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The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
2 Samuel 23:2 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB “Yahweh’s Spirit spoke by me. His word was on my tongue.
  • BSB The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; His word was on my tongue.
  • NKJV “TheSpirit of the Lord spoke by me, And His word was on my tongue.
  • NASB “The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me, And His word was on my tongue.
  • NLT “The Spirit of the Lord speaks through me; his words are upon my tongue.

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

David testifies that the LORD's Spirit spoke through him, marking his words as divinely inspired prophecy.

Overview

David claims direct inspiration: Yahweh's Spirit spoke by him and His word was on David's tongue. This is a clear Old Testament witness to the doctrine of inspiration, where God moves a human author to speak His own word, the same Spirit who would later testify of Christ through the Scriptures (2 Peter 1:21).

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 5

  • 2 Pet 1:21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
  • Matt 22:43He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,
  • Acts 2:25–31For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
  • Mark 12:36For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.
  • Heb 3:7–8Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

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 23:2YouTube · 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 23:2 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.