David's song in the day Hashem delivered him from all his enemies: 'Hashem is my rock, and my fortress... He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.'
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
And David spoke to Hashem the words of this song in the day that Hashem delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul;
verse value 3170
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 61 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֥ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "David" (דָּוִד֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "all·enemy" (כׇּל־אֹיְבָ֖יו, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "words·of" (אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֖י), "the·song" (הַשִּׁירָ֣ה), "who·delivered" (הִצִּ֨יל). The root דבר appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 250x in II Samuel); "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 151x in II Samuel); "and·spoke" (root דבר, 107x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'this', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 8 words. Full calculation: וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר [and·spoke] (222) + דָּוִד֙ [David] (14) + לַיהֹוָ֔ה [to·Hashem] (56) + אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֖י [words·of] (617) + הַשִּׁירָ֣ה [the·song] (520) + הַזֹּ֑את [this] (413) + בְּיוֹם֩ [in·day·of] (58) + הִצִּ֨יל [who·delivered] (135) + יְהֹוָ֥ה [Hashem] (26) + אֹת֛וֹ [him] (407) + מִכַּ֥ף [from·ladle·of] (140) + כׇּל־אֹיְבָ֖יו [all·enemy] (79) + וּמִכַּ֥ף [and·from·ladle·of] (146) + שָׁאֽוּל [Saul] (337) = 3170.
Rashi
On the day that the Lord delivered him. In his old age, after all his troubles had passed over him and he was delivered from them all.
And from the hand of Sha'ul. Was not Sha'ul included? Only he was his enemy and pursuer more than all; like it (above 2:30): 'Nineteen men and Asahel'; like it (Joshua 2:1): 'Go, spy out the land and Jericho'; and like it (I Kings 11:1): 'And King Solomon loved foreign women, and the daughter of Pharaoh.'
Radak
“And David spoke to the Lord.” David composed this psalm at the end of his days, when the Lord had granted him rest from all his enemies. He said, “And from the hand of Saul,” for Saul was considered equivalent to all his other enemies. This psalm is written in the Book of Psalms, and it varies in different places in its wording, yet the meaning is one. And the Targum [interprets] this psalm as referring to the salvation of Israel from their enemies; moreover, it mentions Pharaoh in the verse, “Smoke went up from His nostrils.”
Ralbag
“And David spoke to the Lord, until the end of the book.” The explanation of the words:
Metzudat David
On the day that the Lord saved. Meaning: in his old age, when he was saved from all his tribulations, and his servants prevented him from going down in battle any longer as written above, then he said this song. Or means: at every time that a trouble came upon him and he was saved from it, then he would sing this song:
Metzudat Zion
From the hand. From the hand.
Malbim
David spoke this Psalm. The Pleasant Singer of Israel arranged it entirely in his Book of Psalms (Psalm 18), and in our commentary on the Book of Psalms, we explained his words, as the good hand of God has been upon us. But why was it also presented here, and why did many variations and substitutions of words and letters appear here? We need to heed the words of Mahari [Abarbanel], who stated that David composed this song in his youth while he was amidst his troubles, and he made it comprehensive for all types of distress, so that each time God saved him from a trouble, he would sing this song. This is what is written: "On the day that the Lord saved him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul"—meaning, each time he was rescued, he would praise God with these words. And in this book, David's psalms and praises were not written except for this song, which is comprehensive and which he always sang. David, peace be upon him, in his old age, gathered and collected all his psalms into a special book for the purpose of guiding the one who withdraws from the world, so that he may pour out his heart before the Almighty regarding all the details that each person may need during the days of his life; he will find a psalm or a prayer with which to pray, and it contains wonderful efficacies, for it was composed with the Holy Spirit, as written in the book Shimush Tehillim [Use of Psalms]. Also, this psalm is written there a second time, so that a person who was surrounded by many distresses and was rescued from them, like David, may pray with it. However, since it was adapted for the needs of the one who withdraws from the world, as a prayer of a poor man when he is overwhelmed, many matters were changed in a manner suitable for the needs of the individual. In this vein, the minister Mahari found correct reasons for all the variations that appear here from the Book of Psalms. Consult his work, for there is nothing to add to his words. The explanation of this precious psalm is written with me in the Book of Psalms, for that is its proper place, and I did not duplicate it here unnecessarily. "Seek His dwelling and come there, if God is with me."
and he said: Hashem is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
verse value 1218
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 27 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֛ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֛ה, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·my·deliverer" (וּמְפַלְטִי־לִֽי, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "my·rock" (סַֽלְעִ֥י), "and·my·fortress" (וּמְצֻדָתִ֖י), "and·my·deliverer" (וּמְפַלְטִי־לִֽי). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·he·said" (root אמר, 334x in II Samuel); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 151x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·he·said', dividing the verse into phrases of 1 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּאמַ֑ר [and·he·said] (257) + יְהֹוָ֛ה [Hashem] (26) + סַֽלְעִ֥י [my·rock] (170) + וּמְצֻדָתִ֖י [and·my·fortress] (550) + וּמְפַלְטִי־לִֽי [and·my·deliverer] (215) = 1218.
Rashi
My rock and my fortress. They are expressions of strength: 'rock' (sela) in its plain meaning; 'fortress' (metzudah) is a fortress in the forest, which they call 'phelisain' in French — named for the miracle that was done for him at the Rock of Division (I Samuel 23:8), the fortresses being in the woods.
My deliverer. He delivers me together with the army of Israel in battle; and sometimes He is a deliverer for me when I am alone, such as from Yishbi-benov (above 21:17).
Radak
"My rock and my fortress." That I was exalted above my enemies through Him.
"And my deliverer, to me." It [the lamed] is light [without a dagesh], and there are many like it from the geminate (dagesh) conjugation. And what it says, "li" (for me), after the yod of the pronominal suffix, is an added clarification, for one of them would have sufficed; or the yod of "u-mefalti" may be an extra letter and not serve as the pronominal suffix, like the yod of "ha-magbihi lashevet" (Who is enthroned on high) [and] "ha-yoshevi vashamayim" (Who dwells in the heavens).
Ralbag
My rock and my fortress. They are a matter of strength, for the most part the strong buildings are upon a rock tooth, and the fortress is the strong building.
And my deliverer. That is to say, and He saves me from the evils that I am in. And the intention in this is: the Lord is to me a rock and a fortress; I will not need another strong place and another savior.
Metzudat David
The Lord is my rock. The Lord is my refuge, like a building from a rock, and like a fortress:
Metzudat Zion
And my fortress. A strong stronghold:
And my deliverer. My rescuer, and he said 'to me,' for additional explanation.
The God who is my rock, in Him I take refuge; My shield, and my horn of salvation, my high tower, and my refuge; My saviour, You save me from violence.
verse value 3208
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 50 letters. The shortest word is "the·God·of" (אֱלֹהֵ֥י, 4 letters) and the longest is "I·take·refuge·in·Him" (אֶחֱסֶה־בּ֑וֹ, 6 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "I·take·refuge·in·Him" (אֶחֱסֶה־בּ֑וֹ), "my·shield" (מָגִנִּ֞י), "and·the·horn·of" (וְקֶ֣רֶן). The root ישע appears 3 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·God·of" (root אלהים, 51x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'I·take·refuge·in·Him', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 8 words. Full calculation: אֱלֹהֵ֥י [the·God·of] (46) + צוּרִ֖י [my·rock] (306) + אֶחֱסֶה־בּ֑וֹ [I·take·refuge·in·Him] (82) + מָגִנִּ֞י [my·shield] (103) + וְקֶ֣רֶן [and·the·horn·of] (356) + יִשְׁעִ֗י [my·salvation] (390) + מִשְׂגַּבִּי֙ [my·high·tower] (355) + וּמְנוּסִ֔י [and·my·flight] (172) + מֹשִׁעִ֕י [my·savior] (420) + מֵחָמָ֖ס [from·violence] (148) + תֹּשִׁעֵֽנִי [You·save·me] (830) = 3208.
Rashi
My rock. Language of a rock—for the rock is a refuge for travelers, from the rain and the winds—'avriamsh' in French.
I take refuge. Language of covering—I was covered for help.
My haven. He supports me.
And my refuge. That I would flee to Him for help.
Radak
"My God, my Rock." Since "Elohei" is in construct, "Tzuri" must be a noun, not an adjective; yet in Psalms it says "Eli Tzuri," and both are adjectives. It is possible that "Tzuri" is always a noun, meaning that He is my strength, and every "Rock of the ages" [means] the strength of the worlds and their endurance.
And the horn of my salvation. The biblical idiom is to designate strength by the term “horn,” as in “the horns of a wild ox are his horns,” for the strength and power of the ram, the bull, and the wild ox lie in their horns, with which they gore.
"From the men of violence." From the men of violence, and as Targum Yonatan renders: "and even from the hand of all plunderers and violent men, [He] delivered me."
Ralbag
"My God, my Rock." This means: My God, my strength.
And the horn of my salvation. And the strength of my salvation. And he compared the strength to the horn, for it is a tool for the owner of the horns to remove from him every harmful thing. And since it is also used to cause harm, and this is a matter that cannot be fitting for God, blessed be He, he said: "The horn of my salvation" — it is to save and to rescue from evil, for God, blessed be He, does not do evil except from the aspect that it is good.
"My haven." This means: my strength and my might.
And "my refuge" (u-menosi). Just as a person flees to a place known to him, where it is possible for him to find escape, so too, I have no refuge other than to God, blessed be He.
Metzudat David
My rock. The Lord is my strength, in whom I will take refuge.
And the horn of my salvation. It is for me a salvation and help, just as a horn is for the owner of horns:
And my refuge. I flee to it out of fear of the enemy:
From violence. From men of violence:
Metzudat Zion
My rock. From the word rock and cliff, and it doubles his words in different words, the way of song:
And my refuge. From the word flight and escape.
From violence. It is like plunder.
Praised, I cry, is Hashem, and I am saved from mine enemies.
verse value 879
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 22 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "praised" (מְהֻלָּ֖ל, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·from·my·enemies" (וּמֵאֹיְבַ֖י, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "praised" (מְהֻלָּ֖ל), "and·from·my·enemies" (וּמֵאֹיְבַ֖י), "I·am·saved" (אִוָּשֵֽׁעַ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 151x in II Samuel); "I·call" (root קרא, 46x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: מְהֻלָּ֖ל [praised] (105) + אֶקְרָ֣א [I·call] (302) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + וּמֵאֹיְבַ֖י [and·from·my·enemies] (69) + אִוָּשֵֽׁעַ [I·am·saved] (377) = 879.
Rashi
I will call upon the LORD, who is praised. As its Targum: 'when I call to Him, I will praise Him' — for I trust that I will be saved from my enemies. And it is possible to explain [it as] 'I call' and 'I am saved' — present tense.
Radak
"Praised, I call the LORD." When I pray and call the LORD "praised" - that I shall praise Him with my praises - then I shall be saved from my enemies.
Ralbag
"Praised, I call the LORD." That is to say, when I call upon the exalted Name and pray to Him, behold, before this He will have been praised — that is to say, I will arrange His praises first — for by this it is possible that the prayer will be heard, since through the recounting of praises a person attains attachment (deveikut) with God; and then it is possible that his prayer will be heard, because of the attachment of providence to him.
