2 Samuel 22:19 — Word Study
WLCיְקַדְּמֻ֖נִי בְּי֣וֹם אֵידִ֑י וַיְהִ֧י יְהוָ֛ה מִשְׁעָ֖ן לִֽי׃
BSAThey confronted meqâdam▸ [came upon, prevented, fell upon] in my dayyôwm [day of trouble, calamity, affliction, when I was experiencing difficulties] of calamityʼêyd but the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah] washâyâh▸ my supportmishʻên [stay, protector, who sustained me]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יְקַדְּמֻ֖נִי | they confronted me | Verb piel imperfect third person masculine plural, suffix |
| בְּי֣וֹם | in [the] day of | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| אֵידִ֑י | calamity my | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| וַיְהִ֧י | and he was | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| יְהוָ֛ה | Yahweh | Noun proper |
| מִשְׁעָ֖ן | a support | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| לִֽי׃ | of me | Preposition, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | They confronted me in my day of calamity, but the LORD was my support. |
| KJV | They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. |
| ASV | They came upon me in the day of my calamity; But Jehovah was my stay. |
| YLT | They are before me in a day of my calamity, And Jehovah is my support, |
| WEB | They came on me in the day of my calamity, but Yahweh was my support. |
| BBE | They came on me in the day of my trouble: but the Lord was my support. |
Where they part company is יְקַדְּמֻ֖נִי — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has two main clauses connected by a conjunction, with a prepositional phrase providing temporal context for the first clause.
4 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Cambridge, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
subjectיהוה
verbהָיָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — 2 Samuel 22:19
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — David's Song of Praisegenerated
2 Samuel 22:19 reflects a moment of crisis where the speaker feels surrounded by enemies. Despite the confrontation, the speaker recognizes the LORD as their unwavering support. This verse is part of a larger narrative where David praises God for deliverance from his foes, emphasizing the theme of divine assistance in times of trouble.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 Samuel 15:10–13 | Then Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel with this message: “When you hear the sound of the horn, you are to say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’” |
| 2 | 1 Samuel 19:11–17 | Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and kill him in the morning. But David’s wife Michal warned him, “If you do not run for your life tonight, tomorrow you will be dead!” |
| 3 | 1 Samuel 23:26–27 | Saul was proceeding along one side of the mountain, and David and his men along the other side. Even though David was hurrying to get away, Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them. |
| 4 | Psalm 18:18–19 | They confronted me in my day of calamity, but the LORD was my support. |
| 5 | Psalm 118:10–13 | All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the LORD I cut them off. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יְקַדְּמֻ֖נִי, ye.ka.de.Mu.nigenerated
The verb קָדַם (qadam) means to meet or confront, often implying an encounter that is anticipatory or protective. In this verse, it indicates how adversaries approached the speaker during a vulnerable time.
The parsing indicates a piel imperfect form, suggesting an ongoing action by the subjects (the enemies) who confront the speaker. This emphasizes the immediacy and urgency of the situation.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb יְקַדְּמֻ֖ governs the sentence, indicating the action of confrontation. The structure includes a prepositional phrase indicating the time of the confrontation and a second clause that identifies the LORD as the speaker's support.
The order of the Hebrew emphasizes the confrontation first, followed by the assurance of divine support, highlighting the contrast between the enemies' actions and the LORD's faithfulness.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יְקַדְּמֻ֖נִי as με, which indicates a direct confrontation. This choice reflects a similar understanding of the encounter, emphasizing the immediacy of the conflict.
The use of ἐγένετο for the verb 'was' in the LXX aligns with the narrative style typical of Greek translations, indicating a moment of realization or existence in the context of divine support.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
2 Samuel 22:19 describes a time when the speaker faced enemies during a difficult moment. Despite this confrontation, the speaker acknowledges that the LORD is their support, highlighting the theme of divine help in adversity.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It indicates that the enemies approached the speaker during a time of trouble, creating a sense of urgency and danger.
The LORD is portrayed as a protector and sustainer, offering help during times of distress.
It emphasizes the contrast between human adversity and divine support, a recurring theme in the Psalms.
We learn that even in difficult times, recognizing and relying on divine support can provide strength and comfort.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced support during difficult times in my life?
