to describe four of these creatures located around God’s heavenly throne.

VThe MT of 2 Sam. 22 (and LXX and Cairo Geniza of Ps. 18) read, “and he was seen” (וירא ), but the MT of Ps. 18 (and several Hebrew manuscripts, as well as Targums, Syriac, and Vulgate versions of 2 Sam. 22) is “He swooped (וידא) upon wings of wind.” The sound (as well as the sight) of the two words is very similar and therefore easy to confuse, although neither creates a meaning which is contradictory to the idea of this passage or of other Bible passages, cf.:
Rev. 1:7 “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him…”
Mark 4:41b "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"
Acts 2:2 “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind
Consider also when God met Abraham in Gen. 15:12 “Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him.” (NKJV)
Exodus 19:9 “And the LORD said unto Moses, ‘Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever.’...”
And the blessing on Asher: Deut. 33:26-27 “There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee…” (KJV)
Isaiah 4:4-6 “when the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from her midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning. Then Yahweh will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy. And the booth will be for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from storm and from rain.” (NAW)

WThe Syriac and LXX follow Psalm 18 in inserting “His hiding place.”

XLXX & Syriac follow Psalm 18 in inserting the pronoun “His.”

YThe MT of 2 Sam. 22 reads חשׁרת “cloud/water-mass,” whereas the MT of Psalm 18 (as well as a couple of Hebrew manuscripts of 2 Sam. 22 plus the LXX and Syriac of 2 Sam. 22) reads חשׁכת (“darkness”). McCarter made the case that it could be translated “sieve,” and he convinced his skeptical disciple Tsumura, who wrote the Samuel commentaries for NICOT.

ZMT of Psalm 18 reads with the first two Hebrew letters switched = “passed over” instead of 2 Sam. 22 “kindled.”

AAJoshua 10:11 “And it happened, as they [the 5 kings of the Amorites] fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the LORD cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword.” (NKJV)
Exodus 9:23 “And Moses stretched out his rod toward heaven; and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire darted to the ground. And the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt.” (NKJV)

ABSyriac followed the Psalm 18 edition which begins with a vav consecutive. The verb here is in its Hiphil form.
cf. 1 Sam. 2:9-10 "It is the way of His godly one that He keeps, while He silences the wicked ones in the darkness... Yahweh will rumble [against] them in the heavens..." (NAW) Especially, note 1 Sam. 7, where God “thundered” against the Philistines in response to Samuel’s prayer. Job 37:5 “God thunders marvellously with his voice...”

ACPsalm 18 uses the preposition “within” instead of “from” (2 Sam. 22:16 does the reverse, substituting –ב for –מ.)

ADThis term was used by Abraham when talking with Canaanites in Genesis 14:22 to identify Yahweh as the highest above all gods.

AECairo Geniza also omits the pronoun “his” attached to the noun “arrows” in Psalm 18.

AFVaticanus adds this verb here (so does the Syriac, using a word from Psalm 18 but not in the MT of 2 Sam. 22 - “multiplied”), but there is no verb for the second half of this verse in the MT or LXX majority or Vulgate of 2 Sam. 22.

AGSyriac also omits the vav consecutive found in the MT.

AHcf. Gen.11:9 – the people “scattered” when God confused their language at the tower of Babel,
cf. Num. 10:35 “Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered”

AITsumura called this construction “vertical grammar” where “arrows” and “lightening” are parallel.

AJThe Qere (וַיָּהֹם) recommends dropping the 3mp pronoun, but it is in Psalm 18. The root meaning seems to have to do with making a “hubbub” noise. Note how God did this among the Egyptian army at the Red Sea (Ex. 14:24), and again the day the sun stood still for Joshua to fight the Amorites (Josh 10:10), and later at the destruction of Sisera’s army before Barak and Debora (Judges 4:14).

AKThe Hebrew word for “nose/nostril” doubles as a word for “anger.” The two words are different in Greek, and the Greek translators chose the Greek word for “anger” rather than “nose.”

ALLXX, Syriac, and Vulgate all insert an “and” between these phrases, as it is in the MT of Psalm 18. Although the phrase “foundation of the world” (καταβολῆς κόσμου) in the N.T. seems to indicate the beginning of time at the creation of the world, the phrase here in Greek is plural rather than singular and uses totally different Greek words (τὰ θεμέλια τῆς οἰκουμένης). This is the only occurrence of this phrase in the O.T. It could fit the previous phrase as a parallelism and thus be continuing the thought of the deliverance of Israel from Egypt in the crossing of the Red Sea.

AMThe MT (and LXX) of Psalm 18 read “from your rebuke,” but the MT (and LXX and one of the Targums) of 2 Sam. 22 read, “by the rebuke.” However, the Syriac, Vulgate, one of the Targums, and the Lucian Rescription of the LXX, along with a few Hebrew manuscripts of 2 Sam. 22 read, “from the rebuke.” This makes no difference in meaning.

ANThe LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate all read as though there were a vav conjunction here. It doesn’t change the meaning at all, and it’s hard to tell whether the conjunction was original but lost in the MT or whether it was inserted upon translation for easier reading. The DSS of this chapter begins to be legible in spots beginning later in this verse, but it is no help in resolving this question.

3