God’s Word Translation
2 Samuel 3:31
31David told Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” King David followed the open casket.
2 Samuel 3:31 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier.
- New International Version (NIV)Then David said to Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and walk in mourning in front of Abner.” King David himself walked behind the bier.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and mourn before Abner." And King David followed the bier.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” And King David followed the coffin.
Context of 2 Samuel 3:31
29May the blame fall on the head of Joab and all of his family. May there always be members of Joab’s family who have oozing sores and skin diseases, who can only work a spindle, who die in battle, and who never have any food.” 30(Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.) David told Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” King David followed the open casket. 32They buried Abner in Hebron. The king cried loudly at Abner’s grave, and all the people cried. 33The king sang a funeral song for Abner: Should Abner die like a godless fool?
Read all of 2 Samuel 32 Samuel 3:31 word by word
וַיֹּאמֶר֩ דָּוִ֨ד אֶל־יוֹאָ֜ב וְאֶל־כָּל־הָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֗וֹ קִרְע֤וּ בִגְדֵיכֶם֙ וְחִגְר֣וּ שַׂקִּ֔ים וְסִפְד֖וּ לִפְנֵ֣י אַבְנֵ֑ר וְהַמֶּ֣לֶךְ דָּוִ֔ד הֹלֵ֖ךְ אַחֲרֵ֥י הַמִּטָּֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- to Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
- and to all the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- with him, Rendקָרַעqâra‛ · to tearH7167
- your clothesבֶּ֫גֶדbeged · garmentH899
- and girdחָגַרchâgar · to girdH2296
- you with sackclothשַׂקώaq · sackclothH8242
- and mournסָפַדsâphad · to mournH5594
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- Abnerאֲבִינֵר'abnêr 'ăbîynêr · AbnerH74
- And kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- followedאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- followedהָלַךְhâlak · to go: followH1980
- the bierמִטָּהmiţţâh · bedH4296
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 3:31
- 2 Samuel 1:2On the third day a man came from Saul’s camp. His clothes were torn, and he had dirt on his head. When he came to David, he immediately bowed down with his face touching the ground.
- Genesis 37:29When Reuben came back to the cistern and saw that Joseph was no longer there, he tore his clothes in grief.
- Joshua 7:6Joshua and the leaders of Israel tore their clothes in grief. They put dust on their heads and bowed down to the ground in front of the Lord’s ark. They stayed there until evening.
- Judges 11:35When he saw her, he tore his clothes in grief and said, “Oh no, Daughter! You’ve brought me to my knees! What disaster you’ve brought me! I made a foolish promise to the Lord. Now I can’t break it.”
- 2 Kings 19:1When King Hezekiah heard the message, he tore his clothes in grief, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the Lord’s temple.
- Luke 7:14He went up to the open coffin, took hold of it, and the men who were carrying it stopped. He said, “Young man, I’m telling you to come back to life!”
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 3:31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31David said to Joab - He commanded him to take on him the part of a principal mourner.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. 31King David himself walked: David took part publicly in the mourning procession. He wept openly at the gravesite (2 Samuel 3:32) and later refused to eat as a sign of mourning (2 Samuel 3:35). These actions made it clear to the people that David had not ordered the killing of Abner (2 Samuel 3:37).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3131. David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth--David's sorrow was sincere and profound, and he took occasion to give it public expression by the funeral honors he appointed for Abner. King David himself followed the bier--a sort of wooden frame, partly resembling a coffin, and partly a hand-barrow.Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 3:31
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries