2 Samuel 22:12
New International Version
He made darkness his canopy around him— the dark rain clouds of the sky.

New Living Translation
He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dense rain clouds.

English Standard Version
He made darkness around him his canopy, thick clouds, a gathering of water.

Berean Standard Bible
He made darkness a canopy around Him, a gathering of water and thick clouds.

King James Bible
And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.

New King James Version
He made darkness canopies around Him, Dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

New American Standard Bible
“He made darkness canopies around Him, A mass of waters, thick clouds of the sky.

NASB 1995
“And He made darkness canopies around Him, A mass of waters, thick clouds of the sky.

NASB 1977
“And He made darkness canopies around Him, A mass of waters, thick clouds of the sky.

Legacy Standard Bible
And He made darkness canopies around Him, A mass of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

Amplified Bible
“He made darkness canopies around Him, A mass of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

Christian Standard Bible
He made darkness a canopy around him, a gathering of water and thick clouds.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He made darkness a canopy around Him, a gathering of water and thick clouds.

American Standard Version
And he made darkness pavilions round about him, Gathering of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

Contemporary English Version
Darkness was your tent! Thunderclouds filled the sky, hiding you from sight.

English Revised Version
And he made darkness pavilions round about him, gathering of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He surrounded himself with darkness. He made the dark rain clouds his covering.

Good News Translation
He covered himself with darkness; thick clouds, full of water, surrounded him;

International Standard Version
The darkness around him was his canopies— amassed water was his overhanging clouds!

Majority Standard Bible
He made darkness a canopy around Him, a gathering of water and thick clouds.

NET Bible
He shrouded himself in darkness, in thick rain clouds.

New Heart English Bible
He made darkness his hiding place, his canopy around him thick clouds dark with water.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he made darkness pavilions around him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.

World English Bible
He made darkness a shelter around himself, gathering of waters, and thick clouds of the skies.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And He sets darkness around Him [for His] dwelling places, "" Darkness of waters [and] thick clouds of the skies.

Young's Literal Translation
And He setteth darkness Round about Him -- tabernacles, Darkness of waters -- thick clouds of the skies.

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will set darkness round about him for booths, The gatherings of waters the darkness of clouds.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
He made darkness a covering round about him: dropping waters out of the clouds of the heavens.

Catholic Public Domain Version
He set darkness as a hiding place around himself, with waters sifted from the clouds of the heavens.

New American Bible
He made darkness the cover about him, a mass of water, heavy thunderheads.

New Revised Standard Version
He made darkness around him a canopy, thick clouds, a gathering of water.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he made darkness his pavilion round about him, the dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he made darkness for his refuge and around him was his tabernacle, the darkness of waters in the clouds
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And He made darkness pavilions round about Him, Gathering of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he made darkness his hiding-place; his tabernacle round about him was the darkness of waters, he condensed it with the clouds of the air.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David's Song of Deliverance
11He mounted a cherub and flew; He soared on the wings of the wind. 12He made darkness a canopy around Him, a gathering of water and thick clouds. 13From the brightness of His presence coals of fire blazed forth.…

Cross References
Psalm 18:11
He made darkness His hiding place, and storm clouds a canopy around Him.

Exodus 19:9
The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear when I speak with you, and they will always put their trust in you.” And Moses relayed to the LORD what the people had said.

Psalm 97:2
Clouds and darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are His throne’s foundation.

Isaiah 45:15
Truly You are a God who hides Himself, O God of Israel, the Savior.

Job 36:29
Furthermore, who can understand how the clouds spread out, how the thunder roars from His pavilion?

Psalm 104:3
laying the beams of His chambers in the waters above, making the clouds His chariot, walking on the wings of the wind.

Isaiah 19:1
This is the burden against Egypt: Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud; He is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble before Him, and the hearts of the Egyptians will melt within them.

Ezekiel 1:4
I looked and saw a whirlwind coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing back and forth and brilliant light all around it. In the center of the fire was a gleam like amber,

Nahum 1:3
The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. His path is in the whirlwind and storm, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet.

Job 22:14
Thick clouds veil Him so He does not see us as He traverses the vault of heaven.’

Matthew 17:5
While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”

Matthew 24:30
At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Mark 9:7
Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him!”

Luke 21:27
At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

Acts 1:9
After He had said this, they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.


Treasury of Scripture

And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.

made

2 Samuel 22:10
He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet.

Psalm 18:11,12
He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies…

Psalm 27:5
For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

dark waters [heb] binding waters

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Canopy Clouds Dark Darkness Gathering Gatherings Mass Pavilions Rain Round Skies Sky Tabernacles Tent Thick Water Waters
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Canopy Clouds Dark Darkness Gathering Gatherings Mass Pavilions Rain Round Skies Sky Tabernacles Tent Thick Water Waters
2 Samuel 22
1. David's psalm of thanksgiving for God's deliverance and blessings














He made darkness a canopy around Him
The Hebrew word for "darkness" is "חֹשֶׁךְ" (choshek), which often symbolizes mystery, divine presence, or judgment. In the ancient Near Eastern context, darkness was not merely the absence of light but a powerful force that could envelop and conceal. The "canopy" or "סֻכָּה" (sukkah) suggests a protective covering or shelter. This imagery evokes the idea of God’s majesty and inscrutability, as He shrouds Himself in mystery, emphasizing His transcendence and the awe-inspiring nature of His presence. The use of darkness as a covering also reflects the divine authority and power, as God is not limited by human understanding or perception.

a gathering of water and thick clouds
The phrase "gathering of water" refers to the Hebrew "מַיִם" (mayim), which can symbolize chaos, life, or divine blessing, depending on the context. In this passage, it suggests the overwhelming and majestic power of God, who controls the elements. "Thick clouds" or "עָב" (av) are often associated with divine appearances in the Old Testament, such as at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:9). These clouds signify God’s glory and the hiddenness of His full presence, which is too magnificent for human eyes to behold. The imagery of water and clouds together underscores the theme of God’s sovereignty over creation, as He commands the forces of nature to serve His purposes. This portrayal of God enveloped in darkness and clouds serves as a reminder of His omnipotence and the reverence due to Him, inspiring believers to trust in His divine wisdom and protection.

(12) Made darkness pavilions.--Psalms 18, more fully, "He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters." A word appears to have dropped out here, and in the second clause the margin, "binding (or gathering) of waters" is a more exact translation, the word differing in one letter from that used in the psalm.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
He made
וַיָּ֥שֶׁת (way·yā·šeṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7896: To put, set

darkness
חֹ֛שֶׁךְ (ḥō·šeḵ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2822: The dark, darkness, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness

a canopy
סֻכּ֑וֹת (suk·kō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5521: A thicket, booth

around Him,
סְבִיבֹתָ֖יו (sə·ḇî·ḇō·ṯāw)
Adverb | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5439: A circle, neighbour, environs, around

a gathering
חַֽשְׁרַת־ (ḥaš·raṯ-)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2841: A combination, gathering, of watery clouds

of water
מַ֖יִם (ma·yim)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

and thick clouds.
עָבֵ֥י (‘ā·ḇê)
Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 5645: An envelope, darkness, a, cloud, a copse


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OT History: 2 Samuel 22:12 He made darkness pavilions around himself: gathering (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 22:11
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