2 Samuel 22:5 For the waves of death engulfed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me.

◄ 2 Samuel 22:5 ►

New International Version
The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

New Living Translation
“The waves of death overwhelmed me; floods of destruction swept over me.

English Standard Version
“For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me;

Berean Standard Bible
For the waves of death engulfed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me.

King James Bible
When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;

New King James Version
“When the waves of death surrounded me, The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.

New American Standard Bible
“For the waves of death encompassed me; The floods of destruction terrified me;

NASB 1995
“For the waves of death encompassed me; The torrents of destruction overwhelmed me;

NASB 1977
“For the waves of death encompassed me; The torrents of destruction overwhelmed me;

Legacy Standard Bible
For the waves of death encompassed me; The torrents of vileness terrorized me;

Amplified Bible
“For the waves of death encompassed me; The torrents of destruction overwhelmed and terrified me.

Christian Standard Bible
For the waves of death engulfed me; the torrents of destruction terrified me.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For the waves of death engulfed me; the torrents of destruction terrified me.

American Standard Version
For the waves of death compassed me; The floods of ungodliness made me afraid:

Contemporary English Version
Death, like ocean waves, surrounded me, and I was almost swallowed by its flooding waters.

English Revised Version
For the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodliness made me afraid.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The waves of death had surrounded me. The torrents of destruction had overwhelmed me.

Good News Translation
The waves of death were all around me; the waves of destruction rolled over me.

International Standard Version
Because deadly breakers engulfed me, while torrents of abuse from the ungodly overwhelmed me.

Majority Standard Bible
For the waves of death engulfed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me.

NET Bible
The waves of death engulfed me; the currents of chaos overwhelmed me.

New Heart English Bible
For the waves of death surrounded me, and the currents of ungodliness overwhelmed me.

Webster's Bible Translation
When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly-men made me afraid;

World English Bible
For the waves of death surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
When the breakers of death surrounded me, "" The streams of the worthless terrify me,

Young's Literal Translation
When the breakers of death compassed me, The streams of the worthless terrify me,

Smith's Literal Translation
For the breakers of death surrounded me The torrents of Beilal will terrify me;

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
For the pangs of death have sur rounded me: the floods of Belial have made me afraid.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For the pangs of death have encircled me. The torrents of Belial have terrified me.

New American Bible
The breakers of death surged round about me, the menacing floods terrified me;

New Revised Standard Version
For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of perdition assailed me;

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
For the pangs of death have compassed me, the torrents of ungodly men made me afraid;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because the cords of death surrounded and torrents of evil ones troubled me!

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
For the waves of Death compassed me. The floods of Belial assailed me.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For the troubles of death compassed me, the floods of iniquity amazed me:

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

David's Song of Deliverance
…4I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies. 5For the waves of death engulfed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me. 6The cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Psalm 18:4-5
The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me. / The cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.

Jonah 2:3
For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the current swirled about me; all Your breakers and waves swept over me.

Psalm 69:1-2
For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of David. Save me, O God, for the waters are up to my neck. / I have sunk into the miry depths, where there is no footing; I have drifted into deep waters, where the flood engulfs me.

Psalm 42:7
Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and waves have rolled over me.

Isaiah 43:2
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze.

Psalm 124:4-5
then the floods would have engulfed us, then the torrent would have overwhelmed us, / then the raging waters would have swept us away.

Matthew 14:30
But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

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.

Luke 8:23-24
As they sailed, He fell asleep, and a windstorm came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. / The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters, and they subsided, and all was calm.

Psalm 144:7
Reach down from on high; set me free and rescue me from the deep waters, from the grasp of foreigners,

Isaiah 8:7-8
the Lord will surely bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates—the king of Assyria and all his pomp. It will overflow its channels and overrun its banks. / It will pour into Judah, swirling and sweeping over it, reaching up to the neck; its spreading streams will cover your entire land, O Immanuel!

Matthew 7:25
The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because its foundation was on the rock.

Psalm 93:3-4
The floodwaters have risen, O LORD; the rivers have raised their voice; the seas lift up their pounding waves. / Above the roar of many waters—the mighty breakers of the sea—the LORD on high is majestic.

Revelation 12:15-16
Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river to overtake the woman and sweep her away in the torrent. / But the earth helped the woman and opened its mouth to swallow up the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth.

Psalm 88:17
All day long they engulf me like water; they enclose me on every side.

Treasury of Scripture

When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;

waves.

1 Thessalonians 5:3
For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

the floods

Psalm 18:4
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.

Psalm 69:14,15
Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters…

Psalm 93:3,4
The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves…

ungodly men [heb] Belial

Jump to Previous

Afraid Assailed Belial Compassed Death Destruction Encompassed Evil Fear Floods Overwhelmed Perdition Round Seas Streams Surrounded Swirled Terrify Torrents Ungodliness Ungodly Waves Worthless

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Afraid Assailed Belial Compassed Death Destruction Encompassed Evil Fear Floods Overwhelmed Perdition Round Seas Streams Surrounded Swirled Terrify Torrents Ungodliness Ungodly Waves Worthless

2 Samuel 22

1. David's psalm of thanksgiving for God's deliverance and blessings

Berean Study Bible

For the waves of death engulfed me
The phrase "waves of death" evokes a powerful image of overwhelming danger and despair. In Hebrew, the word for "waves" (מִשְׁבָּרֵי, mishbarei) can also mean breakers or surges, suggesting a relentless and powerful force. This imagery is reminiscent of the chaotic waters in ancient Near Eastern mythology, often symbolizing disorder and destruction. In the biblical context, water frequently represents chaos and peril, as seen in the Genesis flood narrative. The "waves of death" here symbolize the inescapable and consuming nature of mortal peril that David faced. Historically, David's life was marked by numerous threats, from Saul's pursuit to battles with surrounding nations. This phrase captures the intensity of those life-threatening situations, emphasizing his vulnerability and the dire circumstances he encountered.

the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me
The term "torrents of chaos" further amplifies the sense of being overpowered by uncontrollable forces. The Hebrew word for "torrents" (נַחֲלֵי, nachalei) refers to rushing streams or floods, which in the arid climate of Israel could suddenly appear and sweep everything away. This imagery of sudden and overwhelming floods is used throughout Scripture to describe God's judgment or the trials faced by His people. The word "chaos" (בְּלִיַּעַל, beliyaal) is often translated as "worthlessness" or "wickedness," but here it conveys a sense of disorder and moral corruption. In the historical context of David's reign, he faced not only physical threats but also moral and spiritual challenges, including betrayal and rebellion within his own ranks. The "torrents of chaos" thus represent both external and internal threats that sought to destabilize his life and kingdom. This phrase underscores the overwhelming nature of these challenges, yet it also sets the stage for God's deliverance, highlighting the contrast between human frailty and divine strength.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) The waves of death.--In Psalms 18, "the sorrows of death," in the Authorised Version, but literally, the bands of death. The word is entirely different, and the variation can hardly have been accidental. The form here accords better with the parallelism of the next clause.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 5-7. -

"For the breakers of death surrounded me;
Torrents of wickedness [Hebrew, 'of Belial'] terrified me;
Cords of Sheol surrounded me;
Snares of death came suddenly upon me.
In my distress I cried unto Jehovah,
And to my God I cried.
And he heard my voice out of his palace,
And my cry was in his ears." Instead of breakers - waves dashing violently on rocks - Psalm 18:4 has "cords of death;" translated "sorrow" in the Authorized Version. But "cords of death" mean the fatal snares of the hunter, and are not in keeping with "torrents of wickedness." "Belial," literally, "worthlessness," is by many supposed, from the context to mean herd "destruction," that is, physical instead of moral wickedness. So in Nahum 1:11 "a counsellor of Belial" means a ruinous, destructive counsellor. Sheol is the world of the departed, and is equivalent to "death." Cried is the same verb twice used. In Psalm 18:6 it is altered, in the former part of the verse unto "I called" - a change probably suggested by the more fastidious taste of a later age. For temple we should translate palace, or heavenly temple. It is not the temple in Jerusalem, which was not yet built, but God's heavenly dwelling, that is meant. Instead of the terse ellipse, "And my cry in his ears," the full but heavy phrase, "My cry before him came into his ears," is substituted in Psalm 18:6.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

For
כִּ֥י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

the waves
מִשְׁבְּרֵי־ (miš·bə·rê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 4867: A breaker (of the sea)

of death
מָ֑וֶת (mā·weṯ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4194: Death, the dead, their place, state, pestilence, ruin

engulfed me;
אֲפָפֻ֖נִי (’ă·p̄ā·p̄u·nî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | first person common singular
Strong's 661: To surround, encompass

the torrents
נַחֲלֵ֥י (na·ḥă·lê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 5158: A stream, a winter torrent, a, valley, a shaft

of chaos
בְלִיַּ֖עַל (ḇə·lî·ya·‘al)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1100: Without profit, worthlessness, destruction, wickedness

overwhelmed me.
יְבַעֲתֻֽנִי׃ (yə·ḇa·‘ă·ṯu·nî)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | first person common singular
Strong's 1204: To fall upon, startle, terrify

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OT History: 2 Samuel 22:5 For the waves of death surrounded me (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)