Poole on 2 Samuel 23:4: The Goodness of God-fearing Government, Part 1

Verse 4:[1]  And (Judg. 5:31; Ps. 89:36; Prov. 4:18; Hos. 6:5; see Ps. 110:3) he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.

[Just as the light of dawn with the sun rising, reddens in a morning without clouds, and just as by rains the herb sprouts from the earth,‎וּכְא֥וֹר בֹּ֖קֶר יִזְרַח־שָׁ֑מֶשׁ בֹּ֚קֶר לֹ֣א עָב֔וֹת מִנֹּ֥גַהּ מִמָּטָ֖ר דֶּ֥שֶׁא מֵאָֽרֶץ׃]  And just like the light in the morning, or of the early morning, when the Sun has risen (Pagnine, similarly Vatablus, Munster, Tigurinus, Junius and Tremellius, Strigelius, Mariana, Osiander, Dutch), in a morning, I say, without clouds, by sunshine and rain the herb from the earth (Pagnine).  The clipped and concise expression renders the passage obscure; therefore, something is to be understood, of which sort is, made clear by sunshine and by rain, as a result of which the herb sprouts from the earth; that is, which does not consist in sunshine and rain descending upon the grass that springs forth from the earth; that is, in which the Sun partly shines, and partly does not shine, with rain falling upon the grass.  Some translate it, because of the sunshine and because of the rain, it draws the herb from the earth (Vatablus).  In the morning, not thicknesses, by sunshine, by rain the grass from the earth[2] (Montanus).  Others:  which does not have clouds because of its own brightness, that is, because of the rain (or, or because of the rain [certain interpreters in Vatablus]), which draws the herb from the earth (Tigurinus).  As in a morning without clouds the tender herb from the earth appears from the sunshine after the rain (Junius and Tremellius), that is, they shall be perpetually green, like herbs to which the rains and heat arrive in their season (Junius).  A morning, I say, which does not have clouds, and departs from the sunshine, and from the rain, so that it might bring forth the shoot from the earth (Munster).  Even a morning without clouds, as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain (English).  As a morning, I say, without clouds, as with clear shining after rain, the tender grass sprouts from the earth (Dutch).  In a morning without clouds, from sunshine and from rain the herbs of the earth sprout (Osiander).  [Others render the whole verse in this way:]  And just as with morning light the Sun arises (Dieu, similarly Mariana); just as the morning time is without clouds, because of the sunshine (Dieu) (or without clouds from sunshine after rain; that is, there shall be no alternation, as when a day is cloudy, now shining, now darkened with rain; not so my kingdom [Mariana]); just as because of rain the tender herb appears from the earth (Dieu, similarly Mariana).  And he is just like the morning light of the rising sun, when dawn is without any clouds, and clear weather shining after rains, making all things everywhere green (Strigelius).  There is a comparison here, the first member of which is in verse 4, with the כ/like/as as a marker of similitude in ‎וּכְאוֹר, and as the light; the other is in verse 5, with ‎כֵן/so[3] as an ἀποδοτικῷ/apodotic marker.  Now, a comparison is made between three natural things, which are indeed most pleasing to men, but not stable; for, 1.  the Sun rises in the morning, and sets again in the evening.  2.  The brightness of the morning at the first rising dispels the clouds, but the clouds soon return, or others follow, which obscure the heavens.  3.  The tender herb is welcome and useful, but soon begins to wither.  Nothing among these is ‎עֲרוּכָ֤ה בַכֹּל֙ וּשְׁמֻרָ֔ה, ordered in all things and sure.  Not so is my house, etc. (Dieu).  That כ/like/as, even if it is posited only once, ought to be repeated three times according to the three members of the comparison (Dieu, similarly Mariana).  There are two προτάσεις/protases here, and two ἀνταποδόσεις/antapodoses; no matter how confounded they are, we will distinguish them.  A twofold sort of light, or of morning splendor, is set forth to us.  One arises clear, and ever increases, and is without clouds, in such a way that the whole day shines with great brightness.  But the other is light indeed, but nevertheless in its progress is obscured by clouds:  some rain is also mixed in, which is not without use in human affairs.  In the former likeness is the promise of the giving of the government to Messiah; in the latter the government of David, etc.  Those are the two antapodoses (Martyr).  These similitudes are able to be understood; either, 1.  of the sacred canticles of the Psalms, as of all Scripture, which are bright and shining, etc. Psalm 19:8 (Menochius, similarly Sanchez).  Compare Deuteronomy 32:2 (Sanchez).  To whom [namely, the pious] His oracles are like the morning light when the sun rises, and the light of the early morning in which are no clouds with the dawn breaking forth, and like the rain which brings forth the herb in the earth (Arabic).  Or, 2.  of the righteous, whose life shines both with the gifts of the soul, and the good things of a prosperous condition, whose holiness, and the honor due to that, is expressed.  This is favored by what is found in Psalm 72; nearly the same words and the same similitudes are found (Sanchez).  [Where the things to be noted are able to be seen, Lord willing.]  And they shall be [the men under such a king, or understand, he shall be (Piscator), namely, the just king], as when, with the morning shining, etc. (Junius and Tremellius).  Or, 3.  of the house and kingdom of David (thus Sanchez, Munster, Mariana, Vatablus, Castalio, Martyr).  The sense:  My Kingdom shall increase, like the morning light, which increases its brightness by degrees.  But the light that is disturbed by cloud, or rain, profits nothing, except that it makes the herb to grow, which quickly withers.  Not so shall my kingdom be, which is confirmed by covenant (Munster).  And he said, that the brightness or splendor of his Kingdom is going to be similar to the light of the morning, which increases until midday, and which is not cloudy; that is, which is not obscured by the advent of clouds (Vatablus).  Just as the Sun and rain nourishes shoots, and bring it to pass that their sort never perishes; so the favor and zeal of God will foster my posterity, etc. (Castalio).  He proclaims the stability and perpetuity of his kingdom; which he amplifies by comparison with three things, agreeable indeed, but unstable.  Not so, says he, is my house before God; it has the eternal covenant (Dieu).  Or, 4.  of Messiah.  David compares the kingdom of Messiah to the Spring, in which the early morning showers, plentiful and life-giving, the sun drives away, arising with amiable brightness.  For, as at that time the forests put forth leaves, etc., with winter driven away; so the pleasant sound of the Gospel is heard, and then Christ arises as a sun in our hearts, when we receive His consolation, with the Mosaic clouds dispersed, and the season of thunderings and bolts of the law (Strigelius, similarly Osiander, Dutch).  The coming of Messiah is most welcome, and most advantageous to the Church, just as what things mention here are to the earth, and are advantageous to its produce.  Compare Psalm 110:3; Isaiah 44:3, 4; 55:10, 11; 60:1, 2; Hosea 6:3; Malachi 4:2; Luke 1:78, 79 (Dutch).  This prophecy is concerning Christ, from whom, says David, so great a light has dawned upon his house (from whom the Savior arose) and the whole world, as the sun brings in the morning, when the sun drives away the darkness of night, etc. (Sanchez).

