שמואל ב כ״ב:ה׳
II Samuel 22:5
Hebrew
וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר דָּוִד֙ לַיהֹוָ֔ה אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֖י הַשִּׁירָ֣ה הַזֹּ֑את בְּיוֹם֩ הִצִּ֨יל יְהֹוָ֥ה אֹת֛וֹ מִכַּ֥ף כׇּל־אֹיְבָ֖יו וּמִכַּ֥ף שָׁאֽוּל׃ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר יְהֹוָ֛ה סַֽלְעִ֥י וּמְצֻדָתִ֖י וּמְפַלְטִי־לִֽי׃ אֱלֹהֵ֥י צוּרִ֖י אֶחֱסֶה־בּ֑וֹ מָגִנִּ֞י וְקֶ֣רֶן יִשְׁעִ֗י מִשְׂגַּבִּי֙ וּמְנוּסִ֔י מֹשִׁעִ֕י מֵחָמָ֖ס תֹּשִׁעֵֽנִי׃ מְהֻלָּ֖ל אֶקְרָ֣א יְהֹוָ֑ה וּמֵאֹיְבַ֖י אִוָּשֵֽׁעַ׃ כִּ֥י אֲפָפֻ֖נִי מִשְׁבְּרֵי־מָ֑וֶת נַחֲלֵ֥י בְלִיַּ֖עַל יְבַעֲתֻֽנִי׃ חֶבְלֵ֥י שְׁא֖וֹל סַבֻּ֑נִי קִדְּמֻ֖נִי מֹ֥קְשֵׁי מָֽוֶת׃ בַּצַּר־לִי֙ אֶקְרָ֣א יְהֹוָ֔ה וְאֶל־אֱלֹהַ֖י אֶקְרָ֑א וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע מֵהֵֽיכָלוֹ֙ קוֹלִ֔י וְשַׁוְעָתִ֖י בְּאׇזְנָֽיו׃ (ותגעש) [וַיִּתְגָּעַ֤שׁ] וַתִּרְעַשׁ֙ הָאָ֔רֶץ מוֹסְד֥וֹת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם יִרְגָּ֑זוּ וַיִּֽתְגָּעֲשׁ֖וּ כִּי־חָ֥רָה לֽוֹ׃ עָלָ֤ה עָשָׁן֙ בְּאַפּ֔וֹ וְאֵ֥שׁ מִפִּ֖יו תֹּאכֵ֑ל גֶּחָלִ֖ים בָּעֲר֥וּ מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ וַיֵּ֥ט שָׁמַ֖יִם וַיֵּרַ֑ד וַעֲרָפֶ֖ל תַּ֥חַת רַגְלָֽיו׃ וַיִּרְכַּ֥ב עַל־כְּר֖וּב וַיָּעֹ֑ף וַיֵּרָ֖א עַל־כַּנְפֵי־רֽוּחַ׃ וַיָּ֥שֶׁת חֹ֛שֶׁךְ סְבִיבֹתָ֖יו סֻכּ֑וֹת חַֽשְׁרַת־מַ֖יִם עָבֵ֥י שְׁחָקִֽים׃ מִנֹּ֖גַהּ נֶגְדּ֑וֹ בָּעֲר֖וּ גַּחֲלֵי־אֵֽשׁ׃ יַרְעֵ֥ם מִן־שָׁמַ֖יִם יְהֹוָ֑ה וְעֶלְי֖וֹן יִתֵּ֥ן קוֹלֽוֹ׃ וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח חִצִּ֖ים וַיְפִיצֵ֑ם בָּרָ֖ק (ויהמם) [וַיָּהֹֽם]׃ וַיֵּֽרָאוּ֙ אֲפִ֣קֵי יָ֔ם יִגָּל֖וּ מֹסְד֣וֹת תֵּבֵ֑ל בְּגַעֲרַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה מִנִּשְׁמַ֖ת ר֥וּחַ אַפּֽוֹ׃ יִשְׁלַ֥ח מִמָּר֖וֹם יִקָּחֵ֑נִי יַֽמְשֵׁ֖נִי מִמַּ֥יִם רַבִּֽים׃ יַצִּילֵ֕נִי מֵאֹיְבִ֖י עָ֑ז מִשֹּׂ֣נְאַ֔י כִּ֥י אָמְצ֖וּ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ יְקַדְּמֻ֖נִי בְּי֣וֹם אֵידִ֑י וַיְהִ֧י יְהֹוָ֛ה מִשְׁעָ֖ן לִֽי׃ וַיֹּצֵ֥א לַמֶּרְחָ֖ב אֹתִ֑י יְחַלְּצֵ֖נִי כִּי־חָ֥פֵֽץ בִּֽי׃ יִגְמְלֵ֥נִי יְהֹוָ֖ה כְּצִדְקָתִ֑י כְּבֹ֥ר יָדַ֖י יָשִׁ֥יב לִֽי׃ כִּ֥י שָׁמַ֖רְתִּי דַּרְכֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְלֹ֥א רָשַׁ֖עְתִּי מֵאֱלֹהָֽי׃ כִּ֥י כׇל־מִשְׁפָּטָ֖ו לְנֶגְדִּ֑י וְחֻקֹּתָ֖יו לֹא־אָס֥וּר מִמֶּֽנָּה׃ וָאֶהְיֶ֥ה תָמִ֖ים ל֑וֹ וָאֶשְׁתַּמְּרָ֖ה מֵעֲוֺנִֽי׃ וַיָּ֧שֶׁב יְהֹוָ֛ה לִ֖י כְּצִדְקָתִ֑י כְּבֹרִ֖י לְנֶ֥גֶד עֵינָֽיו׃ עִם־חָסִ֖יד תִּתְחַסָּ֑ד עִם־גִּבּ֥וֹר תָּמִ֖ים תִּתַּמָּֽם׃ עִם־נָבָ֖ר תִּתָּבָ֑ר וְעִם־עִקֵּ֖שׁ תִּתַּפָּֽל׃ וְאֶת־עַ֥ם עָנִ֖י תּוֹשִׁ֑יעַ וְעֵינֶ֥יךָ עַל־רָמִ֖ים תַּשְׁפִּֽיל׃ כִּֽי־אַתָּ֥ה נֵירִ֖י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיהֹוָ֖ה יַגִּ֥יהַּ חׇשְׁכִּֽי׃ כִּ֥י בְכָ֖ה אָר֣וּץ גְּד֑וּד בֵּאלֹהַ֖י אֲדַלֶּג־שֽׁוּר׃ הָאֵ֖ל תָּמִ֣ים דַּרְכּ֑וֹ אִמְרַ֤ת יְהֹוָה֙ צְרוּפָ֔ה מָגֵ֣ן ה֔וּא לְכֹ֖ל הַחֹסִ֥ים בּֽוֹ׃ כִּ֥י מִי־אֵ֖ל מִבַּלְעֲדֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וּמִ֥י צ֖וּר מִֽבַּלְעֲדֵ֥י אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ הָאֵ֥ל מָעוּזִּ֖י חָ֑יִל וַיַּתֵּ֥ר תָּמִ֖ים (דרכו) [דַּרְכִּֽי]׃ מְשַׁוֶּ֥ה (רגליו) [רַגְלַ֖י] כָּאַיָּל֑וֹת וְעַ֥ל בָּמֹתַ֖י יַעֲמִדֵֽנִי׃ מְלַמֵּ֥ד יָדַ֖י לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וְנִחַ֥ת קֶשֶׁת־נְחוּשָׁ֖ה זְרֹעֹתָֽי׃ וַתִּתֶּן־לִ֖י מָגֵ֣ן יִשְׁעֶ֑ךָ וַעֲנֹתְךָ֖ תַּרְבֵּֽנִי׃ תַּרְחִ֥יב צַעֲדִ֖י תַּחְתֵּ֑נִי וְלֹ֥א מָעֲד֖וּ קַרְסֻלָּֽי׃ אֶרְדְּפָ֥ה אֹיְבַ֖י וָאַשְׁמִידֵ֑ם וְלֹ֥א אָשׁ֖וּב עַד־כַּלּוֹתָֽם׃ וָאֲכַלֵּ֥ם וָאֶמְחָצֵ֖ם וְלֹ֣א יְקוּמ֑וּן וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ תַּ֥חַת רַגְלָֽי׃ וַתַּזְרֵ֥נִי חַ֖יִל לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה תַּכְרִ֥יעַ קָמַ֖י תַּחְתֵּֽנִי׃ וְאֹ֣יְבַ֔י תַּ֥תָּה לִּ֖י עֹ֑רֶף מְשַׂנְאַ֖י וָאַצְמִיתֵֽם׃ יִשְׁע֖וּ וְאֵ֣ין מֹשִׁ֑יעַ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א עָנָֽם׃ וְאֶשְׁחָקֵ֖ם כַּעֲפַר־אָ֑רֶץ כְּטִיט־חוּצ֥וֹת אֲדִקֵּ֖ם אֶרְקָעֵֽם׃ וַֽתְּפַלְּטֵ֔נִי מֵרִיבֵ֖י עַמִּ֑י תִּשְׁמְרֵ֙נִי֙ לְרֹ֣אשׁ גּוֹיִ֔ם עַ֥ם לֹא־יָדַ֖עְתִּי יַעַבְדֻֽנִי׃ בְּנֵ֥י נֵכָ֖ר יִתְכַּחֲשׁוּ־לִ֑י לִשְׁמ֥וֹעַ אֹ֖זֶן יִשָּׁ֥מְעוּ לִֽי׃ בְּנֵ֥י נֵכָ֖ר יִבֹּ֑לוּ וְיַחְגְּר֖וּ מִמִּסְגְּרוֹתָֽם׃ חַי־יְהֹוָ֖ה וּבָר֣וּךְ צוּרִ֑י וְיָרֻ֕ם אֱלֹהֵ֖י צ֥וּר יִשְׁעִֽי׃ הָאֵ֕ל