Metzudat David
"Praised." As I call to the Lord in praise, then I am saved:
For the waves of Death compassed me. The floods of Belial assailed me.
verse value 2031
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "breakers·of·Death" (מִשְׁבְּרֵי־מָ֑וֶת, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "they·surrounded·me" (אֲפָפֻ֖נִי), "breakers·of·Death" (מִשְׁבְּרֵי־מָ֑וֶת), "wadis·of" (נַחֲלֵ֥י). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 110x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'breakers·of·Death', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּ֥י [for] (30) + אֲפָפֻ֖נִי [they·surrounded·me] (221) + מִשְׁבְּרֵי־מָ֑וֶת [breakers·of·Death] (998) + נַחֲלֵ֥י [wadis·of] (98) + בְלִיַּ֖עַל [worthlessness] (142) + יְבַעֲתֻֽנִי [terrified·me] (542) = 2031.
Rashi
They surrounded me. They encircled me.
The breakers of death. As its Targum: 'like a woman sitting upon the travail-stone' — so is called the seat of stones upon which the woman gives birth.
Streams. Armies that sweep [forth] like a stream.
Radak
"From the breakers of death." These are the severe troubles that brought him close to death, as was the case at the Rock of the Divisions [Sela HaMachlekot]. And the explanation of "breakers" is that the troubles break a person's heart through his sighs and anxieties. Alternatively, "breakers" is explained metaphorically, as if it said "waves of death," for strong waves are called "breakers," as it is stated, "All Your breakers and Your waves have passed over me." And the wave is called so because it breaks in its strong motion. And Jonathan explained that he was in distress like a woman sitting on the birth-stool, who is in danger of death.
"Streams of Belial terrify me." This is a metaphor: just as a rushing stream overwhelms, so does the great distress. "Belial" is said of every wicked one among his enemies; alternatively, "Belial" may be the name of the wicked one. Jonathan rendered it "a band of the guilty." It is also possible to interpret "nachalei" (my streams) from [the sense of] "nachlah" (grievous), as in "your wound is severe" (nachlah makatekh).
Ralbag
“Surrounded by the breakers of death.” This means that evils that shatter and lead to death have surrounded me. Alternatively, “surrounded” is related to the word “face,” as it says, “He fell on his face to the ground,” and the meaning here is that they turned their faces toward me. It is also possible that “the breakers of death” is related to the verse, “All your breakers and your waves have passed over me,” and the meaning here, metaphorically, is that the waves of the sea that bring death have turned their faces toward me.
“And the streams of Belial.” “Streams of wickedness.” And behold, it calls the streams of wickedness “the rushing and swiftly flowing streams,” which is entirely an allegory for great evils.
Metzudat David
For the pangs of death encompassed me. As the waves of death surrounded me, meaning: as pangs of death, and when the diseases that come from men of Belial seized me and terrified me:
Metzudat Zion
They surrounded me. They surrounded me, as (Psalms 40:13): for they have surrounded me.
My breakers. From the word break.
Of streams. From the word illness, as (Nahum 3:19): your stroke is a sickness.
They terrified me. From the word terror and fear.
The cords of Sheol surrounded me; the snares of Death confronted me.
verse value 1609
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "death" (מָֽוֶת, 3 letters) and the longest is "have·come·upon·me" (קִדְּמֻ֖נִי, 5 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "cords·of" (חֶבְלֵ֥י), "they·turned·me" (סַבֻּ֑נִי), "have·come·upon·me" (קִדְּמֻ֖נִי). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "death" (root מות, 78x in II Samuel); "Sheol" (root שאול, 38x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·turned·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: חֶבְלֵ֥י [cords·of] (50) + שְׁא֖וֹל [Sheol] (337) + סַבֻּ֑נִי [they·turned·me] (122) + קִדְּמֻ֖נִי [have·come·upon·me] (204) + מֹ֥קְשֵׁי [snares·of] (450) + מָֽוֶת [death] (446) = 1609.
Rashi
The cords. As its translation: 'the bands,' as (I Samuel 10:5): 'A company of prophets.'
"Confronted me." They came before me.
Radak
"The cords of Sheol." The matter is of pain, from the pains of a woman in childbirth; and Jonathan translated it "a band of the wicked," like [the phrase] "a band of prophets."
Ralbag
"The cords of Sheol encompassed me." The pains of death surrounded me. And behold, he calls Sheol "death," for it is a name for the grave, as if he were saying that those pains lead to death.
My adversaries have anticipated me, setting traps for death. They anticipated me, my enemies, by placing snares along the path on which I walk; I stumble into these traps, which lead to death.
Metzudat David
The cords. And when the pains of Sheol surrounded me, and snares that bring death came before me:
Metzudat Zion
My throes. My pains, as (Hosea 13:13): the pains of a childbirth.
They came before me. Came before, as (Micah 6:6): with what shall I come before the Lord?
In my distress I called upon Hashem, indeed, I called to my God; and out of His temple He heard my voice, and my cry did enter into His ears.
verse value 2596
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 51 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "I·call" (אֶקְרָ֣א, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·to·my·God" (וְאֶל־אֱלֹהַ֖י, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 302: I·call, I·call. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "in·my·distress" (בַּצַּר־לִי֙), "and·to·my·God" (וְאֶל־אֱלֹהַ֖י), "from·His·palace" (מֵהֵֽיכָלוֹ֙). The root קרא appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 151x in II Samuel); "and·to·my·God" (root אל, 72x in II Samuel); "I·call" (root קרא, 46x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'I·call', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 5 words. Full calculation: בַּצַּר־לִי֙ [in·my·distress] (332) + אֶקְרָ֣א [I·call] (302) + יְהֹוָ֔ה [Hashem] (26) + וְאֶל־אֱלֹהַ֖י [and·to·my·God] (83) + אֶקְרָ֑א [I·call] (302) + וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע [and·he·heard] (426) + מֵהֵֽיכָלוֹ֙ [from·His·palace] (111) + קוֹלִ֔י [my·voice] (146) + וְשַׁוְעָתִ֖י [and·my·cry] (792) + בְּאׇזְנָֽיו [in·his·ears] (76) = 2596.
Rashi
In my distress I will call upon the LORD, and He heard, etc. This is the manner of the present tense — speaking in past tense and future tense at one time.
Radak
From His Temple: From the heavens:
“And my cry came into His ears.” It came into His ears. And so it is written in Psalms: “It shall come into His ears.”
Ralbag
"In my distress I called to the LORD, and to my God I cried out." It appears that the matter is repeated in different words, for this is the way of poems. And it is also possible that the first [clause] means that he calls the Name of the LORD, which is the endeavor to apprehend Him, may He be blessed, by means of arranging His praises, for this is "calling His Name"; and after this he would pray to God. And in this manner his cry rose up in the ears of God, even though His level is exceedingly higher than the level of man.
Metzudat David
In my distress. When it was difficult for me on account of these things, then I called to the Lord, and He heard my voice, and my cry came into His ears, and he repeated the matter in different words, and in the poetic style of the song:
Then the earth did shake and quake, the foundations of heaven did tremble; they were shaken, because He was wroth.
verse value 5051
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 50 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (לֽוֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·him" (לֽוֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·were·shaken" (וַיִּֽתְגָּעֲשׁ֖וּ, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "and·it·shook" (וַיִּתְגָּעַ֤שׁ), "and·quaked" (וַתִּרְעַשׁ֙), "the·foundations·of" (מוֹסְד֥וֹת). The root געש appears 3 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "earth" (root ארץ, 40x in II Samuel). First appearance of the root געש ("and·it·shook") in II Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'tremble', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words.
Rashi
And it trembled and quaked. It is not said about the miracles that happened to him, but about the miracles that were done for Israel; and the beginning of the verse is connected to its end.
For it was hot against Him. 'For' serves here in the language of 'when'—and its explanation is, when it was hot against Him because of those who provoked Him, the earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the heavens shook and quivered.
Radak
"ותגעש" – it is written like the verse in Tehillim, and read as "ויתגעש," and the meaning is one. The pronunciation of the word is accented on the final syllable. And all this matter, up to "He shall send out from on high," is an allusion to the destruction and annihilation of the enemies of Israel, for them the earth quakes, and the heavens, and darkness, and thick clouds, and coals, and fire, and arrows, and lightning—all metaphorically. And likewise, "He bowed the heavens also, and came down"—as if He descended to destroy them swiftly. And this is what is meant by "He rode upon a cherub, and flew; He was seen upon the wings of the wind"—an allusion to the swiftness of the destruction and ruin of the enemies.
Ralbag
The earth also quaked and trembled. The quaking and the trembling are one thing.
The foundations of the heavens. They are the places of the earth, for they are like their foundations, for their motions to be around the center. And he said of them that they shudder and quake, because of the fire being in the belly of the earth; and this is [the meaning of] his saying, "for He was angry," which is a term of heat and burning, on account of great anger. And all this is a parable for the wonders that God, may He be blessed, was performing for the sake of saving David from his enemies. And it is possible that in saying "and the foundations of the heavens" he alluded to the foundations of the mountains, for they are high, and for this reason he described them by the name "heavens," as it says, "which flies in the heavens." And it appears that the matter is indeed so, since in place of this [phrase], the equivalent is already found in the book of Psalms: "and the foundations of the mountains."
Metzudat David
And it quaked. My enemies, the inhabitants of the land, trembled and wandered, due to the abundance of fear.
The foundations of the heavens. This is an allegory for the princes of Canaan:
"For He was angry." When He was angry, it was to take vengeance from them:
Metzudat Zion
And it was stirred up. A matter of shaking and strong movement, as (Jeremiah 46:7): like rivers shall his waters be stirred up.
They shall tremble. They shall be shaken.
Smoke arose up in His nostrils, and fire out of His mouth did devour; coals flamed forth from Him.
verse value 2013
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 34 letters. The shortest word is "went·up" (עָלָ֤ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "coals" (גֶּחָלִ֖ים, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 136: from·his·mouth, from·him. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "smoke" (עָשָׁן֙), "in·his·nostrils" (בְּאַפּ֔וֹ), "and·fire" (וְאֵ֥שׁ). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "went·up" (root עלה, 44x in II Samuel); "will·eat" (root אכל, 25x in II Samuel); "from·him" (root מן, 21x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'will·eat', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: עָלָ֤ה [went·up] (105) + עָשָׁן֙ [smoke] (420) + בְּאַפּ֔וֹ [in·his·nostrils] (89) + וְאֵ֥שׁ [and·fire] (307) + מִפִּ֖יו [from·his·mouth] (136) + תֹּאכֵ֑ל [will·eat] (451) + גֶּחָלִ֖ים [coals] (91) + בָּעֲר֥וּ [burned] (278) + מִמֶּֽנּוּ [from·him] (136) = 2013.
Rashi
Smoke went up from His nose. So is the way of the angry—one goes out smoke from his nostrils; and so (Psalms 18:9): 'Smoke went up from His nose.' And this is the language of the heat of anger, that the nose snorts and raises steam.
And fire from His mouth consumed. From the phrase 'the word of His mouth'—fire will consume among the wicked.
Radak
“Smoke went up.” This is an analogy for His wrath against the enemies, as it is said: “Then the anger of the Lord burned, and His zeal was kindled.”
And fire from His mouth shall devour them. Fire that went forth from His mouth shall devour them.
Metzudat David
"Smoke went up from His nostrils." This refers to the matter of anger, and it is expressed in language that applies to a person, for through the heat of anger, something resembling smoke appears to issue from the nostrils. And so it says (Psalms 74:1), "Your anger smokes."
It shall devour those who rise against me:
From Him. This means: From Him came the coals, and they burned to consume my enemies:
He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and thick darkness was under His feet.
verse value 2078
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "and·stretched·out" (וַיֵּ֥ט, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·thick·darkness" (וַעֲרָפֶ֖ל, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "heaven" (שָׁמַ֖יִם), "and·thick·darkness" (וַעֲרָפֶ֖ל). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "his·feet" (root רגל, 22x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·descended', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיֵּ֥ט [and·stretched·out] (25) + שָׁמַ֖יִם [heaven] (390) + וַיֵּרַ֑ד [and·descended] (220) + וַעֲרָפֶ֖ל [and·thick·darkness] (386) + תַּ֥חַת [under] (808) + רַגְלָֽיו [his·feet] (249) = 2078.
