The Meaning of 2 Samuel 22:9 Explained

2 Samuel 22:9

KJV: There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

YLT: Gone up hath smoke by His nostrils. And fire from His mouth devoureth, Brands have been kindled by it.

Darby: There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, And fire out of his mouth devoured: Coals burned forth from it.

ASV: There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, And fire out of his mouth devoured: Coals were kindled by it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

There went up  a smoke  out of his nostrils,  and fire  out of his mouth  devoured:  coals  were kindled  by it. 

What does 2 Samuel 22:9 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 22:9 mean?

Went up Smoke from His nostrils and fire from His mouth devouring Coals were kindled by it
עָלָ֤ה עָשָׁן֙ בְּאַפּ֔וֹ וְאֵ֥שׁ מִפִּ֖יו תֹּאכֵ֑ל גֶּחָלִ֖ים בָּעֲר֥וּ מִמֶּֽנּוּ

עָלָ֤ה  Went  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
עָשָׁן֙  Smoke 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׁן  
Sense: smoke.
בְּאַפּ֔וֹ  from  His  nostrils 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אַף 
Sense: nostril, nose, face.
וְאֵ֥שׁ  and  fire 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
מִפִּ֖יו  from  His  mouth 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
תֹּאכֵ֑ל  devouring 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
גֶּחָלִ֖ים  Coals 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: גַּחַל 
Sense: coal, burning coal, coals of fire, hot coals.
בָּעֲר֥וּ  were  kindled 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: בָּעַר 
Sense: to burn, consume, kindle, be kindled.
מִמֶּֽנּוּ  by  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.