The Meaning of 2 Samuel 22:5 Explained

2 Samuel 22:5

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

YLT: When the breakers of death compassed me, The streams of the worthless terrify me,

Darby: For the waves of death encompassed me, Torrents of Belial made me afraid.

ASV: For the waves of death compassed me; The floods of ungodliness made me afraid:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does 2 Samuel 22:5 Mean?

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 22

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

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 22:5 mean?

When surrounded me the waves of death the floods of ungodliness made me afraid
כִּ֥י אֲפָפֻ֖נִי מִשְׁבְּרֵי־ מָ֑וֶת נַחֲלֵ֥י בְלִיַּ֖עַל יְבַעֲתֻֽנִי

אֲפָפֻ֖נִי  surrounded  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural, first person common singular
Root: אָפַף  
Sense: to surround, encompass.
מִשְׁבְּרֵי־  the  waves 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מִשְׁבָּר  
Sense: breaker, breaking (of sea).
מָ֑וֶת  of  death 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָוֶת  
Sense: death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead.
נַחֲלֵ֥י  the  floods 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: נַחַל 
Sense: torrent, valley, wadi, torrent-valley.
בְלִיַּ֖עַל  of  ungodliness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בְּלִיַּעַל  
Sense: worthlessness.
יְבַעֲתֻֽנִי  made  me  afraid 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, first person common singular
Root: בָּעַת  
Sense: to terrify, startle, fall upon, dismay, be overtaken by sudden terror.