2 Samuel 22:29 — Word Study
WLCכִּֽי־ אַתָּ֥ה נֵירִ֖י יְהוָ֑ה וַיהוָ֖ה יַגִּ֥יהַּ חָשְׁכִּֽי׃
BSAForkîy Youʼattâh ◂O LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] are my lampnîyr [source of guidance, spiritual light] ◂the LORDYᵉhôvâh [the supreme God, Yehovah] lights upnâgahh▸ [will lighten, shines] my darknesschôshek [state of misery, spiritual gloom]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| כִּֽי־ | for | Particle |
| אַתָּ֥ה | you | Pronoun |
| נֵירִ֖י | [are] lamp my | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| יְהוָ֑ה | O Yahweh | Noun proper |
| וַיהוָ֖ה | and Yahweh | Conjunction, noun proper |
| יַגִּ֥יהַּ | he lightens | Verb, Hiphil, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| חָשְׁכִּֽי׃ | darkness my | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | For You, O LORD, are my lamp; the LORD lights up my darkness. |
| KJV | For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness. |
| ASV | For thou art my lamp, O Jehovah; And Jehovah will lighten my darkness. |
| YLT | For Thou [art] my lamp, O Jehovah, And Jehovah doth lighten my darkness. |
| WEB | For you are my lamp, Yahweh. Yahweh will light up my darkness. |
| BBE | For you are my light, O Lord; and the Lord will make the dark bright for me. |
Where they part company is יַגִּ֥יהַּ — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has a main clause followed by a conjunction and another main clause, emphasizing the relationship between the speaker and the LORD.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאַתָּה
verbנָגַהּ
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 22:29
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 22:29 is part of a poetic declaration by David, celebrating God's deliverance and guidance. In this passage, David expresses his trust in the LORD as his source of light, which is crucial in times of darkness or distress. This theme of God as light can be seen throughout Scripture, emphasizing His role in providing clarity and hope in difficult situations.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 29:3 | when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness, |
| 2 | Psalm 27:1 | The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— whom shall I dread? |
| 3 | Psalm 84:11 | For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity. |
| 4 | John 8:12 | Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.” |
| 5 | Revelation 21:23 | And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 14 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נֵירִי, nei.Rigenerated
The word נֵר (ner) means 'lamp' and signifies a source of light. It is derived from a root that suggests brightness and is often used metaphorically to represent guidance and spiritual illumination. In this verse, it highlights the LORD's role in providing direction and clarity in the speaker's life.
The construct form נֵירִי (neiri) indicates possession, meaning 'my lamp'. This personalizes the relationship between the speaker and the LORD, emphasizing reliance on God for light amid darkness.
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 יַגִּ֥יהַּ (yagiah), meaning 'he lightens', governs the sentence, with two subjects: אַתָּ֥ה (attah) and יהוָ֖ה (Yahweh). The structure emphasizes the relationship between the subjects and the action of bringing light.
The order of the Hebrew words places the subjects at the beginning, highlighting the speaker's direct address to the LORD, followed by the action of enlightening their darkness.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates נֵירִי as μου (mou), meaning 'my'. This choice reflects a direct and personal relationship with God, similar to the Hebrew.
For יַגִּ֥יהַּ, the LXX uses ἐκλάμψει (eklampsei), which means 'will shine'. This choice emphasizes the action of illuminating, aligning with the Hebrew meaning but adding a nuance of future action.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
2 Samuel 22:29 expresses David's recognition of the LORD as his lamp, providing light and guidance in times of darkness. This verse highlights the importance of God's presence in overcoming despair and confusion.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies that the LORD provides guidance and clarity, illuminating the path in times of uncertainty.
David expresses a personal reliance on God, acknowledging Him as the source of light in his life.
Darkness represents a state of misery or spiritual gloom, which the LORD helps to overcome by providing light.
We can trust in God's guidance during difficult times, knowing He will illuminate our paths and dispel our darkness.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to seek the LORD's guidance as my lamp?
- How can I remind myself of God's presence when I feel surrounded by darkness?
- What are some practical ways I can reflect God's light to others?
- How does understanding God as my lamp change my perspective on challenges I face?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 2 Samuel 22:29 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleFor thou [art] my lamp, O Lord: and the Lord will lighten my darkness. [See comments on Psalms 18:28].
Read John Gill on 2 Samuel 22 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryFor thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness. For thou art my lamp, O Lord.
Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Samuel 22 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(29) Thou art my lamp.—Comp. Psalms 27:1. The psalm changes the figure, “thou wilt light my candle (margin, lamp).” With this comp. Psalms 132:17; 1 Kings 11:36; 1 Kings 15:4.
Read Charles John Ellicott on 2 Samuel 22 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges29–31. God’s faithfulness attested by the Psalmist’s experience After celebrating God’s goodness in delivering him from all the dangers which threatened his life, David goes on to describe how God had made him victorious over all his enemies.
Read Cambridge on 2 Samuel 22 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible29. For — This connective serves here to explain more fully how the preceding propositions (2 Samuel 22:25-28) were true in David’s case.
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
For You, O LORD, are my lamp; the LORD lights up my darkness.
For you are my lamp, Yahweh. Yahweh will light up my darkness.
For You, O LORD, are my lamp; the LORD lights up my darkness.
Indeed, you are my lamp, Lord. The Lord illumines the darkness around me.
Tyndale line
For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness.
For thou art my lamp, O Jehovah; And Jehovah will lighten my darkness.
For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness.
For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness.
Surely thou art my light, O Lord: and the Lord will lighten my darkenes.