And he shall be as the light of the morning, etc.:  These words are either, 1.  A further description of the king’s duty, which is not only to rule with exact justice and piety, but also with sweetness, and gentleness, and condescension to the infirmities of his people; to render his government as pleasant and acceptable to them as is the sunshine in a clear morning, or the tender grass which springs out of the earth by the warm and refreshing beams of the sun after the rain, which hath a peculiar kind of sweetness and fragrancy in it.  Or rather, 2.  A prediction or declaration of the sweet and blessed effects of such a government, both to the governor himself; in that peace, and prosperity, and glory, and happiness which it brings to him, and to his people; to whom it is no less grateful, and comfortable, and beneficial, than those great and public blessings of sunshine and rain, and the fruits which they produce; which is true of every good king or governor, but most eminently of the Messias.

[1] Hebrew:  ‎וּכְא֥וֹר בֹּ֖קֶר יִזְרַח־שָׁ֑מֶשׁ בֹּ֚קֶר לֹ֣א עָב֔וֹת מִנֹּ֥גַהּ מִמָּטָ֖ר דֶּ֥שֶׁא מֵאָֽרֶץ׃

[2] A woodenly literal rendering.

[3] 2 Samuel 23:5:  “Although not so (‎כִּי־לֹא־כֵן) is my house with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure:  for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.”