Christian Standard Bible
2 Samuel 3:29
29May it hang over Joab’s head and his father’s whole family, and may the house of Joab never be without someone who has a discharge or a skin disease, or a man who can only work a spindle, or someone who falls by the sword or starves.”
2 Samuel 3:29 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread.
- New International Version (NIV)May his blood fall on the head of Joab and on his whole family! May Joab’s family never be without someone who has a running sore or leprosy or who leans on a crutch or who falls by the sword or who lacks food.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)May it fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father's house, and may the house of Joab never be without one who has a discharge or who is leprous or who holds a spindle or who falls by the sword or who lacks bread!"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Let it rest on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house; and let there never fail to be in the house of Joab one who has a discharge or is a leper, who leans on a staff or falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.”
Context of 2 Samuel 3:29
27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside to the middle of the city gate, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died in revenge for the death of Asahel, Joab’s brother. 28David heard about it later and said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. May it hang over Joab’s head and his father’s whole family, and may the house of Joab never be without someone who has a discharge or a skin disease, or a man who can only work a spindle, or someone who falls by the sword or starves.” 30Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon. 31David then ordered Joab and all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn over Abner.” And King David walked behind the coffin.
Read all of 2 Samuel 32 Samuel 3:29 word by word
יָחֻ֙לוּ֙ עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ יוֹאָ֔ב וְאֶ֖ל כָּל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יו וְֽאַל־יִכָּרֵ֣ת מִבֵּ֣ית יוֹאָ֡ב זָ֠ב וּמְצֹרָ֞ע וּמַחֲזִ֥יק בַּפֶּ֛לֶךְ וְנֹפֵ֥ל בַּחֶ֖רֶב וַחֲסַר־לָֽחֶם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Let it restחוּלchûl chîyl · to twist: danceH2342
- on the headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
- of Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
- and on all his father’sאָב'âb · fatherH1
- houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- and let there not failכָּרַתkârath · to cut: lackH3772
- one that hath an issueזוּבzûb · to flow: dischargeH2100
- or that is a leperצָרַעtsâra‛ · be leprousH6879
- or that leanethחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: holdH2388
- on a staffפֶּ֫לֶךְpelek · districtH6418
- or that fallethנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
- on the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
- or that lackethחָסֵרchâsêr · lackingH2638
- breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 3:29
- 1 Samuel 1:16Don’t think of me as a wicked woman; I’ve been praying from the depth of my anguish and resentment.”
- Judges 9:24so that the crime against the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come to justice and their blood would be avenged on their brother Abimelech, who killed them, and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him kill his brothers.
- 1 Kings 2:31The king said to him, “Do just as he says. Strike him down and bury him in order to remove from me and from my father’s family the blood that Joab shed without just cause.
- Acts 28:4When the local people saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “This man, no doubt, is a murderer. Even though he has escaped the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”
- Revelation 16:6Because they poured out the blood of the saints and the prophets, you have given them blood to drink; they deserve it!
- 1 Samuel 2:32You will see distress in the place of worship, in spite of all that is good in Israel, and no one in your family will ever again reach old age.
- 2 Kings 5:27Therefore, Naaman’s skin disease will cling to you and your descendants forever.” So Gehazi went out from his presence diseased, resembling snow.
- Psalms 109:8Let his days be few; let another take over his position.
- Leviticus 13:44the man is afflicted with a serious skin disease; he is unclean. The priest must pronounce him unclean; the infection is on his head.
- 2 Kings 5:1Naaman, commander of the army for the king of Aram, was a man important to his master and highly regarded because through him, the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man was a valiant warrior, but he had a skin disease.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 3:29
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 29Let it rest on the head - All these verbs may be rendered in the future tense: it will rest on the head of Joab, etc. This was a prophetic declaration, which sufficiently showed the displeasure of God against this execrable man.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 29The curse of David proves that Joab was not justified as blood-revenger or Goel 2 Samuel 3:27 in taking away Abner‘s life. That leaneth on a staff - Rather, a crutch. The phrase denotes one lame or infirm. For similar instances of hereditary disease and poverty as a punishment of great sin, see 1 Samuel 2:31-33, 1 Samuel 2:36; 2 Kings 5:27; John 9:2.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-39Verses 22-39 Judgments are prepared for such scorners as Abner; but Joab, in what he did, acted wickedly. David laid Abner's murder deeply to heart, and in many ways expressed his detestation of it. The guilt of blood brings a curse upon families: if men do not avenge it, God will. It is a sad thing to die like a fool, as they do that any way shorten their own days, and those who make no provision for another world. Who would be fond of power, when a man…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 29skin disease: While leprosy is a possible translation, the Hebrew term here likely refers to many kinds of skin problems or rashes, not only Hansen’s disease. who leans on a staff: This curse effectively separated Joab from David. From this point on, their relationship was only professional. David later ordered Solomon to deal with Joab before David died (1 Kings 2:5–6). Solomon’s later statement clearing David of guilt in Abner’s death (1 Kings 2:31–33)…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 3:29
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
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