Rashi
And He bowed the heavens. To avenge Himself upon His enemies—from Egypt and from Pharaoh.
Ralbag
He bowed the heavens also, and came down. That is to say, He inclined the heavens to what He desired, that the low existences come to save David, and He shows the emanating action from Him upon this. Or he intended by this, and it is more correct, that He inclined Himself from the heavens, where His dwelling is, according to what is calculated, and He came down in the low existences to oversee me. And because of the darkness and the obscurity that are in these low existences, he called them a dark cloud. And for this he said, 'And a dark cloud was under His feet.'
Metzudat David
"He bowed the heavens also, and came down." He bowed the heavens downward to the earth, and descended upon them to draw near to my enemies, to strike them. This is expressed in the manner of a parable, to indicate that He hastened to exact retribution from them.
“Under His feet.” To be ready to take vengeance upon them, in the darkness of a cloud:
And He rode upon a cherub, and did fly; Indeed, He was seen upon the wings of the wind.
verse value 1423
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "and·he·flew" (וַיָּעֹ֑ף, 4 letters) and the longest is "upon·wings·of·wind" (עַל־כַּנְפֵי־רֽוּחַ, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "and·He·rode" (וַיִּרְכַּ֥ב), "upon·cherub" (עַל־כְּר֖וּב), "upon·wings·of·wind" (עַל־כַּנְפֵי־רֽוּחַ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·appeared" (root ראה, 46x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·he·flew', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַיִּרְכַּ֥ב [and·He·rode] (238) + עַל־כְּר֖וּב [upon·cherub] (328) + וַיָּעֹ֑ף [and·he·flew] (166) + וַיֵּרָ֖א [and·appeared] (217) + עַל־כַּנְפֵי־רֽוּחַ [upon·wings·of·wind] (474) = 1423.
Radak
And He saw. In Psalms it is written with a dalet [vayeda], from [the sense of] "as the eagle swoops" (Deut. 28:49), and the matter is similar.
Ralbag
"He mounted a cherub and flew." He states that the Blessed One rode upon a cherub, which is the Active Intellect, His messenger sent forth from Him to watch over individual human beings, as is explained in the Book of the Wars of the Lord; and He directed it to watch over David. And because of the great speed with which its action was revealed, he said that it already flew on the wings of the wind to go to him swiftly.
Metzudat David
And he mounted. To come:
And He appeared. It was seen that He came upon the wings of the wind, and He likened the blowing of the wind to the flapping of the wings of a bird.
Metzudat Zion
A cherub. An angel, and our Sages of blessed memory said (Hagigah 13b): like a child, and it is the translation of 'youth,' for they have the image of a man.
And he flew. A matter of soaring.
And He made darkness pavilions round about Him, gathering of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
verse value 3558
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 33 letters. The shortest word is "darkness" (חֹ֛שֶׁךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "his·around" (סְבִיבֹתָ֖יו, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "darkness" (חֹ֛שֶׁךְ), "his·around" (סְבִיבֹתָ֖יו), "booths" (סֻכּ֑וֹת). 7 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'booths', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיָּ֥שֶׁת [and·He·set] (716) + חֹ֛שֶׁךְ [darkness] (328) + סְבִיבֹתָ֖יו [his·around] (490) + סֻכּ֑וֹת [booths] (486) + חַֽשְׁרַת־מַ֖יִם [collection·of·water] (998) + עָבֵ֥י [the·clouds·of] (82) + שְׁחָקִֽים [skies] (458) = 3558.
Rashi
And He set darkness around Him. As a covering, similar to what is stated (Exodus 14:20): 'And there was the cloud and the darkness,' separating between Egypt and Israel.
A dark water, thick clouds. Whence was the darkness? They were thick clouds, which pour water upon the earth.
A dark water. Language of a sieve—that it falls upon the earth in fine drops (Taanit 9b); and so it is said in many aggadot: 'They sift it with a sieve.' And there is an explanation for 'dark water'—language of 'bond,' that the heavens are bound with clouds by means of the waters, as 'and their spokes' mentioned regarding the wheels of the stand (I Kings 7:33)—they are the wooden arms that tighten and bind its circles together.
Radak
“Chasharat mayim” (a mass of waters). And in Psalms it is written “cheshkhat mayim” (darkness of waters), and the matter is one, for “chasharat mayim” means that the clouds are bound together, one to another, like “v’chashukeihem” (their spokes) and “v’chashureihem” (their hubs), all of which denote something solid; and when the clouds bind themselves together, one to another, that is the darkness.
Ralbag
"He made darkness His hiding place; all around Him His pavilion." This verse speaks in a metaphorical sense, referring to what God, blessed be He, provided as a shelter and refuge for David from his enemies.
"Tethered waters in the thick clouds." This means that He bound the waters within the clouds, and he said this because from them the waters emerged, and they are within it [the cloud] in potential; and it is as if he were saying that what God, blessed be He, created from this was initially intended to bestow good upon David and to save him, just as the waters descending from the clouds cause plants to grow. And within it as well is contained whatever evil and destruction will befall his enemies, by way of analogy, like the lightning and fire that emerge from the smoky vapor; for sometimes the rain descends, and together with it descend lightning and fire and hail, and the shaking voices and thunders are renewed.
Metzudat David
"And He made darkness His screen." He placed the darkness around His booth, to be ready to darken for the enemy.
"Chashrat." That darkness came from the massing [chashrat] of the abundance of waters that are bound in the clouds spread beneath the heavens:
Metzudat Zion
And He placed. A matter of placing, as (Psalms 73:9): they have set their mouth in the heavens.
Bound. A matter of binding, as (I Kings 7:33): and their bindings and their chains.
At the brightness before Him coals of fire flamed forth.
verse value 791
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 18 letters. The shortest word is "from·brightness" (מִנֹּ֖גַהּ, 4 letters) and the longest is "coals·of·fire" (גַּחֲלֵי־אֵֽשׁ, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "opposite·him" (נֶגְדּ֑וֹ), "coals·of·fire" (גַּחֲלֵי־אֵֽשׁ). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "opposite·him" (root נגד, 40x in II Samuel). First appearance of the root נגה ("from·brightness") in II Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'opposite·him', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 2 words. Full calculation: מִנֹּ֖גַהּ [from·brightness] (98) + נֶגְדּ֑וֹ [opposite·him] (63) + בָּעֲר֖וּ [burned] (278) + גַּחֲלֵי־אֵֽשׁ [coals·of·fire] (352) = 791.
Rashi
Before His brightness. Lest you say He is dwelling in darkness—only the brightness is within the partition, and from that brightness before Him, coals of fire burned, from which arrows were sent upon Egypt.
Radak
"Minogah negdo." [The] brightness that is before Him [shines] toward His lovers; burning coals of fire [go] toward His enemies. That is to say, His fire illuminates His lovers and burns His enemies.
Metzudat David
Before Him was a shining light. On account of the light before Him that He desired to illuminate to save Me, therefore the coals of fire burned against those who rose against Me:
Hashem thundered from heaven, and the Most High gave forth His voice.
verse value 1600
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 1600 = 40². The shortest word is "will·give" (יִתֵּ֥ן, 3 letters) and the longest is "from·heaven" (מִן־שָׁמַ֖יִם, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "He·thunders" (יַרְעֵ֥ם), "from·heaven" (מִן־שָׁמַ֖יִם), "and·the·Most·High" (וְעֶלְי֖וֹן). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 151x in II Samuel); "will·give" (root נתן, 39x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יַרְעֵ֥ם [He·thunders] (320) + מִן־שָׁמַ֖יִם [from·heaven] (480) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + וְעֶלְי֖וֹן [and·the·Most·High] (172) + יִתֵּ֥ן [will·give] (460) + קוֹלֽוֹ [his·voice] (142) = 1600.
And He sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them.
verse value 1202
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "lightning" (בָּרָ֖ק, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·scattered·them" (וַיְפִיצֵ֑ם, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "arrows" (חִצִּ֖ים), "and·scattered·them" (וַיְפִיצֵ֑ם), "lightning" (בָּרָ֖ק). The root המם appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·he·sent" (root שלח, 65x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·scattered·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח [and·he·sent] (354) + חִצִּ֖ים [arrows] (148) + וַיְפִיצֵ֑ם [and·scattered·them] (236) + בָּרָ֖ק [lightning] (302) + (ויהמם) [and·He·discomfited·them] (101) + וַיָּהֹֽם [and·He·discomfited·them] (61) = 1202.
Radak
"Vayehumem." Like what is written in Psalms [in the same form], and here the qere is "vayaham" — there is no difference between them except for the pronominal suffix.
Ralbag
"He sent out arrows and scattered them." They are the burning fireballs that descend with force from the cloud, called "amash" in the vernacular (la'az); and they also arise anew from the body of the lightning. Therefore he said, "lightning, and it thundered" (ברק ויהם).
And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were laid bare by the rebuke of Hashem, at the blast of the breath of His nostrils.
verse value 3287
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 43 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "sea" (יָ֔ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·they·appeared" (וַיֵּֽרָאוּ֙, 5 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "channels·of" (אֲפִ֣קֵי), "sea" (יָ֔ם), "were·laid·bare" (יִגָּל֖וּ). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 151x in II Samuel); "and·they·appeared" (root ראה, 46x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'world', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיֵּֽרָאוּ֙ [and·they·appeared] (223) + אֲפִ֣קֵי [channels·of] (191) + יָ֔ם [sea] (50) + יִגָּל֖וּ [were·laid·bare] (49) + מֹסְד֣וֹת [foundations·of] (510) + תֵּבֵ֑ל [world] (432) + בְּגַעֲרַ֣ת [in·rebuke·of] (675) + יְהֹוָ֔ה [Hashem] (26) + מִנִּשְׁמַ֖ת [from·breath·of] (830) + ר֥וּחַ [breath·of] (214) + אַפּֽוֹ [his·anger] (87) = 3287.
Rashi
The foundations of the world were uncovered. That the abyss was split—when the Red Sea was split, all the waters of the world were split (Yalkut Shimoni, remez 161).
From the blowing. From the power of the blowing of the breath of His anger.
Radak
"Outlets of the sea." Waters that flow with force are called "outlets" (afikim), and all places through which waters flow are called "outlets" by virtue of their name.
Ralbag
"The channels of the sea appeared." They are the depths of the sea.
'The foundations of the world were laid bare.' These are the low places near the center of the earth, as if to say that hidden things which no one expected to occur, occurred through these wondrous acts flowing from God, may He be blessed. And the illustration is that no one expected the calamity that befell Saul and his sons on Mount Gilboa, through which it was revealed that God, may He be blessed, wished to give the kingdom to David -- for had Jonathan survived, David would not have contested the kingship with him, and therefore God brought it about that they died together. Likewise, no one imagined the matter of Ish-bosheth would unfold as it did -- namely, that a quarrel would arise between him and Abner, and that men would rise up to kill him upon his bed in his own house.
Metzudat David
And they were seen. The beds of the sea's waters were visible, for the waters were split.
"They shall be revealed, etc." For the earth was split:
In rebuke. Because of the rebuke of the Lord, against those who rise up against me.
From the breath. From the breathing of the breath of His nostrils, and all of this is in the manner of an allegory:
Metzudat Zion
The channels. So are called the waters that flow with strength and rush, and so (Job 6:15): like a channel of streams.