הַנֹּתֵ֥ן נְקָמֹ֖ת לִ֑י וּמֹרִ֥יד עַמִּ֖ים תַּחְתֵּֽנִי׃ וּמוֹצִיאִ֖י מֵאֹֽיְבָ֑י וּמִקָּמַי֙ תְּר֣וֹמְמֵ֔נִי מֵאִ֥ישׁ חֲמָסִ֖ים תַּצִּילֵֽנִי׃ עַל־כֵּ֛ן אוֹדְךָ֥ יְהֹוָ֖ה בַּגּוֹיִ֑ם וּלְשִׁמְךָ֖ אֲזַמֵּֽר׃ (מגדיל) [מִגְדּ֖וֹל] יְשׁוּע֣וֹת מַלְכּ֑וֹ וְעֹֽשֶׂה־חֶ֧סֶד לִמְשִׁיח֛וֹ לְדָוִ֥ד וּלְזַרְע֖וֹ עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ {פ}
English Translation
aThis poem occurs again as Ps. 18, with a number of variations, some of which are cited in the following notes. David addressed the words of this song to GOD, after GOD had saved him from the hands of all his enemies and from the hands of Saul. He said:
O ETERNAL One, my crag, my fortress, my deliverer! O God, the rockbGod, the rock Lit. “the God of my rock”; Ps. 18.3 “my God, my rock.” in which I take shelter:
My shield, my mighty champion,cmighty champion Lit. “horn of rescue.” my haven and refuge!
My savior, You who rescue me from violence! All praise! I called on GOD dAll praise! I called on GOD Construction of Heb. uncertain.
And was delivered from my enemies. For the breakers of Death encompassed me,
The torrents of BelialeBelial I.e., the netherworld, like “Death” and “Sheol.” terrified me; The ropes of Sheol encircled me,
The snares of Death engulfed me. In my anguish I called on the ETERNAL,
Cried out to my God,
Who from a heavenly abodefa heavenly abode Lit. “His temple”; cf. v. 10. heard my voice,
Whose ears received my cry. Then the earth rocked and quaked,
The foundations of heavengheaven Cf. Ps. 18.8 “mountains.” shook—
Rocked by divine indignation. Smoke went up from God’s nostrils—
Devouring fire from God’s mouth;
Live coals blazing forth. [God] bent the sky and came down,
Thick cloud beneath divine feet. [God] mounted a cherub and flew,
And was seenhAnd was seen Cf. Ps. 18.11 “gliding.” on the wings of the wind. Pavilions of darkness all around,
Dripping clouds, huge thunderheads; In the divine brilliance
Blazed fiery coals. GOD thundered from heaven,
The Most High gave forth voice— Letting shafts fly, and scattering them;ithem I.e., the enemies in v. 4.
