Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 23:2
The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, and his word [was] in my tongue.
2. the Spirit of the Lord] A direct claim of inspiration, to which Christ Himself bears witness (Mat 22:43).
Observe the parallelisms, which constitute Hebrew poetry.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
2Sa 23:2
The Spirit of the Lord spake by me.
The inspiration of the Scriptures
I. The Inspiration Of The Scriptures. This may be shown by the combined testimony of Moses, the Psalmist, the Prophets of our Lord, and also of the Apostles and Evangelists. Consider:
1. The language of Moses. Now what does Moses say of his own writings? Thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep His statutes and His commandments, which are written in this book of the law.
2. The language of the Psalmist. David, the sweet Psalmist of Israel, claims inspiration for those psalms which are of his own composition. The Spirit of the Lord, he says, spake by me. And what are his other testimonies respecting the word of God at large? Very wonderful, he says, are its properties. It is the grand instrument, he tells us, in the sinners conversion. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.
3. The language of the prophets. What does Jeremiah say concerning his own writings? The Lord commanded Jeremiah to set down in a book certain prophecies. Those prophecies Baruch read in the audience of the king and the princes. And what is said respecting Baruchs reading? Then read he in the book the words of the Lord in the house of the Lord. He read in the book the words of the Lord.
4. The language of Christ. He met His adversaries with the Scripture.
5. The language of the Evangelists and Apostles. Our Lord, before His departure, promised to send to His disciples the Holy Ghost. And when He is come, He will bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have spoken unto you. The Evangelists and Apostles, therefore, wrote under the controlling power of the Holy Ghost. All Scripture, wrote St. Peter, is given by inspiration of God, or, is God-breathed. That Scripture Timothy had known from a child; arid that Scripture was able to make Timothy wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. By that term Scripture, which was able to make its readers savingly acquainted with Christ, was meant the Old Testament writings. Now, these Old Testament books are directly quoted or alluded to in the New Testament several hundreds of times. There are more than eighty such references in St. Matthew; more than thirty in St. Mark; more than fifty in St. Luke; forty in St. John; more than fifty in the Acts of the Apostles; more than seventy in the Romans.
II. Words of counsel.
1. Beware of the sin of unbelief. God has given us-a revelation. The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken. That revelation contains difficulties and mysteries. Our Lord was satisfied with the Old Testament, and we, therefore, should surely be satisfied. But we have, in addition, a most clear commentary on the Old Testament. We have the New Testament.
2. Cultivate a childlike spirit. Our Lord has plainly told us that, except we be converted and become as little children, we shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.
3. Receive all that the Bible reveals. In the Bible, as St Peter tells us, there are many things hard to be understood. This is no more than we ought to expect, when the infinite God reveals Himself to a finite being like man. Those things, however, which are necessary for our salvation–sin, death, hell, heaven, the general resurrection, the atonement of Christ, the work of the Spirit–are written so plainly that he may run that reads. (C. Clayton, M. A.)
God the Author of Scripture
Who built St. Pauls Cathedral? So many masons, carpenters, iron-workers, carvers, painters–and then there was Wren. Yes, there was Christopher Wren. He was not a mason, nor a carpenter, nor an ironworker. He never laid a single stone, drove a nail, or forged a railing. What did he do? He did it all. He planned the splendid edifice: inspired with his thought and purpose all their toil, and wrought through every worker. They were his hands, and people flock to-day in their thousands from all over the world to see Christopher Wrens masterpiece. Who wrote the Bible? Moses, David, Isaiah, John, Paul? Yes. But the Holy Spirit did it all. Holy men of old spake as they were borne along by the Holy Ghost.
Plenary inspiration of Scripture
In an interesting little pamphlet, written by the late Dr. A. J. Gordon, and called Three weeks with Joseph Rabinowitz, there are several striking expressions uttered by the Russian Jew. What is your view of inspiration? we asked him, in order to draw him out concerning certain much-mooted questions Of our time. My view is, he said, holding up his Hebrew Bible, that this is the Word of God; the Spirit of God dwells in it; when I read it, I know that God is speaking to me; and when I preach it, I say to the people, Be silent, and hear what Jehovah will say to you. As for comparing the inspiration of Scripture with that of Homer or Shakespeare, he continued, it is not a question of degree, but of kind.. Electricity will pass through an iron bar, but it will not go through a rod of glass, however beautiful and transparent, because it has no affinity for it. So the Spirit of God dwells in the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures, because these are His proper medium, but not in Homer or Shakespeare, because He has no affinity with these writings.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 2. The Spirit of the Lord spake by me] Hence the matter of his writing came by direct and immediate inspiration.