From the breath. From the word breathing and blowing of the mouth.
He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters;
verse value 1644
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "will·send" (יִשְׁלַ֥ח, 4 letters) and the longest is "from·on·high" (מִמָּר֖וֹם, 5 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "will·send" (יִשְׁלַ֥ח), "from·on·high" (מִמָּר֖וֹם), "He·took·me" (יִקָּחֵ֑נִי). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "will·send" (root שלח, 65x in II Samuel); "He·took·me" (root לקח, 39x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'He·took·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יִשְׁלַ֥ח [will·send] (348) + מִמָּר֖וֹם [from·on·high] (326) + יִקָּחֵ֑נִי [He·took·me] (178) + יַֽמְשֵׁ֖נִי [He·drew·me·out] (410) + מִמַּ֥יִם [from·waters] (130) + רַבִּֽים [many] (252) = 1644.
Radak
"Deliver me from many waters." This is a parable indicating that He saved him from many troubles. It derives from the same root as "for I drew him out of the water" [Exodus 2:10], and its meaning conveys the sense of drawing out and extracting.
Ralbag
He sent from on high, He took me. He will send from on high that which will take me and conduct me according to my desire.
Metzudat David
He sent from on high. He sent His help from on high, and took me from the hand of the enemy, and brought me out from the hand of many who rose against Me, flooding like great waters:
Metzudat Zion
He drew me out. A matter of drawing out, as (Exodus 2:10): out of the waters she drew him.
He delivered me from mine enemy most strong, from them that hated me, for they were too mighty for me.
verse value 1048
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "strong" (עָ֑ז, 2 letters) and the longest is "He·delivered·me" (יַצִּילֵ֕נִי, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "He·delivered·me" (יַצִּילֵ֕נִי), "strong" (עָ֑ז), "they·are·strong" (אָמְצ֖וּ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 110x in II Samuel); "from·me" (root מן, 21x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'strong', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: יַצִּילֵ֕נִי [He·delivered·me] (200) + מֵאֹיְבִ֖י [from·my·enemy] (63) + עָ֑ז [strong] (77) + מִשֹּׂ֣נְאַ֔י [from·those·who·hate·me] (401) + כִּ֥י [for] (30) + אָמְצ֖וּ [they·are·strong] (137) + מִמֶּֽנִּי [from·me] (140) = 1048.
Rashi
For they are strong. As they are strong.
Radak
"From my mighty enemy." The singular form refers either to Goliath, or to Yishbi-benov, or possibly to Saul.
Metzudat David
When they were too strong for me. When they were stronger than me, then He would rescue me from their hand:
They confronted me in the day of my calamity; but Hashem was a stay to me.
verse value 854
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 28 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֛ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִֽי, 2 letters) and the longest is "they·confronted·me" (יְקַדְּמֻ֖נִי, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "they·confronted·me" (יְקַדְּמֻ֖נִי), "my·calamity" (אֵידִ֑י), "support" (מִשְׁעָ֖ן). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·it·was" (root היה, 153x in II Samuel); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 151x in II Samuel); "in·day·of" (root יום, 78x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·calamity', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: יְקַדְּמֻ֖נִי [they·confronted·me] (214) + בְּי֣וֹם [in·day·of] (58) + אֵידִ֑י [my·calamity] (25) + וַיְהִ֧י [and·it·was] (31) + יְהֹוָ֛ה [Hashem] (26) + מִשְׁעָ֖ן [support] (460) + לִֽי [to·me] (40) = 854.
Radak
"They confronted me on my day of calamity." Targum Yonatan rendered: "They confronted me on the day of my wandering," meaning: on the day that I was wandering and displaced, my enemies would confront me with their evil deeds, just as the Ziphites did.
Ralbag
"They confronted me on my day of calamity." That is to say, evil confronted me on my day of calamity, adding evil upon evil -- like the matter of the Ziphites at the time he was pursued by Saul, and like the matter of Ahithophel, who advised Absalom to kill his father at the time of his downfall and pursuit.
Metzudat David
They came upon me in the day of my calamity. The enemy was hastening to come upon me at the time an evil chance befell me, thinking that when I began to fall I would not add to rise. But the Lord was My stay, and even though I fell, behold I rose:
Metzudat Zion
My evil. A matter of evil chance, as (Job 31:3): is not calamity for the wicked?
A stay. A matter of support.
He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because He delighted in me.
verse value 1216
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "in·me" (בִּֽי, 2 letters) and the longest is "He·delivered·me" (יְחַלְּצֵ֖נִי, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "to·the·wide·place" (לַמֶּרְחָ֖ב), "He·delivered·me" (יְחַלְּצֵ֖נִי), "for·He·delighted" (כִּי־חָ֥פֵֽץ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·he·went·out" (root יצא, 44x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'me', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּצֵ֥א [and·he·went·out] (107) + לַמֶּרְחָ֖ב [to·the·wide·place] (280) + אֹתִ֑י [me] (411) + יְחַלְּצֵ֖נִי [He·delivered·me] (198) + כִּי־חָ֥פֵֽץ [for·He·delighted] (208) + בִּֽי [in·me] (12) = 1216.
Metzudat David
To a broad place. To a spacious place, to be saved immediately:
"יחלצני" – He will deliver me, that is, He will bring me out of the strait, for He desires me.
Metzudat Zion
He delivered me. A matter of drawing out and pulling, as (Psalms 81:8): in trouble you called and I delivered you.
Hashem rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands has He recompensed me.
verse value 1401
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 28 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִֽי, 2 letters) and the longest is "rewarded·me" (יִגְמְלֵ֥נִי, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "according·to·the·cleanness·of" (כְּבֹ֥ר). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 151x in II Samuel); "He·recompensed" (root שוב, 52x in II Samuel); "my·hands" (root יד, 47x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'as·my·righteousness', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: יִגְמְלֵ֥נִי [rewarded·me] (143) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + כְּצִדְקָתִ֑י [as·my·righteousness] (624) + כְּבֹ֥ר [according·to·the·cleanness·of] (222) + יָדַ֖י [my·hands] (24) + יָשִׁ֥יב [He·recompensed] (322) + לִֽי [to·me] (40) = 1401.
Rashi
As my righteousness. When they went after him into the wilderness and relied upon his promise.
Metzudat David
"According to my righteousness." In accordance with my righteousness, for I did not harm any of them.
"According to the cleanness of my hands." The matter is repeated in different words:
Metzudat Zion
He rewarded me. From the word reward and payment of wages.
As pure. From the word pure and clean.
For I have kept the ways of Hashem, And have not wickedly departed from my God.
verse value 2343
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 28 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "I·have·kept" (שָׁמַ֖רְתִּי, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "I·have·kept" (שָׁמַ֖רְתִּי), "I·was·wicked" (רָשַׁ֖עְתִּי), "from·my·God" (מֵאֱלֹהָֽי). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 151x in II Samuel); "for" (root כי, 110x in II Samuel); "and·not" (root לא, 76x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּ֥י [for] (30) + שָׁמַ֖רְתִּי [I·have·kept] (950) + דַּרְכֵ֣י [ways·of] (234) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + וְלֹ֥א [and·not] (37) + רָשַׁ֖עְתִּי [I·was·wicked] (980) + מֵאֱלֹהָֽי [from·my·God] (86) = 2343.
Radak
"And I have not been wicked against my God." "I have not been wicked" means that I did not depart from the ways of my God. And "my ways," which he mentions [in the plural], stands in place of two. Jonathan rendered in the Targum: "and I have not walked in wickedness before my God."
Ralbag
"And I have not done wickedly against my God." This means: I have not acted wickedly by turning away from my God; rather, I have guarded all the commandments of Hashem, may He be blessed. And behold, wickedness is the deviation from that which is fitting, just as righteousness is the walking in the path that is fitting.
For all His ordinances were before me; And as for His statutes, I did not depart from them.
verse value 1575
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "all·judgment" (כׇל־מִשְׁפָּטָ֖ו, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "all·judgment" (כׇל־מִשְׁפָּטָ֖ו), "before·me" (לְנֶגְדִּ֑י), "and·his·statutes" (וְחֻקֹּתָ֖יו). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 110x in II Samuel); "before·me" (root נגד, 40x in II Samuel); "from·her" (root מן, 21x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'before·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּ֥י [for] (30) + כׇל־מִשְׁפָּטָ֖ו [all·judgment] (485) + לְנֶגְדִּ֑י [before·me] (97) + וְחֻקֹּתָ֖יו [and·his·statutes] (530) + לֹא־אָס֥וּר [not·I·departed] (298) + מִמֶּֽנָּה [from·her] (135) = 1575.
Radak
"I have not departed from it." [Referring] to every commandment and statute. And in Psalms [it says], "I have not departed from me," and the matter is one.
Ralbag
For all His judgments are before my eyes. That is to say, all God's judgments are always before my eyes, to guide myself by them.
And His statutes I have not departed from it. That is to say, His statutes are always before me. And in general, behold, I have not departed from the Torah at all. Or it may be that in his saying 'from it,' he refers to what he said, 'The Lord will reward me according to my righteousness,' and the intention in this is that he not depart from righteousness.
Metzudat David
Before me. To contemplate them:
"And His statutes." And even the statutes (chukim) are matters whose reasons are hidden.
"I have not departed." Even from one of them, I would not turn myself aside:
And I was single-hearted toward Him, And I kept myself from mine iniquity.
verse value 1681
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 23 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (ל֑וֹ) = 36, double chai. Verse gematria: 1681 = 41². The shortest word is "to·him" (ל֑וֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·I·kept·myself" (וָאֶשְׁתַּמְּרָ֖ה, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "and·I·kept·myself" (וָאֶשְׁתַּמְּרָ֖ה), "from·my·iniquity" (מֵעֲוֺנִֽי). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·I·was" (root היה, 153x in II Samuel). First appearance of the root תמים ("complete") in II Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·him', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: וָאֶהְיֶ֥ה [and·I·was] (27) + תָמִ֖ים [complete] (490) + ל֑וֹ [to·him] (36) + וָאֶשְׁתַּמְּרָ֖ה [and·I·kept·myself] (952) + מֵעֲוֺנִֽי [from·my·iniquity] (176) = 1681.
Ralbag
And I have kept myself from my iniquity. That is to say, I have guarded myself from sin, and the yod is superfluous [extra]. Or he intends by this that when it rose in my heart to sin in a matter, I guarded myself from that sin, and did not put into action my evil thought. Or he intends by this that after I sinned in the matter of Bathsheba and returned to God from that sin, behold, I guarded myself from that sin, that no harm come to me because of it. Or I guarded myself from another sin that is similar to that sin.
Therefore has Hashem recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness in His eyes.
verse value 1473
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֛ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִ֖י, 2 letters) and the longest is "as·my·righteousness" (כְּצִדְקָתִ֑י, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "as·my·according·cleanness" (כְּבֹרִ֖י), "before" (לְנֶ֥גֶד), "his·eyes" (עֵינָֽיו). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 151x in II Samuel); "and·He·recompensed" (root שוב, 52x in II Samuel); "his·eyes" (root עין, 42x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'as·my·righteousness', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיָּ֧שֶׁב [and·He·recompensed] (318) + יְהֹוָ֛ה [Hashem] (26) + לִ֖י [to·me] (40) + כְּצִדְקָתִ֑י [as·my·righteousness] (624) + כְּבֹרִ֖י [as·my·according·cleanness] (232) + לְנֶ֥גֶד [before] (87) + עֵינָֽיו [his·eyes] (146) = 1473.
Metzudat David
And He requited [me]. And therefore, "And the Lord requited me," etc.
"Before His eyes." That which is before His eyes, and not before human beings, nor in order to show off.