Lightning, and routing them. The bed of the sea was exposed,
The foundations of the world were laid bare
By the ETERNAL’s mighty roaring,
At the blast of God’s breath.jGod’s breath Lit. “the breath of His nostrils.” Reaching down from on high, [God] took me,
Drawing me out of the mighty waterskmighty waters Cf. v. 5.— Rescuing me from my fierce enemy,
From foes too strong for me. They attacked me on my day of calamity,
But GOD was my support. Bringing me out to freedom,
Pleased with me enough to rescue me. GOD rewarded me according to my merit,
Requiting the cleanness of my hands— For I have kept to the ways of GOD
And have not been guilty before my God; For I am mindful of all God’s rules
And have not departed from God’s laws. I have been blameless before [God],
And have guarded myself against sinning— And GOD has requited my merit
According to my evident cleanness. With the loyal, You deal loyally;
With the blameless hero,lhero Cf. Ps. 18.26 “man.” blamelessly. With the pure, You act in purity,
And with the perverse, You are wily. To lowly folk You give victory,
And You look with scorn on the haughty.mAnd You look with scorn on the haughty Lit. “And lower Your eyes on the haughty”; Ps. 18.28 “But haughty eyes You humble.” You, O ETERNAL One, are my lamp;
GOD lights up my darkness. With You, I can rush a barrier;nbarrier Cf. postbiblical gedudiyyoth “walls,” Aramaic gudda, “wall.”
With my God, I can scale a wall. The way of God is perfect,
The word of the ETERNAL is pure.
[God] shields all who seek refuge. Truly, who is a god except the ETERNAL,
Who is a rock except our God?— The God, my mighty stronghold,omy mighty stronghold Cf. Ps. 18.33 “who girded me with might.”
Who keptpkept Meaning of Heb. uncertain; Ps. 18.33 “made.” my path secure; Who made my legs like a deer’s,
And set me firmly on theqthe Taking bamothai as a poetic form of bamoth; cf. Hab. 3.19; in contrast to others “my.” heights; Who trained my hands for battle—
My arms can bend a bow of bronze! You have granted me the shield of Your protection
And Your providence has made me great.rAnd Your providence has made me great Meaning of Heb. uncertain. You have let me stride on freely;
My feet have not slipped. I pursued my enemies and wiped them out,
I did not turn back till I destroyed them. I destroyed them, I struck them down;
They rose no more, they lay at my feet. You have girded me with strength for battle,
Brought low my adversaries before me, Made my enemies turn tail before me,
My foes—and I wiped them out. They looked,slooked Cf. Ps. 18.42 “cried out.” but there was none to deliver;
To GOD, who did not answer them. I pounded them like dust of the earth,
Stamped, crushed them like dirt of the streets. You have rescued me from the strife of peoples,tpeoples So some mss. and the Septuagint; Tiberian Masoretic mss. and the printed editions “my people.”
Kept me to beuKept me to be Cf. Ps. 18.44 “set me.” at the head of nations;
Peoples I knew not must serve me. Foreign peoples cringe before me,
Are submissive at the mere report of me. Foreign peoples lose courage
And come trembling out of their strongholds.vAnd come trembling out of their strongholds Meaning of Heb. uncertain. The ETERNAL lives! Blessed is my rock!
Exalted be God, the rock
Who gives me victory; The God who has vindicated me
And made peoples subject to me, Who rescued me from my enemies,
Who raised me clear of my adversaries,
Saved me from the lawless opposition! For this I sing Your praise, ETERNAL One, among the nations
And hymn Your name: Tower of victorywTower of victory Kethib and Ps. 18.51 read “He accords wondrous victories.” to YourxYour Heb. 3rd person. king,
Keeping faith with YouryYour See preceding note. anointed,
With David and his offspring evermore.
O ETERNAL One, my crag, my fortress, my deliverer! O God, the rockbGod, the rock Lit. “the God of my rock”; Ps. 18.3 “my God, my rock.” in which I take shelter:
My shield, my mighty champion,cmighty champion Lit. “horn of rescue.” my haven and refuge!
My savior, You who rescue me from violence! All praise! I called on GOD dAll praise! I called on GOD Construction of Heb. uncertain.
And was delivered from my enemies. For the breakers of Death encompassed me,
The torrents of BelialeBelial I.e., the netherworld, like “Death” and “Sheol.” terrified me; The ropes of Sheol encircled me,
The snares of Death engulfed me. In my anguish I called on the ETERNAL,
Cried out to my God,
Who from a heavenly abodefa heavenly abode Lit. “His temple”; cf. v. 10. heard my voice,
Whose ears received my cry. Then the earth rocked and quaked,
The foundations of heavengheaven Cf. Ps. 18.8 “mountains.” shook—
Rocked by divine indignation. Smoke went up from God’s nostrils—
Devouring fire from God’s mouth;
Live coals blazing forth. [God] bent the sky and came down,
Thick cloud beneath divine feet. [God] mounted a cherub and flew,
And was seenhAnd was seen Cf. Ps. 18.11 “gliding.” on the wings of the wind. Pavilions of darkness all around,
Dripping clouds, huge thunderheads; In the divine brilliance
Blazed fiery coals. GOD thundered from heaven,
The Most High gave forth voice— Letting shafts fly, and scattering them;ithem I.e., the enemies in v. 4.
