2 Samuel 22:17 — Word Study
WLCיִשְׁלַ֥ח מִמָּר֖וֹם יִקָּחֵ֑נִי יַֽמְשֵׁ֖נִי מִמַּ֥יִם רַבִּֽים׃
BSAHe reached downshâlach▸ [sent from above, stretched out] from on highmârôwm [a lofty, elevated place] and took hold of melâqach▸ [grasped, seized] He drew memâshâh▸ [pulled out, rescued] out of deeprab [many, great] watersmayim [a source of refreshment]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יִשְׁלַ֥ח | he stretched out | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| מִמָּר֖וֹם | from a high place | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| יִקָּחֵ֑נִי | he took hold of me | Verb qal imperfect third person masculine singular, suffix |
| יַֽמְשֵׁ֖נִי | he drew me | Verb hiphil imperfect third person masculine singular, suffix |
| מִמַּ֥יִם | from waters | Preposition, noun common masculine plural absolute |
| רַבִּֽים׃ | many | Adj |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. |
| KJV | He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters; |
| ASV | He sent from on high, he took me; He drew me out of many waters; |
| YLT | He sendeth from above — He taketh me, He draweth me out of many waters. |
| WEB | He sent from on high and he took me. He drew me out of many waters. |
| BBE | He sent from on high, he took me, pulling me out of great waters. |
Where they part company is רַבִּֽים — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause is supported by two actions that describe God's intervention, highlighting His active role in salvation.
4 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Cambridge, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
verbשָׁלַח
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 22:17
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 22:17 recounts David's reflection on God's mighty acts of salvation. He acknowledges how God intervened in his time of need, illustrating a deep trust in God's protective power. This passage is part of a larger song that celebrates God's deliverance from enemies and danger, emphasizing the theme of divine rescue throughout David's life.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 18:16 | He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. |
| 2 | Psalm 144:7 | Reach down from on high; set me free and rescue me from the deep waters, from the grasp of foreigners, |
| 3 | Psalm 32:6 | Therefore let all the godly pray to You while You may be found. Surely when great waters rise, they will not come near. |
| 4 | Psalm 59:1–2 | Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; protect me from those who rise against me. |
| 5 | Psalm 93:3–4 | The floodwaters have risen, O LORD; the rivers have raised their voice; the seas lift up their pounding waves. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יִשְׁלַ֥ח, yish.Lachgenerated
The verb שָׁלַח (shalach) means 'to send' and is used here in the imperfect tense, indicating an action that is ongoing or incomplete. In this context, it conveys the idea of God reaching down to help, emphasizing His active role in salvation.
This verb can also imply a sense of stretching out, particularly of a hand, which adds a physical dimension to God's intervention. The use of the third person masculine singular indicates that it is God who performs this action, highlighting His sovereignty.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses reached down for the Hebrew יִשְׁלַ֥ח. The KJV and ASV also use sent, maintaining the sense of divine action.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb יִשְׁלַ֥ח governs the entire verse, indicating God's action of reaching down. The structure includes a prepositional phrase that specifies the source of the action, followed by two clauses that describe what God did.
The word order emphasizes God's initiative in the act of salvation, with the prepositional phrase מִמָּר֖וֹם (from on high) placed at the beginning to highlight the lofty position from which God acts.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יִשְׁלַ֥ח as ἀπέστειλεν (He sent), which conveys a similar meaning but may suggest a more deliberate act of sending rather than simply reaching down. This choice reflects the translators' understanding of God's intervention as a purposeful act.
The use of ὕψους for מִמָּר֖וֹם indicates a focus on height, aligning with the idea of God's elevated position and authority.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
2 Samuel 22:17 shows how God reaches down from a high place to save David from deep waters. This verse highlights God's power and willingness to rescue those in trouble.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies God's active intervention in human affairs, showing His willingness to help and save from danger.
The deep waters symbolize perilous situations or overwhelming troubles that David faced, from which God rescued him.
This verse illustrates God's compassion and power, emphasizing His role as a protector and savior.
It underscores His sovereignty and authority, suggesting that He has the power to intervene in any situation.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to trust God to reach down and help me?
- How can I recognize God's hand in my own experiences of rescue or deliverance?
- What does this verse teach me about God's willingness to intervene in my troubles?
- How can I share my experiences of God's saving grace with others?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 2 Samuel 22:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHe sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. [See comments on Psalms 18:16].