- How can I remind myself of the LORD's presence when facing challenges?
- What does it mean to confront difficulties with faith in the LORD?
- How can I support others who are going through their own calamities?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 2 Samuel 22:19 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThey prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay. [See comments on Psalms 18:18].
Read John Gill on 2 Samuel 22 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThey prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. They prevented me in the day of my calamity , [ yªqadmuniy (H6923)] - they surprised me (see the notes at last clause of 2 Samuel 22:6).
Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Samuel 22 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges19. They prevented me] They encountered me, the same word as in 2 Samuel 22:6, meaning to meet with hostile intention. Prevent is used in a sense which illustrates the transition from the original meaning ‘to go before’ to the modern meaning ‘to hinder.’ See the Bible Word Book, p. 383. Cp. Milton’s Paradise Lost, vi. 129: Half way he metHis daring foe, at this prevention moreIncens’d.my stay] The staff on which he leaned for support. Cp. Psalms 23:4.
Read Cambridge on 2 Samuel 22 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible19. Day of my misfortune — While he was a fugitive and an outlaw, and also afterwards, when rebellion broke out in his own family.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on 2 Samuel 22 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
They confronted me in my day of calamity, but the LORD was my support.
They came on me in the day of my calamity, but Yahweh was my support.
They confronted me in my day of calamity, but the LORD was my support.
They confronted me in my day of calamity, but the Lord helped me.
Tyndale line
They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
They came upon me in the day of my calamity; But Jehovah was my stay.
They came upon me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
They fell upon me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my support.
They preuented me in the day of my calamitie, but the Lord was my stay,
Strictly literal
They encountered me in the day of my calamity; But Jehovah was my stay.
They are before me in a day of my calamity, And Jehovah is my support,
They are before me in a day of my calamity, || And YHWH is my support,
They overcame me on the day of my calamity; but the Lord became my stay;
They came against me on the day of my distress, but Yahweh was my support.
From the Latin
He prevented me in the day of my affliction, and the Lord became my stay.
Simplified
They came at me at my worst possible moment, but the Lord supported me.
They came on me in the day of my trouble: but the Lord was my support.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely, with all words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration, but the key elements of the verse are consistent across these witnesses.
יְקַדְּמֻ֖נִי בְּי֣וֹם אֵידִ֑י וַיְהִ֧י יְהוָ֛ה מִשְׁעָ֖ן לִֽי׃
7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
יקדמו׳ני ביום [איד׳י] [ויהי] [יהוה] [משען] [ל׳י]
nothing on the leather here — 2 partly restored, 5 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in 2 Samuel 22:19
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
קָדַם (qadam) is a verb meaning to meet or come in front of someone or something. It covers actions such as anticipating, leading, and confronting, with nuances in its Piel and Hiphil forms. The entries emphasize its use in contexts of meeting or preceding, but do not provide specific verse references.
[קָדַם] vb. Pi. denom. come or be in front, meet
base
H6923 [קָדַם] vb. Pi. denom. come or be in front, meet
6923 qadam kaw-dam'
a primitive root; to project (one self), i.e. precede; hence,
to anticipate, hasten, meet (usually for help):--come (go,
(flee)) before, + disappoint, meet, prevent.
קָדַם (qa.dam) — to meet.
1) to meet, come or be in front, confront, go before
1a) (Piel)
1a1) to meet, confront, come to meet, receive
1a2) to go before, go in front, be in front
1a3) to lead, be beforehand, anticipate, forestall
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to come in front
1b2) to confront, anticipate
V-Piel-Imperf-3mp | Suff — Verb piel imperfect third person masculine plural · suffixHVpi3mp/Sp1bs
יוֹם (yowm) means 'day' and refers to a division of time, contrasting with night. It can denote a literal 24-hour period, a general time span, or even a year. The term is used in various contexts, including the 'day of Yahweh,' which signifies a time of divine judgment. It also appears in phrases indicating temporal references like today, yesterday, and tomorrow.