Lightning, and routing them. The bed of the sea was exposed,
The foundations of the world were laid bare
By the ETERNAL’s mighty roaring,
At the blast of God’s breath.jGod’s breath Lit. “the breath of His nostrils.” Reaching down from on high, [God] took me,
Drawing me out of the mighty waterskmighty waters Cf. v. 5.— Rescuing me from my fierce enemy,
From foes too strong for me. They attacked me on my day of calamity,
But GOD was my support. Bringing me out to freedom,
Pleased with me enough to rescue me. GOD rewarded me according to my merit,
Requiting the cleanness of my hands— For I have kept to the ways of GOD
And have not been guilty before my God; For I am mindful of all God’s rules
And have not departed from God’s laws. I have been blameless before [God],
And have guarded myself against sinning— And GOD has requited my merit
According to my evident cleanness. With the loyal, You deal loyally;
With the blameless hero,lhero Cf. Ps. 18.26 “man.” blamelessly. With the pure, You act in purity,
And with the perverse, You are wily. To lowly folk You give victory,
And You look with scorn on the haughty.mAnd You look with scorn on the haughty Lit. “And lower Your eyes on the haughty”; Ps. 18.28 “But haughty eyes You humble.” You, O ETERNAL One, are my lamp;
GOD lights up my darkness. With You, I can rush a barrier;nbarrier Cf. postbiblical gedudiyyoth “walls,” Aramaic gudda, “wall.”
With my God, I can scale a wall. The way of God is perfect,
The word of the ETERNAL is pure.
[God] shields all who seek refuge. Truly, who is a god except the ETERNAL,
Who is a rock except our God?— The God, my mighty stronghold,omy mighty stronghold Cf. Ps. 18.33 “who girded me with might.”
Who keptpkept Meaning of Heb. uncertain; Ps. 18.33 “made.” my path secure; Who made my legs like a deer’s,
And set me firmly on theqthe Taking bamothai as a poetic form of bamoth; cf. Hab. 3.19; in contrast to others “my.” heights; Who trained my hands for battle—
My arms can bend a bow of bronze! You have granted me the shield of Your protection
And Your providence has made me great.rAnd Your providence has made me great Meaning of Heb. uncertain. You have let me stride on freely;
My feet have not slipped. I pursued my enemies and wiped them out,
I did not turn back till I destroyed them. I destroyed them, I struck them down;
They rose no more, they lay at my feet. You have girded me with strength for battle,
Brought low my adversaries before me, Made my enemies turn tail before me,
My foes—and I wiped them out. They looked,slooked Cf. Ps. 18.42 “cried out.” but there was none to deliver;
To GOD, who did not answer them. I pounded them like dust of the earth,
Stamped, crushed them like dirt of the streets. You have rescued me from the strife of peoples,tpeoples So some mss. and the Septuagint; Tiberian Masoretic mss. and the printed editions “my people.”
Kept me to beuKept me to be Cf. Ps. 18.44 “set me.” at the head of nations;
Peoples I knew not must serve me. Foreign peoples cringe before me,
Are submissive at the mere report of me. Foreign peoples lose courage
And come trembling out of their strongholds.vAnd come trembling out of their strongholds Meaning of Heb. uncertain. The ETERNAL lives! Blessed is my rock!
Exalted be God, the rock
Who gives me victory; The God who has vindicated me
And made peoples subject to me, Who rescued me from my enemies,
Who raised me clear of my adversaries,
Saved me from the lawless opposition! For this I sing Your praise, ETERNAL One, among the nations
And hymn Your name: Tower of victorywTower of victory Kethib and Ps. 18.51 read “He accords wondrous victories.” to YourxYour Heb. 3rd person. king,
Keeping faith with YouryYour See preceding note. anointed,
With David and his offspring evermore.
About This Text
Source
II Samuel
Category
Tanach
Reference
II Samuel 22:5
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