Read John Gill on 2 Samuel 22 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHe sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters; He sent from above. The verb "sent" being followed by the exegetical clause, "He took me," is stated absolutely here and in Psalms 57:3.
Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Samuel 22 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges17–21. Jehovah’s deliverance of his servant for his faithfulness 17. He sent from above] He reached forth from on high: stretched out His hand and caught hold of the sinking man, and drew him out of the floods of calamity which were engulfing him. Cp. 2 Samuel 22:5; Psalms 144:7. drew me] A word found elsewhere only in Exodus 2:10, and suggesting a parallel, as though David would say, ‘He drew me out of the great waters of distress, as He drew Moses out of the waters of the Nile, to be the deliverer of His people.’
Read Cambridge on 2 Samuel 22 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible17. Sends from the height — Or, reaches forth his hand from the lofty seat above the clouds, where his Majesty is represented as appearing.
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
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters.
He sent from on high and he took me. He drew me out of many waters.
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters.
He reached down from above and grabbed me; he pulled me from the surging water.
Tyndale line
He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters;
He sent from on high, he took me; He drew me out of many waters;
He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters;
He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters;
He sent from aboue, and tooke me: hee drewe me out of many waters.
Strictly literal
He reached forth from above, he took me, He drew me out of great waters;
He sendeth from above — He taketh me, He draweth me out of many waters.
He sends from above—He takes me, || He draws me out of many waters.
He stretched out from above [his hand], he took me; he drew me out from the mighty waters.
He reached down from above; he took hold of me! He pulled me out of the surging water.
From the Latin
He sent from on high, and took me, and drew me out of many waters.
Simplified
He reached down his hand from above and grabbed hold of me. He dragged me out of the deep water.
He sent from on high, he took me, pulling me out of great waters.
Word by word, the decisions they made
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 is consistent with the Septuagint, as all six words match in meaning. The Dead Sea Scrolls also align closely, with some words restored by an editor, but maintaining the core message of God's saving action.
יִשְׁלַ֥ח מִמָּר֖וֹם יִקָּחֵ֑נִי יַֽמְשֵׁ֖נִי מִמַּ֥יִם רַבִּֽים׃
6 of the 6 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.
[ישלח] [ממרום] יקח׳ני [ימש׳ני] [ממים] [רבים]
nothing on the leather here — 1 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 22:17
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.
The Hebrew word שָׁלַח (shalach) is a primitive root meaning 'to send' with a wide range of applications. It can refer to sending away, stretching out (especially a hand), or letting go. The entries indicate various forms, including sending off, casting out, and setting free. Notably, it can also imply divorce or being sent away in a marital context.
שָׁלַח 814 vb. send
Qal
send: human subj.
send: subj. י׳ (God)
stretch out, esp. acc. hand
rarely send away: human subj.
let loose
Niph. letters were sent
Pi.
send off, away, human subj.
send away, subj. י׳
give over
cast out
send out, forth
let go, set free
shoot forth branches
let down
shoot
Phrases
Pu. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)
Hiph. and I (י׳) will send
base
H7971 שָׁלַח send .. send: human subj.
. send: subj. י׳ (God)
. stretch out, esp. acc. hand
. rarely send away: human subj.
. let loose
. letters were sent
. . send off, away, human subj.
. . send away, subj. י׳
. give over
. cast out
. send out, forth
. let go, set free
. shoot forth branches
. let down
. shoot
. Phrases
. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)
. and I (י׳) will send
7971 shalach shaw-lakh'
a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great
variety of applications):--X any wise, appoint, bring (on the
way), cast (away, out), conduct, X earnestly, forsake, give
(up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose),
push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send
(away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread,
stretch forth (out).
שָׁלַח (sha.lach) — to send: depart.
: depart/send
1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to send
1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct
1a3) to send away
1a4) to let loose
1b) (Niphal) to be sent
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out
1c2) to let go, set free
1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)
1c4) to let down
1c5) to shoot
1d) (Pual) to be sent off, be put away, be divorced, be impelled
1e) (Hiphil) to send
שָׁלַח (sha.lach) — to send: let go.
: let_go/free
1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to send
1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct
1a3) to send away
1a4) to let loose
1b) (Niphal) to be sent
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out
1c2) to let go, set free
1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)
1c4) to let down
1c5) to shoot
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
מָרוֹם (marowm) means 'height' and encompasses both concrete and abstract uses, referring to elevated places, elevation, and even pride. It can describe physical heights or be used figuratively for dignity and nobility. The word is poetically used in the Old Testament, with its root linked to the concept of altitude.
מָרוֹם n.m. height (poet.)
height, elevation (concr.), elevated place
alone = height of heaven
adv. fig., = proudly
fig. of nobles
base
H4791 מָרוֹם height (poet.)
4791 marowm maw-rome'
from 7311; altitude, i.e. concretely (an elevated place),
abstractly (elevation, figuratively (elation), or adverbially
(aloft):--(far) above, dignity, haughty, height, (most, on)
high (one, place), loftily, upward.
see HEBREW for 07311
מָרוֹם (ma.rom) — height.
1) height
1a) height, elevation, elevated place
1a1) in a high place (adv)
1b) height
1c) proudly (adv)
1d) of nobles (fig.)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
plas: Normally for maqom, Old Testament, and topos, New Testament, but in the King James Version "place" represents a great number of Hebrew and Greek words, often used with no difference in force (e.g. 2Ch 35:10,15). the Revised Version (British and American) has made few changes, but occasionally has attempted to specialize the meaning (Ge 40:13; Job 37:8; Ac 8:32; Jas 3:11, etc.).
The Hebrew word לָקַח (*laqach*) means 'to take' and encompasses a wide range of actions, including to receive, seize, capture, and carry away. It can refer to taking something in hand, taking a wife, or even taking vengeance. The verb has various forms indicating different nuances, such as being taken away or captured.
לָקַח 965 vb. take
Qal
take, take in hand
take and carry along with oneself
take from, or out of
take, carry away
take away from, so as to deprive of
esp. take away life
take to or for a person
take up, upon = put upon
= fetch
take = lead, conduct (with or without contact)
take = capture, seize
take = carry off
in phr. take vengeance
Niph.
be captured, of ark
be taken away, removed
be taken, brought unto
Pu.
be taken from, out of
= be stolen from
be taken captive
be taken away, removed
Hoph.
be taken, brought unto
be taken out of
be taken away from
Hithp. lit. fire taking hold of itself, of lightning
base
H3947 לָקַח take .. take, take in hand
. take and carry along with oneself
. . take from, or out of
. take, carry away
. take away from, so as to deprive of
. esp. take away life
. take to or for a person
. take up, upon = put upon
. = fetch
. take = lead, conduct (with or without contact)
. take = capture, seize
. take = carry off
. in phr. take vengeance
. . be captured, of ark
. be taken away, removed
. be taken, brought unto
. . be taken from, out of
. = be stolen from
. be taken captive
. be taken away, removed
. . be taken, brought unto
. be taken out of
. be taken away from
. lit. fire taking hold of itself, of lightning
3947 laqach law-kakh'
a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of
applications):--accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch,
get, infold, X many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve,
seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.
לָקַח (la.qach) — to take: take.
: take
1) to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to take, take in the hand
1a2) to take and carry along
1a3) to take from, take out of, take, carry away, take away
1a4) to take to or for a person, procure, get, take possession of, select, choose, take in marriage, receive, accept
1a5) to take up or upon, put upon
1a6) to fetch
1a7) to take, lead, conduct
1a8) to take, capture, seize
1a9) to take, carry off 1a10) to take (vengeance)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be captured
1b2) to be taken away, be removed
1b3) to be taken, brought unto
1c) (Pual)
1c1) to be taken from or out of
1c2) to be stolen from
1c3) to be taken captive
1c4) to be taken away, be removed
1d) (Hophal)
1d1) to be taken unto, be brought unto
1d2) to be taken out of
1d3) to be taken away
1e) (Hithpael)
1e1) to take hold of oneself
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms | Suff — Verb qal imperfect third person masculine singular · suffixHVqi3ms/Sp1bs
מָשָׁה (mashah) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to draw.' It is a primitive root that can refer to pulling out something literally or figuratively. The entries indicate its use in both the Qal and Hiphil stems, with a specific example of drawing someone out of water.
[מָשָׁה] vb. draw
Qal out of the water I drew him
Hiph. fig.
base
H4871 [מָשָׁה] draw
4871 mashah maw-shaw'
a primitive root; to pull out (literally or
figuratively):--draw(out).