With the merciful You do show Thyself merciful, With the upright man You do show Thyself upright,
verse value 2755
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "complete" (תָּמִ֖ים, 4 letters) and the longest is "with·faithful" (עִם־חָסִ֖יד, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "with·faithful" (עִם־חָסִ֖יד), "You·show·Yourself·merciful" (תִּתְחַסָּ֑ד), "with·the·mighty" (עִם־גִּבּ֥וֹר). 5 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'You·show·Yourself·merciful', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: עִם־חָסִ֖יד [with·faithful] (192) + תִּתְחַסָּ֑ד [You·show·Yourself·merciful] (872) + עִם־גִּבּ֥וֹר [with·the·mighty] (321) + תָּמִ֖ים [complete] (490) + תִּתַּמָּֽם [You·show·Yourself·upright] (880) = 2755.
Rashi
With the loyal, the blameless, the pure. Corresponding to the three patriarchs, that the Holy One Blessed Be He repaid the reward of their righteousness to their children.
Radak
"You deal kindly." One who is pious in his ways—you show him as well that you are kind in your doing good to him.
"With a mighty man." Just as the word "man" (ish) is translated in the Targum as "gever," and so too it is written in Psalms as "gever." And Targum Yonatan renders the verse, concerning the Patriarchs, as "pious, perfect, and pure," and renders "crooked" [in the next verse] with reference to Pharaoh.
Ralbag
'With the pious You deal graciously.' He states that God, may He be blessed, deals graciously with the pious, in that He does not punish them for their sins in the way He punishes others; and it is as if this refers to the kindness God showed him regarding the sin with Bathsheba -- for a lesser sin than this, Saul was punished with the extraordinary punishment recounted in this book. And indeed this was so, because David's will was whole with God, may He be blessed, and he constantly strove to do what was right and good in his affairs; this is evident from the accounts of David, in which one finds wondrous demonstrations of his piety -- except that his [evil] inclination overpowered him in the matter of Bathsheba, and he could not overcome it. Saul, by contrast, is found to have been the opposite: one finds that Saul sought to deny the prophet's words when he rebuked him for his sin, and felt no shame over it, whereas David confessed at once, saying, 'I have sinned against the Lord.'
Metzudat David
With the merciful You show Yourself merciful etc. Meaning: thus is Your way to behave with kindness to the merciful:
Metzudat Zion
Mighty. Its meaning is like 'man' [gever], and so it is said in Psalms (18:26), and it is the Targum's translation of 'man' [ish].
With the pure You do show Thyself pure; And with the crooked You do show Thyself subtle.
verse value 2860
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 19 letters. Verse gematria: 2860 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "you·will·be·purified" (תִּתָּבָ֑ר, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·with·twisted" (וְעִם־עִקֵּ֖שׁ, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "with·pure" (עִם־נָבָ֖ר), "you·will·be·purified" (תִּתָּבָ֑ר), "and·with·twisted" (וְעִם־עִקֵּ֖שׁ). The root ברר appears 2 times in this verse. 3 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'you·will·be·purified', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 2 words. Full calculation: עִם־נָבָ֖ר [with·pure] (362) + תִּתָּבָ֑ר [you·will·be·purified] (1002) + וְעִם־עִקֵּ֖שׁ [and·with·twisted] (586) + תִּתַּפָּֽל [You·show·Yourself·subtle] (910) = 2860.
Rashi
And with the crooked. Pharaoh.
"You are twisted." Language of "twisted" and "crooked"; and in the Book of Psalms (18:27) it is written: "you will twist yourself." Another interpretation: "He will send from on high and take me"—he said this about himself: when he was hurrying to flee from Saul at the Rock of Division and was close to being captured, a messenger came to Saul to say: "Hurry and go, for the Philistines have raided [the land]"; and he returned, etc.—as my righteousness: that I did not kill him when I cut the corner of his cloak.
Radak
"Titbar." Its proper form would be "titbarer," but it comes short of the doubling. And had it said "titbar" [undistinguished], it would resemble the weak lamed-heh verbs; therefore they set the vowels of "titbar" as "titbar," and the tav takes a dagesh to indicate that it is one of the geminate (doubled-root) verbs.
"Titpal." This comes to rhyme the words with "titbar" and "titammam." Its root is "patal," and its expected form would be "titpatel," but the middle root letter was switched with the first root letter, like [in] "im yashuv yeshiveni" (if he indeed returns, he will bring me back). And the meaning of "titpal" is that it will come upon him according to his own crooked way. And likewise the meaning of "if for scorners, He scorns" is that He will bring it upon them, that they stumble through their own mockery.
Metzudat David
"With the pure." With a person who is clear and clean, You behave with purity, meaning: You repay each person according to his deeds:
Metzudat Zion
With a pure man You shall show Yourself pure. From the word pure and clean:
With a crooked man You shall show Yourself froward. Both are matters of crookedness, as (Deuteronomy 32:5): a generation of crooked and perversely twisted, and it is in the way of the opposite.
And the afflicted people You do save; But Your eyes are upon the haughty, that You may humble them.
verse value 2809
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 30 letters. Verse gematria: 2809 = 53². The shortest word is "poor" (עָנִ֖י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·your·eyes" (וְעֵינֶ֥יךָ, 6 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "and·with" (וְאֶת־עַ֥ם), "poor" (עָנִ֖י), "You·save" (תּוֹשִׁ֑יעַ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·your·eyes" (root עין, 42x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'You·save', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְאֶת־עַ֥ם [and·with] (517) + עָנִ֖י [poor] (130) + תּוֹשִׁ֑יעַ [You·save] (786) + וְעֵינֶ֥יךָ [and·your·eyes] (166) + עַל־רָמִ֖ים [upon·the·haughty] (390) + תַּשְׁפִּֽיל [You·humble] (820) = 2809.
Radak
“And Your eyes shall look upon the proud to humble them.” Your eyes shall be set upon the haughty until You humble them. And so it is in Tehillim (Psalms) regarding this matter, even though the words are not identical: “You shall humble haughty eyes.”
Ralbag
And Your eyes shall look down upon the haughty. That is to say, Your eyes upon the haughty, to reprove them until You humble them.
For You are my lamp, O Lord. That is to say, to enlighten me from the darkness of distresses.
Metzudat David
"The people [who are] poor." Humbled, like a poor person:
And your eyes. Set your eyes upon the arrogant, and you will humble them.
For You are my lamp, O Hashem; And Hashem does lighten my darkness.
verse value 1130
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "my·lamp" (נֵירִ֖י, 4 letters) and the longest is "for·you" (כִּֽי־אַתָּ֥ה, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "my·lamp" (נֵירִ֖י), "lightens" (יַגִּ֥יהַּ), "my·darkness" (חׇשְׁכִּֽי). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 151x in II Samuel); "for·you" (root אתה, 42x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־אַתָּ֥ה [for·you] (436) + נֵירִ֖י [my·lamp] (270) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + וַיהֹוָ֖ה [and·Hashem] (32) + יַגִּ֥יהַּ [lightens] (28) + חׇשְׁכִּֽי [my·darkness] (338) = 1130.
Radak
"For You are my lamp, O Lord." The quiescent letter written in it is the yod, which is the middle radical (ayin ha-po'al) of the root. Distress is darkness, and the salvation from it is light and radiance; this is what he means, "He lights up my darkness."
Metzudat David
For You are my lamp. You will light for me like a lamp:
"He will light up my darkness." This means: He will bring me out from the distress.
Metzudat Zion
He lights up. From the word shining and light.
My darkness. From the word darkness.
For by You I run upon a troop; By my God do I scale a wall.
verse value 963
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "I·scale·wall" (אֲדַלֶּג־שֽׁוּר, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "band" (גְּד֑וּד), "in·my·god" (בֵּאלֹהַ֖י), "I·scale·wall" (אֲדַלֶּג־שֽׁוּר). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 110x in II Samuel); "in·my·god" (root אלהים, 51x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'band', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: כִּ֥י [for] (30) + בְכָ֖ה [by·You] (27) + אָר֣וּץ [I·will·run] (297) + גְּד֑וּד [band] (17) + בֵּאלֹהַ֖י [in·my·god] (48) + אֲדַלֶּג־שֽׁוּר [I·scale·wall] (544) = 963.
Radak
"Ki bikha" - The letter heh is written here as a silent letter (mater lectionis) following the kaf with a qamats vowel, as in "uvkha" and "uv'amkha hanitzevet imkha" and similar cases. In most instances, this heh is not written. Its meaning is: "With Your help, I shall shatter the troop of my enemies." The verb "arutz" comes from the root ratzats (to crush), and it is written with a shuruk, like "yarun vesameach" (Proverbs 29:6) and "yashud tzohorayim" (Psalms 91:6). Alternatively, one may say: "I shall run against the troop of my enemies, and I will not fear them." Similarly, "adaleg shur" means: "I shall leap over the wall of my enemies' cities to conquer them." And he says "adaleg" [leap] to convey the speed of his conquering them, as if he entered them by leaping. And the Targum translates: "Through You I run against a troop; by Your word I multiply troops."
Ralbag
I shall run through a troop. I shall break and run through a large army.
I shall leap over a wall. I shall jump the wall in a way that it not prevent me from entering the city to subdue my enemy.
Metzudat David
"With You." With Your help I will run through the ranks of the nations:
"I will leap over the wall." I will jump upon the wall, to conquer the towns:
Metzudat Zion
The host. Armies of people:
I will leap. A matter of leaping:
A wall. A matter of a wall, as (Genesis 49:22): the daughters step over the wall.
As for God, His way is perfect; The word of Hashem is tried; He is a shield to all them that take refuge in Him.
verse value 2120
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 40 letters. Notable word values: "god" (הָאֵ֖ל) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "in·him" (בּֽוֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "refined" (צְרוּפָ֔ה, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "refined" (צְרוּפָ֔ה), "those·who·take·refuge" (הַחֹסִ֥ים). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·word·of" (root אמר, 334x in II Samuel); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 151x in II Samuel); "to·them·of" (root כל, 95x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·way', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 8 words. Full calculation: הָאֵ֖ל [god] (36) + תָּמִ֣ים [complete] (490) + דַּרְכּ֑וֹ [his·way] (230) + אִמְרַ֤ת [the·word·of] (641) + יְהֹוָה֙ [Hashem] (26) + צְרוּפָ֔ה [refined] (381) + מָגֵ֣ן [shield] (93) + ה֔וּא [He] (12) + לְכֹ֖ל [to·them·of] (80) + הַחֹסִ֥ים [those·who·take·refuge] (123) + בּֽוֹ [in·him] (8) = 2120.
Rashi
The word of the Lord is tried. Clear—promising and doing.
Radak
"The Lord, perfect in His ways": He repays every person according to his deeds, and He will repay me according to my righteousness, and to my enemies according to their wickedness. And "His word is pure": there is no dross in any of His judgments, but all are clear and clean. They are made with uprightness and with faith, refined and purified from all dross.
Ralbag
"The way of God is perfect." That is to say, that the way of His Torah, in its commandments and its warnings, is complete, and its benefit is revealed. And "the word of the ETERNAL," which is the narratives of the Torah, is pure — that is to say, that there is nothing in it at the level of dross, or a matter without benefit. Or the intent of "His way is perfect" may be that His action and the manner of His conduct in this lowly world is complete and whole; and "His word," which is the Torah, is pure, having no dross or matter without benefit.
Metzudat David
"Perfect is His way." To reward a person according to his deeds.
Tzrufah: Just as refined silver is free from dross, so too there is no idle speech in the words of My assurance.
