Limitless Word
“From the brightness before Him Coals of fire were kindled.
2 Samuel 22:13 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB At the brightness before him, coals of fire were kindled.
  • KJV Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled.
  • BSB From the brightness of His presence coals of fire blazed forth.
  • NKJV From the brightness before Him Coals of fire were kindled.
  • NLT A great brightness shone around him, and burning coals blazed forth.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

From the brightness of his presence, fiery coals blaze forth. God's radiant glory accompanies his saving advance.

Overview

Out of the surrounding clouds bursts the brilliance of God's presence, kindling fire. The image conveys the dazzling holiness that breaks through to judge enemies and deliver the faithful. It points to the God whose glory is both terrifying to the wicked and saving to those who trust him.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 1

  • 2 Sam 22:9Smoke went up out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it.

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — 2 Samuel videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on 2 Samuel 22:13YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on 2 SamuelMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.

How 2 Samuel 22:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.