Berean Standard Bible
2 Samuel 3:8
8Abner was furious over Ish-bosheth’s accusation. “Am I the head of a dog that belongs to Judah?” he asked. “All this time I have been loyal to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends. I have not delivered you into the hand of David, but now you accuse me of wrongdoing with this woman!
2 Samuel 3:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish–bosheth, and said, Am I a dog’s head, which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this woman?
- New International Version (NIV)Abner was very angry because of what Ish-Bosheth said. So he answered, “Am I a dog’s head—on Judah’s side? This very day I am loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his family and friends. I haven’t handed you over to David. Yet now you accuse me of an offense involving this woman!
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, "Am I a dog's head of Judah? To this day I keep showing steadfast love to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not given you into the hand of David. And yet you charge me today with a fault concerning a woman.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Abner became very angry at the words of Ishbosheth, and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman?
Context of 2 Samuel 3:8
6During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had continued to strengthen his position in the house of Saul. 7Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ish-bosheth questioned Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?” Abner was furious over Ish-bosheth’s accusation. “Am I the head of a dog that belongs to Judah?” he asked. “All this time I have been loyal to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends. I have not delivered you into the hand of David, but now you accuse me of wrongdoing with this woman! 9May God punish Abner, and ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the LORD has sworn to him: 10to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”
Read all of 2 Samuel 32 Samuel 3:8 word by word
וַיִּחַר֩ לְאַבְנֵ֨ר מְאֹ֜ד עַל־דִּבְרֵ֣י אִֽישׁ־בֹּ֗שֶׁת וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הֲרֹ֨אשׁ כֶּ֥לֶב אָנֹ֘כִי֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לִֽיהוּדָה֒ הַיּ֨וֹם אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־חֶ֜סֶד עִם־בֵּ֣ית׀ שָׁא֣וּל אָבִ֗יךָ אֶל־אֶחָיו֙ וְאֶל־מֵ֣רֵעֵ֔הוּ וְלֹ֥א הִמְצִיתִ֖ךָ בְּיַד־דָּוִ֑ד וַתִּפְקֹ֥ד עָלַ֛י עֲוֹ֥ן הָאִשָּׁ֖ה הַיּֽוֹם׃Read the interlinear
- Abnerאֲבִינֵר'abnêr 'ăbîynêr · AbnerH74
- was furiousמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
- was furiousחָרָהchârâh · to be incensedH2734
- overעַל‛al · uponH5921
- Ish-bosheth’sאִישׁ־בֹ֫שֶׁת'îysh-bôsheth · Ish-boshethH378
- accusationדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- Am Iאָֽנֹכִ֫י'ânôkîy · IH595
- the headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
- of a dogכֶּ֫לֶבkeleb · dogH3611
- thatאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
- belongs to Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
- he askedאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- All this timeיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- I have been loyalעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- I have been loyalחֶ֫סֶדchêsêd · kindnessH2617
- toעִם‛im · withH5973
- the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- of your fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- his brothersאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
- his friendsמֵרֵעַmêrêa‛ · companionH4828
- I have notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- delivered youמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- into the handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
- of Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- you accuseפָּקַדpâqad · to reckon: visitH6485
- of wrongdoingעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: crimeH5771
- with this womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 3:8
- Psalms 76:10Even the wrath of man shall praise You; with the survivors of wrath You will clothe Yourself.
- Mark 6:18For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife!”
- 2 Samuel 9:8Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog like me?”
- 2 Samuel 16:9Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head!”
- Deuteronomy 23:18You must not bring the wages of a prostitute, whether female or male, into the house of the LORD your God to fulfill any vow, because both are detestable to the LORD your God.
- 1 Samuel 24:14Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?
- 2 Kings 8:13“But how could your servant, a mere dog, do such a monstrous thing?” said Hazael. And Elisha answered, “The LORD has shown me that you will be king over Aram.”
- 2 Samuel 2:9and made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin—over all Israel.
- 2 Samuel 5:2Even in times past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them back. And to you the LORD said, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be ruler over them.’”
- 1 Samuel 15:23For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”
- Psalms 2:1Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
- Isaiah 37:23Whom have you taunted and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel!
- Acts 9:4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?”
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 3:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Am I a dog's head - Dost thou treat a man with indignity who has been the only prop of thy tottering kingdom, and the only person who could make head against the house of David?Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8The words against Judah are very obscure. If the text be correct, the words would seem to be Ish-bosheth‘s, who in his anger had charged Abner with being a vile partisan of Judah: Abner retorts, “Am I (as you say) a dog‘s head which belongeth to Judah, or on Judah‘s side! This day I show you kindness, etc., and this day thou chargest me with a fault, etc.”Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-21Verses 7-21 Many, like Abner, are not above committing base crimes, who are too proud to bear reproof, or even the suspicion of being guilty. While men go on in sin, and apparently without concern, they are often conscious that they are fighting against God. Many mean to serve their own purposes; and will betray those who trust them, when they can get any advantage. Yet the Lord serves his own designs, even by those who are thus actuated by revenge…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8a dog that belongs to Judah: See 1 Samuel 17:43. have not delivered you into the hand of David: Abner had control over the life and death of Saul’s son.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-116-11. Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul--In the East, the wives and concubines of a king are the property of his successor to this extent, that for a private person to aspire to marry one of them would be considered a virtual advance of pretensions to the crown (see 1Ki 2:17). It is not clear whether the accusation against Abner was well or ill founded. But he resented the charge as an indignity, and, impelled by revenge, determined to…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 3:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Berean Standard Bible — © Berean Bible — CC0 / Public Domain
Commentaries