2 Samuel 21:15-22:20

New International Version

Wars Against the Philistines^(A)

¹⁵Once again there was a battle between the Philistines^(B) and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted. ¹⁶And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels^[a] and who was armed with a new sword, said he would kill David. ¹⁷But Abishai^(C) son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp^(D) of Israel will not be extinguished.^(E)”

¹⁸In the course of time, there was another battle with the Philistines, at Gob. At that time Sibbekai^(F) the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of Rapha.

¹⁹In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jair^[b] the Bethlehemite killed the brother of^[c] Goliath the Gittite,^(G) who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod.^(H)

²⁰In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. ²¹When he taunted^(I) Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah,^(J) David’s brother, killed him.

²²These four were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.

David’s Song of Praise^(K)

22 David sang^(L) to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. ²He said:

“The Lord is my rock,^(M) my fortress^(N) and my deliverer;^(O)
³    my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,^(P)
    my shield^[d]^(Q) and the horn^[e]^(R) of my salvation.
He is my stronghold,^(S) my refuge and my savior—
    from violent people you save me.

⁴“I called to the Lord, who is worthy^(T) of praise,
    and have been saved from my enemies.
⁵The waves^(U) of death swirled about me;
    the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
⁶The cords of the grave^(V) coiled around me;
    the snares of death confronted me.

⁷“In my distress^(W) I called^(X) to the Lord;
    I called out to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice;
    my cry came to his ears.
⁸The earth^(Y) trembled and quaked,^(Z)
    the foundations^(AA) of the heavens^[f] shook;
    they trembled because he was angry.
⁹Smoke rose from his nostrils;
    consuming fire^(AB) came from his mouth,
    burning coals^(AC) blazed out of it.
¹⁰He parted the heavens and came down;
    dark clouds^(AD) were under his feet.
¹¹He mounted the cherubim^(AE) and flew;
    he soared^[g] on the wings of the wind.^(AF)
¹²He made darkness^(AG) his canopy around him—
    the dark^[h] rain clouds of the sky.
¹³Out of the brightness of his presence
    bolts of lightning^(AH) blazed forth.
¹⁴The Lord thundered^(AI) from heaven;
    the voice of the Most High resounded.
¹⁵He shot his arrows^(AJ) and scattered the enemy,
    with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
¹⁶The valleys of the sea were exposed
    and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at the rebuke^(AK) of the Lord,
    at the blast^(AL) of breath from his nostrils.

¹⁷“He reached down from on high^(AM) and took hold of me;
    he drew^(AN) me out of deep waters.
¹⁸He rescued^(AO) me from my powerful enemy,
    from my foes, who were too strong for me.
¹⁹They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
    but the Lord was my support.^(AP)
²⁰He brought me out into a spacious^(AQ) place;
    he rescued^(AR) me because he delighted^(AS) in me.^(AT)

Footnotes

2 Samuel 21:16 That is, about 7 1/2 pounds or about 3.5 kilograms
2 Samuel 21:19 See 1 Chron. 20:5; Hebrew Jaare-Oregim.
2 Samuel 21:19 See 1 Chron. 20:5; Hebrew does not have the brother of.
2 Samuel 22:3 Or sovereign
2 Samuel 22:3 Horn here symbolizes strength.
2 Samuel 22:8 Hebrew; Vulgate and Syriac (see also Psalm 18:7) mountains
2 Samuel 22:11 Many Hebrew manuscripts (see also Psalm 18:10); most Hebrew manuscripts appeared
2 Samuel 22:12 Septuagint (see also Psalm 18:11); Hebrew massed