Magen. A shelter, like a shield:
For who is God, save Hashem? And who is a Rock, save our God?
verse value 903
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 34 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "apart·from" (מִבַּלְעֲדֵ֣י, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 156: apart·from, apart·from. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "who·is·God" (מִי־אֵ֖ל). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "who·is·God" (root איל, 202x in II Samuel); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 151x in II Samuel); "for" (root כי, 110x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: כִּ֥י [for] (30) + מִי־אֵ֖ל [who·is·God] (81) + מִבַּלְעֲדֵ֣י [apart·from] (156) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + וּמִ֥י [and·who] (56) + צ֖וּר [Rock] (296) + מִֽבַּלְעֲדֵ֥י [apart·from] (156) + אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ [our·God] (102) = 903.
Radak
"Who is a God like You?" [This teaches that we should be] not like those who trusted in their idols; rather, when I overcome my enemies at all times, they [the idolaters] must know that their molten image is false, and there is no Rock but our God. And according to Targum Yonatan: "For then all the nations will acknowledge Him and say, 'Who is a God besides Him?' Then, concerning the miracle, etc."
Metzudat David
For who is God. Who can stand against Him, and rebuke His hand from fulfilling His promise:
Metzudat Zion
Except. Its meaning is like 'besides'.
A rock. A matter of strength.
The God who is my strong fortress, And who lets my way go forth straight;
verse value 1787
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 27 letters. Notable word values: "god" (הָאֵ֥ל) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "god" (הָאֵ֥ל, 3 letters) and the longest is "my·stronghold" (מָעוּזִּ֖י, 5 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "my·stronghold" (מָעוּזִּ֖י), "and·he·makes·straight" (וַיַּתֵּ֥ר). The root דרך appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "god" (root אל, 72x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'strength', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: הָאֵ֥ל [god] (36) + מָעוּזִּ֖י [my·stronghold] (133) + חָ֑יִל [strength] (48) + וַיַּתֵּ֥ר [and·he·makes·straight] (616) + תָּמִ֖ים [complete] (490) + (דרכו) [way] (230) + דַּרְכִּֽי [my·way] (234) = 1787.
Rashi
"He made my way perfect." From every stumbling block, and from every sin, and from every danger—until it was whole and subdued.
Radak
"The God, my mighty stronghold." It is written with a vav and a dagesh; we have written similar cases in the book Mikhlol. And the meaning of "chayil" is like "b'chayil," i.e., with strength; or its explanation is that when I was in the host and army, He was my stronghold. And the explanation of "vayater" is that He loosened and opened my way in war, and made it [my way] perfect and whole, so that not one of my men was lost in battle. And it is written "darko" [his way], for my way was His way, for I went to war in His name. And likewise "raglav" [his feet] is what is written (ketiv), but it is read (keri) as "raglai" [my feet] - speaking metaphorically of His help; He figuratively calls it His feet, as in "there You, O Lord, laid low Your mighty ones."
Ralbag
"The God, my stronghold of strength." That is to say, God is my stronghold, a stronghold of strength, and the intent by this is a wondrous stronghold. Or the intent may be that God is my stronghold to give me strength; and it appears that this is so, for he already said in the book of Psalms, in place of this, "the God who girds me with strength."
"And He made my way perfect." That is to say, the good reaches me so quickly that it is as if it leaps and skips along my way to the most complete and perfect place. And this is evident, for such were his successes against those who pursued him, as we find with Saul and with Absalom. Therefore he said, "He makes my feet swift, like the deer's," and with the swiftness of that running He establishes me in the successes of my greatness.
Metzudat David
"Refuge of my strength." He strengthens me with power.
"And He made my perfect way leap." He causes me to leap in my paths, so that they are perfect without stumbling:
Metzudat Zion
My strength. My strengthener:
Strength. Power.
And He made my path leap along. A matter of skipping and jumping, as (Habakkuk 3:6): He saw, and made the nations leap.
Who makes my feet like hinds’, And sets me upon my high places;
verse value 2052
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 32 letters. Verse gematria: 2052 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "and·upon" (וְעַ֥ל, 3 letters) and the longest is "as·the·hinds" (כָּאַיָּל֑וֹת, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "who·makes" (מְשַׁוֶּ֥ה), "as·the·hinds" (כָּאַיָּל֑וֹת), "male" (בָּמֹתַ֖י). The root רגל appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·upon" (root על, 121x in II Samuel); "foot" (root רגל, 22x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'as·the·hinds', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: מְשַׁוֶּ֥ה [who·makes] (351) + (רגליו) [foot] (249) + רַגְלַ֖י [my·feet] (243) + כָּאַיָּל֑וֹת [as·the·hinds] (467) + וְעַ֥ל [and·upon] (106) + בָּמֹתַ֖י [male] (452) + יַעֲמִדֵֽנִי [He·sets·me] (184) = 2052.
Radak
"Who makes my feet level." [Meaning] 'setting,' as in "I have set (shiviti) the LORD always before me," and the Targum there [renders it] "shivi." He says: if I needed to flee to escape, He set my feet like a deer's, and my enemies did not overtake me.
"And upon my high places He will set me." And afterward, in the place where I was fleeing, there He will set me upon my high places, in safety.
Metzudat David
"Meshaveh [He makes level]." It means that he makes my feet light, to run quickly after the enemy, like a doe that runs swiftly.
"And upon my heights." He established me in my heights and greatness.
Metzudat Zion
He sets. He places, for 'He placed' (Genesis 4:15), Onkelos translated 'and he set'.
On heights. A matter of heights.
Who trains my hands for war, So that mine arms do bend a bow of brass.
verse value 2611
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "my·hands" (יָדַ֖י, 3 letters) and the longest is "bow·of·brass" (קֶשֶׁת־נְחוּשָׁ֖ה, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "who·trains" (מְלַמֵּ֥ד), "and·is·bent" (וְנִחַ֥ת), "bow·of·brass" (קֶשֶׁת־נְחוּשָׁ֖ה). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "my·hands" (root יד, 47x in II Samuel); "to·the·battle" (root מלחמה, 28x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·the·battle', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: מְלַמֵּ֥ד [who·trains] (114) + יָדַ֖י [my·hands] (24) + לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה [to·the·battle] (153) + וְנִחַ֥ת [and·is·bent] (464) + קֶשֶׁת־נְחוּשָׁ֖ה [bow·of·brass] (1169) + זְרֹעֹתָֽי [my·arms] (687) = 2611.
Rashi
"And my arms bent a bow of bronze." And a bow of bronze was bent upon my arm, for I have the strength to bend it. Bows were hanging for David in his house, and the kings of the nations would come and see them, and say to one another: "You think he can bend them? This is only to frighten us." And David hears, takes them, and crushes them before them. And the drawing of a bow is an expression of "descending"; and so [in] Psalms: "Your arrows have sunk into me."
Radak
"Venichat" [was broken]. And in the Book of Psalms it is written "venichata," for the word "bow" is used in both masculine and feminine forms. The meaning is that he trained his hand in warfare so much that even a bronze bow could not withstand him, but was broken by his arms. And the explanation of "bronze" is that it is strong like bronze, and it is iron that is very strong. And similarly, "and your land like bronze." And "venichata" - its root is חתת, and it is in the nifal conjugation from the doubled roots.
Ralbag
"And He bowed the bow of my arms." This means that He lowered a bow of bronze from each of his arms. Even though that bow was very strong and very difficult to bend, as if it were made of copper, which is the hardest iron, the meaning of "lowering" the bow is lowering the ends of the bow by bending it in order to shoot arrows with it. Alternatively, it may be lacking the word "string" [יתר], meaning that He lowered the string of a bow of bronze from each of my arms. The meaning of "string" is that it was lowered to the place on the bow from which the arrows are shot.
Metzudat David
"To war." To wage war in a manner of goodness, and according to the stratagems of warfare:
"And it bends [the bow]." You gave me strength to break a bronze bow, at the time I drew it to shoot:
Metzudat Zion
And it bends. From the language of chatat (shattering) and breaking.
You have also given me Your shield of salvation; And Your condescension has made me great.
verse value 2597
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 23 letters. The shortest word is "shield" (מָגֵ֣ן, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·You·have·given·me" (וַתִּתֶּן־לִ֖י, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "and·You·have·given·me" (וַתִּתֶּן־לִ֖י), "Your·salvation" (יִשְׁעֶ֑ךָ), "and·Your·condescension" (וַעֲנֹתְךָ֖). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·You·have·given·me" (root נתן, 39x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Your·salvation', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַתִּתֶּן־לִ֖י [and·You·have·given·me] (896) + מָגֵ֣ן [shield] (93) + יִשְׁעֶ֑ךָ [Your·salvation] (400) + וַעֲנֹתְךָ֖ [and·Your·condescension] (546) + תַּרְבֵּֽנִי [be or become great] (662) = 2597.
Rashi
"Your humility has made me great." You have increased for me the measure of Your humility.
Radak
And your humility. Explanation: "And in your humility, increase me," as the Targum translates it: "And in Your word, augment me." And it is my opinion that "your humility" is derived from "and you shall answer and say." And in the Book of Psalms, "your humility" is read with a vav from the root of "because of humility, the fear of the Lord," and "the humble shall inherit the land," which is a matter of piety and a lowly spirit. And it would be that "your humility" written here is like that one. And even though the vav rests and the tav of "increase me" is feminine, referring to the humility mentioned, like "and Your right hand shall support me," which is said in Psalms. And the explanation is that Your humility made me into a numerous people, for even though I was among a small people and my enemies were among a great people, I was victorious, because Your humility was with me, as if I were a great people among them. And there is another interpretation: Your help and Your will, and similarly, "and the silver shall answer all."
Metzudat David
A shield of your salvation. Your salvation was for me as a shield:
"And Your humility has made me great." The humility inherent in You, to attend to me, has made me as though I were with a great multitude, even though there were only a few men; I have overcome the enemy as though many were with me.
Metzudat Zion
And Your humility. From the word humility [i.e. gentleness].
You have made me great. From the word multitude.
You have enlarged my steps under me, And my feet have not slipped.
verse value 2219
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "and·not" (וְלֹ֥א, 3 letters) and the longest is "You·enlarged" (תַּרְחִ֥יב, 5 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "You·enlarged" (תַּרְחִ֥יב), "my·steps" (צַעֲדִ֖י), "have·slipped" (מָעֲד֖וּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·not" (root לא, 76x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'under·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: תַּרְחִ֥יב [You·enlarged] (620) + צַעֲדִ֖י [my·steps] (174) + תַּחְתֵּ֑נִי [under·me] (868) + וְלֹ֥א [and·not] (37) + מָעֲד֖וּ [have·slipped] (120) + קַרְסֻלָּֽי [my·ankles] (400) = 2219.
Rashi
You widen my steps. When a person joins his feet together, he is prone to fall; and so he says (Proverbs 4:12): 'In your going your step shall not be hindered.'
My ankles. My heels.
Radak
"Tachtani" - like "tachti," and it comes with a nun and yod, contrary to the usual pattern in nouns.
"Karsolai." [Meaning] my legs (kera'ai); and the Targum [Onkelos, on "asher lo kera'ayim," Lev. 11:21] renders it "dalya karsulin." And Targum Yonatan renders it [here] "rekhuvotai" [my knees], which are the birkayim (knees).
Metzudat David
You have enlarged my steps. You have widened my stride, so that my feet would not stumble to fall on the ground:
Metzudat Zion
My steps. My strides, as (above 6:13): and it came to pass when they stepped.
Slipped. A matter of slipping and falling from the place, as (Psalms 37:31): his steps shall not slip.
My ankles. The Targum's rendering of 'legs' (Leviticus 11:21) is 'karsulin' [ankles].
