2 Samuel 3:8

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 kept acquiring more power in the house of Saul. 7Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah daughter of Aiah, and Ish-bosheth questioned Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?” Abner was very angry about Ish-bosheth’s accusation. “Am I a dog’s head who belongs to Judah?” he asked. “All this time I’ve been loyal to the family of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends and haven’t betrayed you to David, but now you accuse me of wrongdoing with this woman! 9May God punish Abner and do so severely if I don’t do for David what the Lord swore to him: 10to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beer-sheba.”

2 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then was Abnerאֲבִינֵר'abnêr 'ăbîynêr · AbnerH74
• veryמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
• wrothחָרָהchârâh · to be incensedH2734
• for the wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• of Ish–boshethאִישׁ־בֹ֫שֶׁת'îysh-bôsheth · Ish-boshethH378
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• I a dog’sכֶּ֫לֶבkeleb · dogH3611
• headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
• which against Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
• do shewעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• kindnessחֶ֫סֶדchêsêd · kindnessH2617
• this dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• unto the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• of Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• thy fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
• to his brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• and to his friendsמֵרֵעַmêrêa‛ · companionH4828
• and have not deliveredמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• thee into the handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• of Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• that thou chargestפָּקַדpâqad · to reckon: visitH6485
• with a faultעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: crimeH5771
• concerning this womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 3:8

• Psalms 76:10Even human wrath will praise you; you will clothe yourself with the wrath that remains.
• Mark 6:18John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
• 2 Samuel 9:8Mephibosheth paid homage and said, “What is your servant that you take an interest in 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 remove his head!”
• Deuteronomy 23:18Do not bring a female prostitute’s wages or a male prostitute’s earnings into the house of the Lord your God to fulfill any vow, because both are detestable to the Lord your God.
• 1 Samuel 24:14Who has the king of Israel come after? What are you chasing after? A dead dog? A single flea?
• 2 Kings 8:13Hazael said, “How could your servant, a mere dog, do such a mighty deed?” Elisha answered, “The Lord has shown me that you will be king over Aram.”
• 2 Samuel 2:9He made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin — over all Israel.
• 2 Samuel 5:2Even while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led us out to battle and brought us back. The Lord also said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will be ruler over Israel.’”
• 1 Samuel 15:23For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and defiance is like wickedness and 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 37:23Who is it you have mocked and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel!
• Acts 9:4Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting 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

• Abner
• Conspiracy
• Dog (Sodomite?)
• Ish-Bosheth
• Proverbs
• Treason

In the dictionaries

• Abner
• David
• Judah
• Saul
• Judah, kingdom of Judah
• Judea, Judah
• Paul, Saul
• Ish-Bosheth
• Communication
• Dog

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