His word was in my tongue.] Hence the words of this writing were as directly inspired as the matter.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The following words, and consequently the other words and Psalms composed and uttered by me upon the like solemn occasions, are not to be looked upon as my private fancies or human inventions, but both the matter and the words of them are suggested and governed by Gods Spirit, which is the great Teacher of the church.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. The Spirit of the Lord spake bymeNothing can more clearly show that all that is excellent inspirit, beautiful in language, or grand in prophetic imagery, whichthe Psalms of David contain, were owing, not to his superiority innatural talents or acquired knowledge, but to the suggestion anddictates of God’s Spirit.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The Spirit of the Lord spake by me,…. The psalms and songs he composed were not the fruits of his own genius, but were written by him under the inspiration of the Spirit of God; by whom holy men of God, the penmen of the Scriptures, spoke, even as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, of whom David was one, being a prophet; see Ac 1:16 Ac 2:30; so the Targum here,
“David spoke by the spirit of prophecy of the Lord:”
or spake “in me” h; what he spoke was first internally impressed upon his mind by the Spirit of God, and then he expressed it with his tongue, as follows:
and his word [was] in my tongue; not only the matter of his psalms was indited by the Spirit of God, and suggested to his mind; but the very words in which they are delivered were given to him, and he was directed to make use of them, and did.
h “in me”, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(2) The Spirit of the Lord spake by me.In accordance with 2Sa. 23:1, there is here, and also in the next clause, most explicit assertion that this was spoken under the prompting and guidance of the Divine Spirit.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. His word is on my tongue He was conscious of divine inspiration.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
(2) The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. (3) The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
If the Reader carefully attends to those three distinct titles, and yet all one and the same, by which David describes the LORD JEHOVAH, perhaps he will be inclined to think, as some learned men have done before him, that they imply the threefold, well known character, by which the LORD JEHOVAH is revealed in a Trinity of persons in the GOD-head. The GOD of Israel in the well known title of the FATHER. The Rock of Israel evidently refers, and in a peculiar manner, to GOD the SON. And the SPIRIT of the LORD is the common appellation by which GOD the HOLY GHOST is, for the most part, known in all the sacred writings. Reader! how delightful to behold this glorious foundation article of our holy faith cherished and lived upon by the early fathers in the church. And, before we enter upon the review of these last words of David, cannot but hope that the Reader will remark that, what David is about in the opening of this chapter to leave upon record to the church, is both what the SPIRIT of the LORD spoke by him; and also what the Rock of Israel spake to him. Do not overlook this distinction I beseech you, What the spirit spake by David, is what was designed for the instruction of others. What the Rock of Israel spake to David, no doubt is what the LORD JESUS spake for his own personal advantage. The former was in the teaching of the HOLY GHOST. The latter among the blessed manifestations of JESUS. What David delivered to others in his Psalms, or history, as intended for the benefit of the church, brings with it, therefore, all possible authority, for holy men of old spoke as they were moved by the HOLY GHOST . 2Pe 1:21 . Blessed privilege! Highly distinguished honour! to have the communications of JESUS for our own felicity, and the teachings of the HOLY GHOST for the comfort of others.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Sa 23:2 The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word [was] in my tongue.
Ver. 2. The Spirit of the Lord spake by me. ] Both here and in other psalms composed by me; I had from the Holy Ghost both matter and words. See Act 4:25 Luk 24:44 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Spirit = ruach. App-9.
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4.
spake: referring to the substance of the Divine revelation. Hebrew. dabar = to utter. See App-73.
word. Hebrew. millah. Used of a royal or divine decree (Psa 19:14. Dan 3:22, Dan 3:28, &c.)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mat 22:43, Mar 12:36, Act 2:25-31, Heb 3:7, Heb 3:8, 2Pe 1:21
Reciprocal: Num 24:16 – General 1Sa 15:1 – hearken 1Ki 1:20 – that thou 1Ch 16:7 – on that day 2Ch 8:14 – so had David the man of God commanded 2Ch 15:1 – the Spirit 2Ch 29:30 – with the words Psa 45:1 – tongue Isa 11:4 – But with Jer 33:15 – and he Jer 50:1 – Jeremiah Mat 10:20 – but Mar 13:11 – but Luk 1:67 – filled Luk 1:70 – spake Luk 20:42 – himself Act 1:16 – which the Act 2:4 – as Act 2:30 – being Act 4:20 – we cannot 1Co 12:10 – prophecy 2Ti 3:16 – All Heb 4:7 – saying Heb 10:15 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Sa 23:2-3. His word was in my tongue The following words, and consequently the other words and psalms composed and uttered by me upon the like solemn occasions, are not to be looked upon as human inventions, but both the matter and the words of them were suggested by Gods Spirit, the great teacher of the church. The Rock of Israel He who is the strength, and defence, and protector of his people; which he manifests by directing kings and rulers so to manage their power, as may most conduce to their comfort and benefit. He that ruleth over men Here are the two principal parts of a kings duty, answerable to the tables of Gods law, justice toward men, and piety toward God, both which he is to maintain and promote among his people.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
23:2 The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word [was] in my {b} tongue.
(b) Meaning, he spoke nothing but by the motion of God’s Spirit.