I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; Neither did I turn back till they were consumed.
verse value 1630
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "and·not" (וְלֹ֥א, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·I·destroyed·them" (וָאַשְׁמִידֵ֑ם, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "let·me·be·behind" (אֶרְדְּפָ֥ה), "and·I·destroyed·them" (וָאַשְׁמִידֵ֑ם), "I·will·return" (אָשׁ֖וּב). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·not" (root לא, 76x in II Samuel); "I·will·return" (root שוב, 52x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·I·destroyed·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: אֶרְדְּפָ֥ה [let·me·be·behind] (290) + אֹיְבַ֖י [enemy] (23) + וָאַשְׁמִידֵ֑ם [and·I·destroyed·them] (401) + וְלֹ֥א [and·not] (37) + אָשׁ֖וּב [I·will·return] (309) + עַד־כַּלּוֹתָֽם [until·they·were·finished] (570) = 1630.
And I have consumed them, and smitten them through, that they cannot arise; Indeed, they are fallen under my feet.
verse value 1714
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 32 letters. The shortest word is "and·not" (וְלֹ֣א, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·I·smote·them·through" (וָאֶמְחָצֵ֖ם, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "and·I·consumed·them" (וָאֲכַלֵּ֥ם), "and·I·smote·them·through" (וָאֶמְחָצֵ֖ם), "they·will·rise" (יְקוּמ֑וּן). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·not" (root לא, 76x in II Samuel); "they·will·rise" (root קום, 36x in II Samuel); "and·they·fell" (root נפל, 29x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·will·rise', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: וָאֲכַלֵּ֥ם [and·I·consumed·them] (97) + וָאֶמְחָצֵ֖ם [and·I·smote·them·through] (185) + וְלֹ֣א [and·not] (37) + יְקוּמ֑וּן [they·will·rise] (212) + וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ [and·they·fell] (132) + תַּ֥חַת [under] (808) + רַגְלָֽי [my·feet] (243) = 1714.
Metzudat Zion
And I will crush them. A matter of striking and wounding, as (Psalms 110:6): he shall shatter the head.
For You have girded me with strength to the battle; You have subdued under me those that rose up against me.
verse value 2592
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. Verse gematria: 2592 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "strength" (חַ֖יִל, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·You·have·girded·me" (וַתַּזְרֵ֥נִי, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "and·You·have·girded·me" (וַתַּזְרֵ֥נִי), "You·subdued" (תַּכְרִ֥יעַ), "those·rising·against·me" (קָמַ֖י). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "those·rising·against·me" (root קום, 36x in II Samuel); "to·the·battle" (root מלחמה, 28x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·the·battle', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַתַּזְרֵ֥נִי [and·You·have·girded·me] (673) + חַ֖יִל [strength] (48) + לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה [to·the·battle] (153) + תַּכְרִ֥יעַ [You·subdued] (700) + קָמַ֖י [those·rising·against·me] (150) + תַּחְתֵּֽנִי [under·me] (868) = 2592.
Radak
"And You shall gird me." Its grammatical rule is that it should be "vata'azreni," like "vate'azreni simcha" [You girded me with gladness], from the intensive (dagesh) binyan. To lighten the pronunciation, the aleph was elided, and its vowel was transferred to the tav. The meaning of "chayil" is "strength," as in its Targumic translation "chayla." And my master and father, of blessed memory, wrote that it is from the causative (hif'il) binyan, from the root zayin-reish-heh, and the meaning is: "You have instilled in me strength and power in all my limbs to wage war."
Metzudat David
You have girded me with strength for battle. You have armed me with strength to fight, and my enemies You have made to bow under me:
Metzudat Zion
And You have girded me. From the word girding and belt.
You will subdue. A matter of falling upon the legs.
My enemies. The enemies who rise against me.
You have also made mine enemies turn their backs to me; Indeed, them that hate me, that I might cut them off.
verse value 2212
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִּ֖י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·I·cut·them·off" (וָאַצְמִיתֵֽם, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "and·my·enemies" (וְאֹ֣יְבַ֔י), "you·gave" (תַּ֥תָּה), "neck" (עֹ֑רֶף). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "you·gave" (root נתן, 39x in II Samuel); "to·me" (root לי, 27x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'neck', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: וְאֹ֣יְבַ֔י [and·my·enemies] (29) + תַּ֥תָּה [you·gave] (805) + לִּ֖י [to·me] (40) + עֹ֑רֶף [neck] (350) + מְשַׂנְאַ֖י [those·who·hate·me] (401) + וָאַצְמִיתֵֽם [and·I·cut·them·off] (587) = 2212.
Radak
"Tatah." Like "natata" [You gave], lacking the pe of the root (the first radical, i.e., the nun), contrary to the usual pattern in past-tense forms.
Metzudat David
"You have given me [their] back." For when they flee, they will turn their backs to me.
"Those who hate me." This means: "And likewise, those who hate me shall turn their backs to me." It is a repetition of the same idea in different words, in the manner of poetic expression.
"And I will utterly destroy them." This means: Even if they flee, I will pursue them and utterly destroy them.
Metzudat Zion
You have given. You gave:
The back. It is the back of the face:
And I will destroy them. A matter of cutting off, as (there 101:5): that one I will destroy.
They looked, but there was none to save; Even to Hashem, but He answered them not.
verse value 1127
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "and·not" (וְלֹ֥א, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·Hashem" (אֶל־יְהֹוָ֖ה, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "they·looked" (יִשְׁע֖וּ), "savior" (מֹשִׁ֑יעַ), "He·answered·them" (עָנָֽם). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 151x in II Samuel); "and·not" (root לא, 76x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'savior', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: יִשְׁע֖וּ [they·looked] (386) + וְאֵ֣ין [and·nothing] (67) + מֹשִׁ֑יעַ [savior] (420) + אֶל־יְהֹוָ֖ה [to·Hashem] (57) + וְלֹ֥א [and·not] (37) + עָנָֽם [He·answered·them] (160) = 1127.
Rashi
"They looked, but there was no savior," etc. This is a transposed verse: "[they] looked to the LORD, and He did not answer them, and there is no savior" — as (Isaiah 17:7): "a man will look to his Maker," similar to "turn." And Menachem grouped it with (Genesis 4:4): "And the LORD had regard for Hevel," and explained it as an expression of entreaty; and the term applies both to the one who entreats and to the one who is entreated, as (ibid. 25:21): "And Yitzchak entreated the LORD, and the LORD was entreated by him." So too here, "they looked and there is no savior" applies to the one who prays, and "the LORD had regard" applies to the term [as used] of the One before whom they pray.
Radak
Yeshayu. This means “they shall look,” as in “and they shall not look to the Holy One of Israel” and “He shall not look to the altars.” The interpretation is: They shall look to the Lord, and He shall not save them.
To the Lord, and He did not answer them. Because they were wicked, and though they called upon the Lord, their hearts were not upright with Him.
Ralbag
"They looked, but there was no savior." That is to say, they turn to the Blessed Name [God], that He would save them, but there is no savior.
Metzudat David
"They looked [turned for help]." They will turn to the kings of the earth:
“Unto the Lord.” This means: In the future, they will turn to the Lord to pray to Him, but He will not answer them.
Metzudat Zion
They turned. A matter of turning, as (Isaiah 17:8): and they will not turn to the altars.
Answered them. From the word answering and response.
Then did I beat them small as the dust of the earth, I did stamp them as the mire of the streets, and did tread them down.
verse value 2230
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 31 letters. The shortest word is "I·crushed·them" (אֲדִקֵּ֖ם, 4 letters) and the longest is "as·mire·of·streets" (כְּטִיט־חוּצ֥וֹת, 9 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "and·I·pulverized·them" (וְאֶשְׁחָקֵ֖ם), "as·dust·of·earth" (כַּעֲפַר־אָ֑רֶץ), "as·mire·of·streets" (כְּטִיט־חוּצ֥וֹת). 5 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'as·dust·of·earth', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְאֶשְׁחָקֵ֖ם [and·I·pulverized·them] (455) + כַּעֲפַר־אָ֑רֶץ [as·dust·of·earth] (661) + כְּטִיט־חוּצ֥וֹת [as·mire·of·streets] (558) + אֲדִקֵּ֖ם [I·crushed·them] (145) + אֶרְקָעֵֽם [I·will·beat·them] (411) = 2230.
Rashi
I trample them. I crush them; and there are many in the Book of Ezekiel: (6:11): 'And trample under your foot' (25:6): 'And trample under your foot.'
Radak
Adikam. Like "vayadak la-afar" (and he ground [it] to dust):
Erka'em. From the verse: “And they hammered out sheets of gold.”
Ralbag
"I stamped them." It is from the same sense as "ורקע ברגלך" [and stamp with your foot], and the intent by it is "I trampled them."
Metzudat David
Like dust. To be fine like dust:
As the clay of the streets. Like clay that is cast into the streets, I will make them exceedingly thin, and I will spread them out over the surface of the earth.
Metzudat Zion
And I will grind them. A matter of grinding, as (Exodus 30:36): and you shall grind some of it very fine.
I will make them fine. From the word fine.
I will flatten them out. A matter of flattening and spreading out, as (there, 39:3): and they beat out sheets of gold.
You also have delivered me from the contentions of my people; You have kept me to be the head of the nations; A people whom I have not known serve me.
verse value 3338
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 44 letters. The shortest word is "people·of" (עַ֥ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·You·delivered·me" (וַֽתְּפַלְּטֵ֔נִי, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "and·You·delivered·me" (וַֽתְּפַלְּטֵ֔נִי), "from·contentions·of" (מֵרִיבֵ֖י), "you·will·keep·me" (תִּשְׁמְרֵ֙נִי֙). The root עם appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "they·will·work·me" (root עבד, 109x in II Samuel); "my·people" (root עם, 90x in II Samuel); "head" (root ראש, 31x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·people', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַֽתְּפַלְּטֵ֔נִי [and·You·delivered·me] (585) + מֵרִיבֵ֖י [from·contentions·of] (262) + עַמִּ֑י [my·people] (120) + תִּשְׁמְרֵ֙נִי֙ [you·will·keep·me] (1000) + לְרֹ֣אשׁ [head] (531) + גּוֹיִ֔ם [nations] (59) + עַ֥ם [people·of] (110) + לֹא־יָדַ֖עְתִּי [not·I·knew] (525) + יַעַבְדֻֽנִי [they·will·work·me] (146) = 3338.
Rashi
My enemies. From Doeg, from Achitophel, and Sha'ul, and the Ziphites.
You keep me to be head of nations. You have hidden me for this. And from aggadic midrash: David said, Master of the Universe, deliver me from the judgment of Israel, for if I lead or subdue Israel in his worship, I am punished; rather, to be head of the Philistines set me, and they will serve me, and for them I will not be punished.
Radak
“Of the strife of My people.” Like “peoples,” and likewise “who subdues peoples under me.” And it is possible to interpret it according to its plain meaning, namely, Saul, and those who support him.
“Keep me as the head of nations.” And in the Book of Psalms it says, “You have made me head over nations.” The explanation of “Keep me” is “You have kept me,” meaning You have set Your eyes upon me favorably, until I became the head of nations.
Ralbag
And You have delivered me from the strivings of my people. That is to say, and You saved me from those contending with me, such as Saul and Nabal and Ahithophel and Absalom.
You have kept me to be head of the nations. Its meaning: You kept me to place me at the head of nations. And he said so because many nations were serving him.
Metzudat David
"From the strife of My people." From the men of war who are among My people, those who fight with me.
"Guard me." You have guarded me from all of them, until You brought me to become a leader.
"A nation I did not know." This implies: The people who are from a distant land.
