Bible Strands
2 Samuel 22:14
The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The verse stands between descriptions of coals of fire blazing from God's presence and God shooting arrows and hurling lightning to scatter foes. It functions as a poetic declaration of divine intervention against adversaries.
The words — יַרְעֵם (yar'Em) translates to he thundered, and קוֹלוֹ (ko.L/o) means his voice. The Hebrew literally pairs Yahweh thundering from heaven with the Most High giving forth his voice.
The thread — This thundering motif appears in 1 Samuel 2:10 where God thunders against his opponents, Job 37:2 which calls attention to the rumbling from God's mouth, and Psalm 29:3 which declares the God of glory thunders over many waters.
Why it lands — The text describes divine action through storm imagery rather than metaphor. It requires the reader to acknowledge God's direct, overwhelming power in judging enemies.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
The Lord thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 2:10 Those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. He will thunder from heaven against them. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth and will give power to His king. He will exalt the horn of His anointed.”
- Job 37:2 Listen closely to the thunder of His voice and the rumbling that comes from His mouth.
- Psalms 29:3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders; the LORD is heard over many waters.
- Exodus 19:6 And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.”
- Judges 5:20 From the heavens the stars fought; from their courses they fought against Sisera.
- 1 Samuel 7:10 As the Philistines drew near to fight against Israel, Samuel was offering up the burnt offering. But that day the LORD thundered loudly against the Philistines and threw them into such confusion that they fled before Israel.
- 1 Samuel 12:17 Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain, so that you will know and see what a great evil you have committed in the sight of the LORD by asking for a king.”
- Job 40:9 Do you have an arm like God’s? Can you thunder with a voice like His?
- Psalms 77:16 The waters saw You, O God; the waters saw You and swirled; even the depths were shaken.
- Isaiah 30:30 And the LORD will cause His majestic voice to be heard and His mighty arm to be revealed, striking in angry wrath with a flame of consuming fire, and with cloudburst, storm, and hailstones.