מָשָׁה (ma.shah) — to draw.
1) to draw
1a) (Qal) to draw
1b) (Hiphil) to draw
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms | Suff — Verb hiphil imperfect third person masculine singular · suffixHVhi3ms/Sp1bs
מַי (mayim) is a Hebrew word meaning 'water' and is used in the plural form. It encompasses various meanings, including literal water, urine, and metaphorical uses related to refreshment or danger. The entries indicate it is derived from a primitive noun and is primarily referenced in contexts involving water.
[מַי] 580 n.m. only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
base
H4325 מַי only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
4325 mayim mah'-yim
dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense);
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen:--+
piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).
מַי (ma.yim) — water.
1) water, waters
1a) water
1b) water of the feet, urine
1c) of danger, violence, transitory things, refreshment (fig.)
מַי (ma.yim) — Water (Gate).
This name means water, refreshment
Prep | N-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural absoluteHR/Ncmpa
wo'-terz (mayim, plural of may, "water"; in the New Testament hudor, "water"; kindunois potamon (2Co 11:26), the King James Version "perils of waters," is in the Revised Version (British and American) "perils of rivers"): In the New Testament there is frequent reference to the water of baptism. Pilate washes his hands with water to signify his guiltlessness. Jesus tells the Samaritan woman of the living water. The Lamb shall guide the redeemed unto fountains of waters of life.
The uses of mayim are well classified in BDB, especially the figurative references, as follows: a symbol of distress, "when thou passest through the waters" (Isa 43:2); of force, "like the breach of waters" (2Sa 5:20); of that which is overwhelming, "a…
רַב (rav) means much, many, or great, often used in contrast to מְעַט (me'at). It can describe abundance in quantity or rank and is also used as a noun for chief or captain. The word conveys a range of meanings from numerous to exceedingly, and it can function as both an adjective and a noun.
רַב 429 adj. much, many, great
(oft. opp. מְעַט)
much: of substances
esp. of collectives, numerous
pl. many
רַב as subst. coll. pers.
cstr. = abounding in
מִן comp. = more numerous than
רַב = abundant, enough
as adv. much, exceedingly
less oft. great
base
רַב 49 n.m. chief
base
H7227a רַב much, many, great . (oft. opp. מְעַט) . . much: of substances
. esp. of collectives, numerous
. pl. many
. רַב as subst. coll. pers.
. cstr. = abounding in
. + מִן comp. = more numerous than
. רַב = abundant, enough
. as adv. much, exceedingly
. less oft. great
H7227b רַב chief
7227 rab rab
by contracted from 7231; abundant (in quantity, size, age,
number, rank, quality):--(in) abound(-undance, -ant, -antly),
captain, elder, enough, exceedingly, full, great(-ly, man,
one), increase, long (enough, (time)), (do, have) many(-ifold,
things, a time), ((ship-))master, mighty, more, (too, very)
much, multiply(-tude), officer, often(-times), plenteous,
populous, prince, process (of time), suffice(-lent).
see HEBREW for 07231
רַב (rav) — many.
adj
1) much, many, great
1a) much
1b) many
1c) abounding in
1d) more numerous than
1e) abundant, enough
1f) great
1g) strong
1h) greater than
adv
1i) much, exceedingly
רַב (rav) — chief.
captain, chief
Aramaic equivalent: rav.re.van (רַבְרְבָן "noble" H7261)
רַב (rav) — (Sidon) the Great.
Combined with tsi.don (צִידוֹן "Sidon" H6721H)
§ captain, chief
Adj — AdjHAampa
MANY, adjective men'ny.
1. Numerous; comprising a great number of individuals.
Thou shalt be a father of many nations. Genesis 17:4.
Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 1 Corinthians 1:26.
MANY are the afflictions of the righteous. Psalms 34:12.
It is often preceded by as or so, and followed by so, indicating an equal number.
As many books as you take, so many shall be charged to your account.
So many laws argue so many sins.
It is followed by as.
As many as were willing-hearted brought bracelets. Exodus 34:1.
It precedes an or a, before a noun in the singular number.
Full many a gem of purest ray serene.
2. In low language, preceded by too, it denotes powerful or much; as, they are too many for us.
MANY, noun men'ny. A multitude; a great number of individuals; the people.
O thou fond many
The vulgar and the many are fit only to be led or driven.