יוֹם 2285 n.m. day
day, opp. night
Day as division of time
יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous
Pl. days of anyone
Days
יוֹם = time
Phrases
base
H3117 יוֹם day . day, opp. night
. Day as division of time
. יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous
. Pl. days of anyone
. Days
. יוֹם = time
. Phrases
3117 yowm yome
from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm
hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one
sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by
an associated term), (often used adverb):--age, + always, +
chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to)
day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, +
(for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as
(... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually,
presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space,
then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble,
weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole
(+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.
יוֹם (yom) — day.
: day/when/time/period
1) day, time, year
1a) day (as opposed to night)
1b) day (24 hour period)
1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1
1b2) as a division of time
1b2a) a working day, a day's journey
1c) days, lifetime (pl.)
1d) time, period (general)
1e) year
1f) temporal references
1f1) today
1f2) yesterday
1f3) tomorrow
יוֹם (yom) — day: old.
: old/(full/many)[days]
1) day, time, year
1a) day (as opposed to night)
1b) day (24 hour period)
1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1
1b2) as a division of time
1b2a) a working day, a day's journey
1c) days, lifetime (pl.)
1d) time, period (general)
1e) year
1f) temporal references
1f1) today
1f2) yesterday
1f3) tomorrow
יוֹם (yom) — day: year.
: year[of_days]
1) day, time, year
1a) day (as opposed to night)
1b) day (24 hour period)
1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1
1b2) as a division of time
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
אֵיד (eyd) refers to distress or calamity, encompassing various forms of misfortune such as national calamities, burdens of the righteous, and disasters affecting the wicked. It is derived from a root meaning to bend down, indicating oppression or ruin. The term appears in contexts related to suffering and disaster.
אֵיד n.m. distress, calamity
national calam. of Isr. (apostate)
of righteous sufferer
oft. of wicked
base
H343 אֵיד distress, calamity
343 'eyd ade
from the same as 181 (in the sense of bending down);
oppression; by implication misfortune, ruin:--calamity,
destruction.
see HEBREW for 0181
אֵיד (ed) — calamity.
1) distress, burden, calamity
1a) burden (of the righteous)
1b) calamity (of nation)
1c) disaster (of wicked)
1d) day of calamity
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp1bs
The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be
Qal
Fall out, happen
occur, take place, come about, come to pass
esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass
וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
Come into being, become
abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
sq. prep.
become
sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
sq. pred. adj.
become like
sq. pred. לְ pers.
sq. לְ pred.
oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.
with עַל and לְ
sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)
exist, be in existence
abide, remain, continue
with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie
as copula, joining subj. & pred.
H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen
. occur, take place, come about, come to pass
. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
. sq. prep.
. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
. sq. pred. adj.
. become like
. sq. pred. + לְ pers.
. sq. לְ pred.
. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.
. with עַל and לְ
. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence
. abide, remain, continue
1961 hayah haw-yaw
a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,
come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or
auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,
committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,
fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit
(one-)self, require, X use.
see HEBREW for 01933
הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.
1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) ---
1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass
1a1b) to come about, come to pass
1a2) to come into being, become
1a2a) to arise, appear, come
1a2b) to become
1a2b1) to become
1a2b2) to become like
1a2b3) to be instituted, be established
1a3) to be
1a3a) to exist, be in existence
1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)
1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)
1a3d) to accompany, be with
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about
1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqw3ms
ha: The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet; transliterated in this Encyclopedia as "h." It came also to be used for the number 5. For name, etc., see ALPHABET.
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt
מִשְׁעָן (mish'an) refers to a support or staff, indicating both a physical support and a figurative sense of protection or sustenance. It has variations in spelling, such as מִשְׁעֵן (mish'en), which carries the same meaning. The term appears in contexts like Isaiah 3:1.
ref
H4937a מִשְׁעָן support, staff H4937b מִשְׁעֵן id. [4937a]
4937 mish`en mish-ane'
or mishtan {mish-awn'}; from 8172; a support (concretely),
i.e. (figuratively) a protector or sustenance:--stay.
see HEBREW for 08172
מִשְׁעָן (mish.an) — support.
support, staff
Also means: mish.en (מִשְׁעֵן "support" H4937B)
מִשְׁעֵן (mish.en) — support.
support, staff
Another spelling of mish.an (מִשְׁעָן "support" H4937A)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
נִי (ni) — me.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular
HRd/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffixHRd/Sp1bs