The sons of the stranger dwindle away before me; As soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
verse value 2086
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִֽי, 2 letters) and the longest is "feign·obedience·to·me" (יִתְכַּחֲשׁוּ־לִ֑י, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "feign·obedience·to·me" (יִתְכַּחֲשׁוּ־לִ֑י), "to·hear" (לִשְׁמ֥וֹעַ), "ear" (אֹ֖זֶן). The root שמע appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "son" (root בן, 76x in II Samuel); "to·hear" (root שמע, 34x in II Samuel); "to·me" (root לי, 27x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'feign·obedience·to·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: בְּנֵ֥י [son] (62) + נֵכָ֖ר [foreign] (270) + יִתְכַּחֲשׁוּ־לִ֑י [feign·obedience·to·me] (784) + לִשְׁמ֥וֹעַ [to·hear] (446) + אֹ֖זֶן [ear] (58) + יִשָּׁ֥מְעוּ [they·hear] (426) + לִֽי [to·me] (40) = 2086.
Rashi
They will lie to me. Out of fear—they will tell me lies.
They will heed my voice. Even when not in my presence, they will fear me — merely at the report reaching their ears, they will submit to my command.
Radak
They will deny against Me. Out of fear of Me, they will lie to Me and say, "We have not sinned against You."
"To hear with the ear." And in the Book of Psalms it says, "to hear with the ear," and it is a noun. And likewise "to hear" here is also a noun, on the pattern of [nouns like] שאור (leaven), יאור (river), and תהום (deep). And the meaning of the verse is like that which is written, "And David made himself a name."
They shall heed Me. As in the phrase "and is subject to your command." And those foreigners who do not heed Me shall wither away [in the sense of נבל], and shall come trembling out of their strongholds — that is to say, that they are shut in out of their fear. And the explanation of "they shall gird" [ויחגרו] is like "they shall tremble" [ויחרגו], transposed, as it is written in the Book of Psalms. And it is the matter of the trembling of fear — from the Targum of "and from the chambers, terror": "trembling of death." And Targum Yonatan renders: "and they shall quake from their fortresses."
Metzudat David
They will deny it to Me. Like the manner of the fearful one, who makes excuses before the one whom he fears, even through false words, on account of fear.
"To hear with the ear." Because they will hear that My strength is great and My hand is mighty, for this reason they will listen to Me in all that I decree.
Metzudat Zion
They shall dissemble [feign submission]. From the word dissembling and falsehood.
The sons of the stranger fade away, And come halting out of their close places.
verse value 1402
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "son" (בְּנֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "from·their·close·places" (מִמִּסְגְּרוֹתָֽם, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "they·will·wither" (יִבֹּ֑לוּ), "and·they·will·gird" (וְיַחְגְּר֖וּ), "from·their·close·places" (מִמִּסְגְּרוֹתָֽם). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "son" (root בן, 76x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·will·wither', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: בְּנֵ֥י [son] (62) + נֵכָ֖ר [foreign] (270) + יִבֹּ֑לוּ [they·will·wither] (48) + וְיַחְגְּר֖וּ [and·they·will·gird] (233) + מִמִּסְגְּרוֹתָֽם [from·their·close·places] (789) = 1402.
Rashi
"The children of a foreigner will wither." They will be weary — an expression as in (Jeremiah 8:13): "and the leaf withers" — "flishtrunt" in Old French.
"And they will limp." An expression relating to the lame.
From their prisons. From the hardship of the prison torments with which I afflict them.
Ralbag
They shall fail. They shall grow weary, in the sense of utterly wasting away. Or it may be from the matter of wearing out and destruction.
And they shall gird themselves. That is to say, and they shall fear from the place in which they are confined, that is to say, from chambers there shall come upon them terrors of death. Or the intention in this is that they shall gird themselves with weapons of war from the place in which they are hidden, but they will not go out to fight because of their great fear.
Metzudat David
They shall wither. This means: they shall be afflicted and destroyed.
"And they shall be lame." They shall be lame from being confined by my hand in iron shackles.
Metzudat Zion
They wither. A matter of withering, as (Jeremiah 8:13): and the leaf withers.
And they shall limp. From the word 'lame' and 'crippled'.
Hashem lives, and blessed be my Rock; And exalted be the God, my Rock of salvation; .
verse value 1572
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 30 letters. The shortest word is "Rock·of" (צ֥וּר, 3 letters) and the longest is "as·Hashem·lives" (חַי־יְהֹוָ֖ה, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "and·blessed" (וּבָר֣וּךְ), "and·let·him·rise" (וְיָרֻ֕ם). The root צור appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "as·Hashem·lives" (root יהוה, 151x in II Samuel); "the·God·of" (root אלהים, 51x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·rock', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: חַי־יְהֹוָ֖ה [as·Hashem·lives] (44) + וּבָר֣וּךְ [and·blessed] (234) + צוּרִ֑י [my·rock] (306) + וְיָרֻ֕ם [and·let·him·rise] (256) + אֱלֹהֵ֖י [the·God·of] (46) + צ֥וּר [Rock·of] (296) + יִשְׁעִֽי [my·salvation] (390) = 1572.
Rashi
The Lord lives. The One who does these things for me.
Radak
"Live is the Lord." This verse is in the manner of acknowledgment and praise, namely: "The Lord is my rock and my God, my salvation; He is alive, blessed, and exalted."
Ralbag
"The ETERNAL lives, and blessed is my rock." That is to say, the LORD who helps me is living and enduring, and He who is my strength and might is worthy of all blessing and praise; therefore I have no reason to fear that His help toward me will cease. And God, who is the strength of my salvation, is exalted above all the exalted; therefore I do not fear that His hand will be too short to save me.
Metzudat David
"Live is the Lord." This means: The Lord indeed lives forever, and thus He will act all the days.
And blessed be my Rock. And so shall it be: "The Lord is my Rock," blessed forever.
And He shall be exalted. For when He executes vengeance upon the nations, He is exalted and uplifted.
Even the God that executes vengeance for me, And brings down peoples under me,
verse value 2459
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 27 letters. Notable word values: "god" (הָאֵ֕ל) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִ֑י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·brings·down" (וּמֹרִ֥יד, 5 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "who·gives" (הַנֹּתֵ֥ן), "vengeance" (נְקָמֹ֖ת), "and·brings·down" (וּמֹרִ֥יד). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "peoples" (root עם, 90x in II Samuel); "god" (root אל, 72x in II Samuel); "who·gives" (root נתן, 39x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: הָאֵ֕ל [god] (36) + הַנֹּתֵ֥ן [who·gives] (505) + נְקָמֹ֖ת [vengeance] (590) + לִ֑י [to·me] (40) + וּמֹרִ֥יד [and·brings·down] (260) + עַמִּ֖ים [peoples] (160) + תַּחְתֵּֽנִי [under·me] (868) = 2459.
Metzudat David
The God who executes vengeance for me. Meaning: the One who avenges My vengeance:
And that brings me forth from mine enemies; Indeed, You lift me up above them that rise up against me; You deliver me from the violent man.
verse value 2267
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 39 letters. The shortest word is "from·man·of" (מֵאִ֥ישׁ, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·brings·me·out" (וּמוֹצִיאִ֖י, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "and·brings·me·out" (וּמוֹצִיאִ֖י), "and·from·those·rising·against·me" (וּמִקָּמַי֙), "You·lift·me·up" (תְּר֣וֹמְמֵ֔נִי). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·man·of" (root איש, 140x in II Samuel); "and·brings·me·out" (root יצא, 44x in II Samuel); "and·from·those·rising·against·me" (root קום, 36x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·my·enemies', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 5 words. Full calculation: וּמוֹצִיאִ֖י [and·brings·me·out] (163) + מֵאֹֽיְבָ֑י [from·my·enemies] (63) + וּמִקָּמַי֙ [and·from·those·rising·against·me] (196) + תְּר֣וֹמְמֵ֔נִי [You·lift·me·up] (746) + מֵאִ֥ישׁ [from·man·of] (351) + חֲמָסִ֖ים [violence] (158) + תַּצִּילֵֽנִי [You·deliver·me] (590) = 2267.
Ralbag
"And from my adversaries You will exalt me." This means: You will make me elevated and lofty in dominion above those who rise up against me. And he said this in reference to Saul and Absalom. Or perhaps the intention here is: "And from my adversaries You will hide me and raise me up," so that their hand will not come upon me.
Metzudat David
And more than those who rise against me. More than those who rise against me, He will raise me up:
Metzudat Zion
And from those who rise. The enemies who rise against me.
Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Hashem, among the nations, And will sing praises to Your name.
verse value 932
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "therefore" (עַל־כֵּ֛ן, 4 letters) and the longest is "among·the·nations" (בַּגּוֹיִ֑ם, 5 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "I·will·thank·You" (אוֹדְךָ֥), "among·the·nations" (בַּגּוֹיִ֑ם), "and·to·Your·name" (וּלְשִׁמְךָ֖). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 151x in II Samuel); "therefore" (root על, 121x in II Samuel); "and·to·Your·name" (root שם, 63x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'among·the·nations', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: עַל־כֵּ֛ן [therefore] (170) + אוֹדְךָ֥ [I·will·thank·You] (31) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + בַּגּוֹיִ֑ם [among·the·nations] (61) + וּלְשִׁמְךָ֖ [and·to·Your·name] (396) + אֲזַמֵּֽר [I·will·sing·praises] (248) = 932.
Radak
Therefore I will thank You, O Lord, among the nations, for You have delivered me from men of violence, and exalted me above my enemies, and given me vengeance against them. I will thank You among the nations, before every people and nation.
Ralbag
"I will praise You, O LORD, among the nations." That is to say, by publicizing [it] before the eyes of the nations.
Metzudat David
Therefore. Because of these acts of kindness:
Among the nations. To make known Your kindness:
A tower of salvation is He to His king; And shows mercy to His anointed, To David and to his seed, for evermore.
verse value 2488
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 49 letters. The shortest word is "his·king" (מַלְכּ֑וֹ, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·shows·kindness" (וְעֹֽשֶׂה־חֶ֧סֶד, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Samuel. Unique to this verse in II Samuel (hapax): "Migdol" (מִגְדּ֖וֹל), "salvation" (יְשׁוּע֣וֹת), "his·king" (מַלְכּ֑וֹ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "of·David" (root דוד, 250x in II Samuel); "his·king" (root מלך, 242x in II Samuel); "and·shows·kindness" (root עשה, 79x in II Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'his·king', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 5 words.
Radak
Regarding "Migdol": It is written with a yod, as "Magdil," and read with a vav, as "Migdol," just as it is in the Book of Psalms in the reading as well. The qeri "Migdol" has a cholam, and it is an adjective, and the meaning is the same.
"His king and His anointed." He is speaking about himself, saying: Just as He has magnified my salvation and done kindnesses for me, so too shall He do for me and for my seed forever.
Ralbag
"Tower of the victories of His king." That is to say, it is the strength of the victories of His king, and it is David, just as the tower is the strength of the city.
Metzudat David
“From the great.” This means: “And likewise I will give thanks to You,” for I will recount and say: “Know that the Lord is great,” etc. This means: He performs great salvations for His King, not for the sake of recompense or reward, but rather out of lovingkindness.
And to his seed. Just as He did for David, so will He do for his seed forever. And even though it was David himself who spoke, the verse says, “He said to David and to his seed,” and it did not say, “to me and to my seed,” for such is the manner of Scripture. Likewise, in 1 Samuel 12:11: “And the Lord sent... and Samuel,” and even though it was Samuel himself who spoke, it did not say, “and me.”
Rashi
Radak
Ralbag
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim