2 Samuel 22:20 — Word Study
WLCוַיֹּצֵ֥א לַמֶּרְחָ֖ב אֹתִ֑י יְחַלְּצֵ֖נִי כִּי־ חָ֥פֵֽץ בִּֽי׃
BSAHe brought me outyâtsâʼ▸ [into a large place, to a wide open space] into the openmerchâb He rescued mechâlats▸ [delivered, set me free] becausekîy He delightedchâphêts■ [took pleasure, was pleased]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּצֵ֥א | and he brought out | Verb, Hiphil, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| לַמֶּרְחָ֖ב | to roomy place | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| אֹתִ֑י | the object marker me | Particle, suffix |
| יְחַלְּצֵ֖נִי | he rescued me | Verb piel imperfect third person masculine singular, suffix |
| כִּי־ | for | Particle |
| חָ֥פֵֽץ | he delighted | Verb, Qal, perfect third person masculine singular |
| בִּֽי׃ | in me | Preposition, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He brought me out into the open; He rescued me because He delighted in me. |
| KJV | He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me. |
| ASV | He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because he delighted in me. |
| YLT | And He bringeth me out to a large place, He draweth me out for He delighted in me. |
| WEB | He also brought me out into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me. |
| BBE | He took me out into a wide place; he was my saviour because he had delight in me. |
Where they part company is יְחַלְּצֵ֖נִי — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured around two main actions, each with additional phrases that clarify the context and reasons for those actions.
3 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
verbוְ
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 22:20
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 22:20 is part of a song where David recounts God's faithfulness and support in times of distress. He acknowledges that God brought him out into a spacious place, symbolizing safety and freedom. This verse highlights the intimate relationship between David and God, emphasizing God's delight in him as the reason for his rescue.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 26:22 | He moved on from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. He named it Rehoboth and said, “At last the LORD has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.” |
| 2 | 1 Chronicles 4:10 | And Jabez called out to the God of Israel, “If only You would bless me and enlarge my territory! May Your hand be with me and keep me from harm, so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted the request of Jabez. |
| 3 | Psalm 31:8 | You have not delivered me to the enemy; You have set my feet in the open. |
| 4 | Psalm 118:5 | In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered and set me free. |
| 5 | Hosea 4:16 | For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn heifer. Can the LORD now shepherd them like lambs in an open meadow? |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 14 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יְחַלְּצֵ֖נִי, ye.cha.le.Tze.nigenerated
The verb חָלַץ (chalats) means to rescue or deliver, indicating an action of pulling someone out from danger. It suggests not just physical rescue but also equipping or strengthening for a purpose. The parsing as a piel imperfect indicates ongoing action, emphasizing God's continual readiness to save.
This word is used in contexts involving both physical and spiritual deliverance, showing God's active role in David's life. The use of the suffix here indicates that the rescue is personal, directed specifically at David.
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 finite verb יֹּצֵ֥א governs the main action of the verse — He brought out — with a prepositional phrase indicating the destination, followed by the object marker and another clause describing the action of rescue. The structure emphasizes the sequence of actions and their connection to God's favor.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the actions taken by God, with the object אֹתִ֑י (me) following the verb, highlighting David's personal experience of deliverance.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates the verb יְחַלְּצֵ֖נִי as με, indicating a direct and personal rescue. This choice reflects the translators' understanding of the intimate relationship between David and God, emphasizing the personal nature of divine intervention.
The Greek word πλατυσμὸν for מֶרְחָב suggests a broad, expansive space, aligning with the Hebrew concept of liberty and safety.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
2 Samuel 22:20 shows David thanking God for bringing him out into a safe and spacious place. He emphasizes that God rescued him because He delighted in him, highlighting the personal relationship between them.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It indicates a special favor and affection that God had for David, which motivated God's actions to rescue him.
This verse illustrates God's willingness to intervene in the lives of those He loves, providing safety and deliverance.
David's experience teaches us about the importance of trusting in God's deliverance and recognizing His favor in our lives.
The spacious place symbolizes freedom and safety, contrasting with the troubles David faced before his rescue.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced God's deliverance in my life?
- How can I recognize and appreciate God's delight in me?
- What does it mean to me to be brought into a spacious place by God?
- How can I share my experiences of God's rescue with others?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 2 Samuel 22:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHe brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me. [See comments on Psalms 18:19].
Read John Gill on 2 Samuel 22 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHe brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Samuel 22 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges20. into a large place] The opposite of the straits of peril. Cp. 2 Samuel 22:37; Psalms 31:8. because he delighted in me] This was the ground of God’s deliverance, and it now becomes the leading thought of the Psalm. Cp. ch. 2 Samuel 15:26; Psalms 22:8; and also Matthew 3:17, where the Greek word for “I am well pleased” is the same as that used in the Sept. (εὐδοκεῖν). The reference becomes doubly significant if it is borne in mind that the theocratic king was called God’s son (ch. 2 Samuel 7:14; Psalms 2:7). See Introd. p. 43.
Read Cambridge 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 brought me out into the open; He rescued me because He delighted in me.
He also brought me out into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
He brought me out into the open; He rescued me because He delighted in me.
He brought me out into a wide open place; he delivered me because he was pleased with me.
Tyndale line
He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
And brought me foorth into a large place: he deliuered me, because he fauoured me.
Strictly literal
And he brought me forth into a large place; He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
And He bringeth me out to a large place, He draweth me out for He delighted in me.
And He brings me out to a large place, || He draws me out for He delighted in me.
And he brought me forth into a large space: he delivered me, because he had delight in me.
He also brought me out to a wide open place. He saved me because he was pleased with me.
From the Latin
And he brought me forth into a large place, he delivered me, because I pleased him.
Simplified
He set me free, he rescued me because he's happy with me.
He took me out into a wide place; he was my saviour because he had delight in me.
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 largely agree on the wording of this verse, with only minor variations in structure. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain a fragment that matches the key elements of the verse, confirming the consistency of the text across these ancient witnesses.
וַיֹּצֵ֥א לַמֶּרְחָ֖ב אֹתִ֑י יְחַלְּצֵ֖נִי כִּי־ חָ֥פֵֽץ בִּֽי׃
6 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.
[ויוציא׳ני] [למרחב] [יחלצ׳ני] [כי] [חפץ] [ב׳י]
6 words of the verse are on this fragment — 6 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 22:20
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.
יָצָא (yatsa') is a Hebrew verb meaning to go or come out, with various applications including departure, escape, and emergence. It can refer to both animate and inanimate subjects and emphasizes the idea of origin or source. The verb appears in different forms, such as Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, indicating actions like leading out or being brought forth.
יָצָא 1068 vb. go or come out
Qal
go or come out or forth
from (מִן) a place
go forth from (the presence of) a person
in technical senses
of flight, involving escape
depart
of inanimate things
with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source
of children as going forth from loins (of father)
go forth to a place
go forward, proceed to or toward something
come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result
of combinations
Hiph.
cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out
fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.
bring out animals
inanimate obj.
fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)
Hoph. be brought forth
base
H3318 יָצָא go or come out .. go or come out or forth . from (מִן) a place
. go forth from (the presence of) a person
. in technical senses
. of flight, involving escape
. depart
. of inanimate things
. with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source
. of children as going forth from loins (of father)
. . go forth to a place
. go forward, proceed to or toward something
. come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result
. of combinations
. . cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out
. fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.
. bring out animals
. inanimate obj.
. fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)
. be brought forth
3318 yatsa' yaw-tsaw'
a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great
variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct
and proxim.:--X after, appear, X assuredly, bear out, X
begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come
(abroad, out, thereat, without), + be condemned,
depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact,
fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence,
out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out),
going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out,
lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, X
scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring
out, stand out, X still, X surely, take forth (out), at any
time, X to (and fro), utter.
יָצָא (ya.tsa) — to come out: come.
: come/go_out/escape
1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart
1a2) to go forth (to a place)
1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something)
1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)
1a5) to come out of
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out
1b2) to bring out of
1b3) to lead out
1b4) to deliver
1c) (Hophal) to be brought out or forth
יָצָא (ya.tsa) — to come out: send.
: send/take_out/release
1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart
1a2) to go forth (to a place)
1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something)
1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)
1a5) to come out of
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out
1b2) to bring out of
1b3) to lead out
1b4) to deliver
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vhw3ms
מֶרְחָב (merchab) refers to a broad or roomy place, indicating an open space that can be understood both literally and figuratively as an area of liberty or expansiveness. The word is derived from a root meaning 'enlargement' and is associated with concepts of breadth and wide expanses.
מֶרְחָב n.[m.] broad, roomy, place
base
H4800 מֶרְחָב broad, roomy, place
4800 merchab mer-khawb'
from 7337; enlargement, either literally (an open space,
usually in a good sense), or figuratively
(liberty):--breadth, large place (room).
see HEBREW for 07337
מֶרְחָב (mer.chav) — broad.
broad or roomy place, wide, expanses
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/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.).
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HTo/Sp1bs — Particle · suffixHTo/Sp1bs
חָלַץ (chalats) is a Hebrew verb that encompasses a range of meanings related to drawing out or withdrawing, as well as rescuing or delivering. It can also imply equipping for war or strengthening. The entries indicate that it can be used in various forms, including to arm oneself or to be delivered. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
חָלַץ vb. draw off or out, withdraw
Qal
draw, draw off
intrans. withdraw
Niph. be delivered
Pi.
pull out, tear out
rescue, deliver
base
[חָלַץ] vb. equip for war
Qal only Pt. pass.—equipped
as adj.
as subst. sg. coll.
Niph. be or go equipped
Hiph. will brace up, invigorate, thy bones
base
H2502a חָלַץ draw off or out, withdraw .. draw, draw off
. intrans. withdraw
. be delivered
. . pull out, tear out
. rescue, deliver
H2502b חָלַץ equip for war .only Pt. pass.—equipped . as adj.
. as subst. sq. coll.
. be or go equipped
. will brace up, invigorate, thy bones
2502 chalats khaw-lats'
a primitive root; to pull off; hence (intensively) to strip,
(reflex.) to depart; by implication, to deliver, equip (for
fight); present, strengthen:--arm (self), (go, ready) armed (X
man, soldier), deliver, draw out, make fat, loose, (ready)
prepared, put off, take away, withdraw self.
חָלַץ (cha.lats) — to rescue.
1) to draw off or out, withdraw
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to draw, draw off
1a2) to withdraw
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be delivered
1b2) to be saved
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to pull out, tear out
1c2) to rescue, deliver, set free
1c3) to take away, plunder
חָלַץ (cha.lats) — to arm.
1) to equip (for war), arm for war, rescue, be rescued
1a) (Qal) equipped (participle)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be equipped
1b2) to go equipped
1b3) to be armed
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to make strong, brace up
1c2) to invigorate
V-Piel-Imperf-3ms | Suff — Verb piel imperfect third person masculine singular · suffixHVpi3ms/Sp1bs
כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'
כִּי conj. that, for, when
that
Of time, when, of the past
elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם
when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though
Because, since
base
כִּי אם־
each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:
that if
for if
(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—
limiting the prec. clause, except
the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
after an oath, surely
base
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that
. . Of time, when, of the past
. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם
. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though
. Because, since
H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if
. for if
. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except
. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
. after an oath, surely
H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
3588 kiy kee
a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional
prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent
or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative
conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by
other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,
where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,
even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +
nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,
therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,
whether, while, whom, yea, yet.
כִּי (ki) — for.
1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since
1a) that
1a1) yea, indeed
1b) when (of time)
1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)
1c) because, since (causal connection)
1d) but (after negative)
1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if
1f) but rather, but
1g) except that
1h) only, nevertheless
1i) surely
1j) that is
1k) but if
1l) for though
1m) forasmuch as, for therefore
כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.
1) except if
1a) but if
1b) even though
כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.
1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since
1a) that
1a1) yea, indeed
1b) when (of time)
1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)
1c) because, since (causal connection)
1d) but (after negative)
Conj — ParticleHTc
for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.
In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…
חָפֵץ (chaphets) is a Hebrew verb meaning to delight in or take pleasure in something. It can refer to both human desire and divine pleasure, indicating a sense of inclination or favor. The word is also noted to mean to bend down, though this usage is rare. The entries suggest a range of meanings focused on desire and pleasure.
ref
H2654a חָפֵץ delight in H2654b חָפֵץ bend down
2654 chaphets khaw-fates'
a primitive root; properly, to incline to; by implication
(literally but rarely) to bend; figuratively, to be pleased
with, desire:--X any at all, (have, take) delight, desire,
favour, like, move, be (well) pleased, have pleasure, will,
would.
חָפֵץ (cha.phets) — to delight in.
1) to delight in, take pleasure in, desire, be pleased with
1a) (Qal)
1a1) of men
1a1a) to take pleasure in, delight in
1a1b) to delight, desire, be pleased to do
1a2) of God
1a2a) to delight in, have pleasure in
1a2b) to be pleased to do
חָפַץ (ch.ph) — to sway.
1) to move, bend down
1a) (Qal) to bend down
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singularHVqp3ms
נִי (ni) — me.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular
HRd/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffixHRd/Sp1bs