2 Samuel 22:38 (ASV)

Passage

I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; Neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

Nearby Context

2 Samuel 22:36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation; And thy gentleness hath made me great.

2 Samuel 22:37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; And my feet have not slipped.

2 Samuel 22:38 I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; Neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

2 Samuel 22:39 And I have consumed them, and smitten them through, so that they cannot arise: Yea, they are fallen under my feet.

2 Samuel 22:40 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle; Thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "pursued", "mine", "enemies", "destroyed", "neither", "turn", "again", and "till". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "pursued" and "mine", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 37's "Thou hast enlarged my steps under me..." into verse 39's "And I have consumed them and smitten...", so "pursued" and "mine" belong inside that flow. In 2 Samuel context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "pursued" and "mine" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.