Strictly literal
For thou art my lamp, Jehovah; And Jehovah enlighteneth my darkness.
For Thou [art] my lamp, O Jehovah, And Jehovah doth lighten my darkness.
For You [are] my lamp, O YHWH, || And YHWH lightens my darkness.
For thou art my lamp, O Lord! and the Lord will enlighten my darkness.
For you are my lamp, Yahweh. Yahweh lights up my darkness.
From the Latin
For thou art my lamp, O Lord: and thou, O Lord, wilt enlighten my darkness.
Simplified
You, Lord, are my lamp. The Lord lights up my darkness.
For you are my light, O Lord; and the Lord will make the dark bright for 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 agree closely in wording, with all seven words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls, however, contain some restored text, indicating that parts of the verse were supplied by an editor. The essential meaning remains consistent across these witnesses.
כִּֽי־ אַתָּ֥ה נֵירִ֖י יְהוָ֑ה וַיהוָ֖ה יַגִּ֥יהַּ חָשְׁכִּֽי׃
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.
[כי] [אתה] [תאיר] [ניר׳י] [יהוה] [אלוה׳י] [תגיה] [ל׳י] [בחושכ׳י]
nothing on the leather here — 9 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 22:29
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.
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…
אַתָּ֫ה (attah) is a second-person pronoun in Hebrew, used to address someone directly. It has masculine and feminine forms: אַתָּה for singular masculine, אַתְּ for singular feminine, אַתֶּם for plural masculine, and אַתֵּן for plural feminine. The entries indicate variations in form and usage, reflecting the pronoun's grammatical complexity.
אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou
base
אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.)
base
אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.)
base
אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.)
base
אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
base
H859a אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou H859b אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.) H859c אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.) H859d אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.) H859e אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
859 'attah at-taw'
or (shortened); aatta {at-taw'}; or wath {ath}; feminine
(irregular) sometimes nattiy {at-tee'}; plural masculine attem
{at- tem'}; feminine atten {at-ten'}; or oattenah
{at-tay'naw}; or fattennah {at-tane'-naw}; a primitive pronoun
of the second person; thou and thee, or (plural) ye and
you:--thee, thou, ye, you.
אַתָּ֫ה (at.tah) — you(m.s.).
you (second pers. sing. masc.)
אתִּי (ti) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתְּ (at.te) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתֶּם (at.tem) — you(m.p.).
you (second pers. pl. masc.)
Aramaic equivalent: an.tun (אַנְתּוּן "you" H0608)
אַתֵּן (at.ten) — you(f.p.).
you (second pers. pl. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
Pron — PronounHPp2ms
נֵר (ner) and נִיר (nir) both mean 'lamp' in Hebrew. The word is derived from a root that suggests brightness or glistening, and it can refer to a literal lamp or light as well as a figurative one. The entries indicate that these forms are interchangeable, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
נֵר 43 n.m. lamp
base
נִיר n.[m.] lamp
base
H5216a נֵר lamp H5216b נִיר lamp
5216 niyr neer
or nir {neer}; also neyr {nare}; or ner {nare}; or (feminine)
nerah {nay-raw'}; from a primitive root (see 5214; 5135)
properly, meaning to glisten; a lamp (i.e. the burner) or
light (literally or figuratively):--candle, lamp, light.
see HEBREW for 05214
see HEBREW for 05135
נֵר (ner) — lamp.
lamp
Also means: nir (נִיר "lamp" H5216B)
נִיר (nir) — lamp.
lamp
Another spelling of ner (נֵר "lamp" H5216A)
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp1bs
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
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)
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun properHC/Npt
נָגַהּ (nagah) means to shine or glitter, with a focus on illuminating or causing to shine. It has a basic form (Qal) and a causative form (Hiphil), which includes meanings like enlightening or causing something to shine, such as the moon. The entries collectively emphasize the concept of light and brightness.
נָגַהּ vb. shine
Qal
Hiph.
enlighten
cause to shine (of moon)
base
H5050 נָגַהּ shine
5050 nagahh naw-gah'
a primitive root; to glitter; causatively, to
illuminate:--(en-)lighten, (cause to) shine.
נָגַהּ (na.gah) — to shine.
1) to shine
1a) (Qal) to shine
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to enlighten
1b2) to cause to shine
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect third person masculine singularHVhi3ms
חֹ֫שֶׁךְ (choshek) refers to darkness or obscurity, both in a literal sense and in various figurative contexts such as distress, ignorance, and evil. It can also denote secret or hiding places. The word is built from a root meaning 'dark' and encompasses a range of meanings related to judgment and confusion.
חֹ֫שֶׁךְ n.m. darkness, obscurity
darkness (opp. אוֹר)
= secret place(s); = hiding-place
fig.
= distress
= dread, terror, symbol. of judgment
= mourning
= perplexity; confusion
= ignorance
= evil, sin
= obscurity
base
H2822 חֹ֫שֶׁךְ darkness, obscurity . darkness (opp. אוֹר)
. = secret place(s); = hiding-place
. fig. . = distress
. = dread, terror, symbol. of judgment
. = mourning
. = perplexity; confusion
. = ignorance
. = evil, sin
. = obscurity
2822 choshek kho-shek'
from 2821; the dark; hence (literally) darkness;
figuratively, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow,
wickedness:--dark(-ness), night, obscurity.
see HEBREW for 02821
חֹ֫שֶׁךְ (cho.shekh) — darkness.
1) darkness, obscurity
1a) darkness
1b) secret place
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp1bs