God’s Word Translation
2 Samuel 3:8
8Ishbosheth’s question made Abner very angry. “Have I been behaving like some Judean dog?” he asked. “Until now I’ve been faithful to your father Saul’s family, to his relatives and friends, and I haven’t handed you over to David. But now you charge me with a crime because of 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 families of Saul and David, Abner strengthened his position in Saul’s royal family. 7Saul had a concubine named Rizpah (Aiah’s daughter). Ishbosheth asked Abner, “Why did you have sex with my father’s concubine?” Ishbosheth’s question made Abner very angry. “Have I been behaving like some Judean dog?” he asked. “Until now I’ve been faithful to your father Saul’s family, to his relatives and friends, and I haven’t handed you over to David. But now you charge me with a crime because of this woman. 9May God strike me dead unless I do for David what the Lord had promised him with an oath: 10‘I, the Lord, will transfer the kingship from Saul’s family and establish David’s throne 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
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 angry mortals will praise you. You will wear the remainder of ⌞their⌟ anger.
- Mark 6:18John had been telling Herod, “It’s not right for you to be married to your brother’s wife.”
- 2 Samuel 9:8Mephibosheth bowed down ⌞again⌟ and answered, “Who am I that you would look at a dead dog like me?”
- 2 Samuel 16:9Abishai, Zeruiah’s son, asked the king, “Why should this dead dog curse you, Your Majesty? Let me go over there and tear off his head.”
- Deuteronomy 23:18Never bring gifts or money earned by prostitution into the house of the Lord your God as an offering you vowed to give. These earnings are disgusting to the Lord your God.
- 1 Samuel 24:14Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? One flea?
- 2 Kings 8:13But Hazael asked, “How can a dog like me do such a significant thing?” Elisha answered, “The Lord has shown me that you will become king of Aram.”
- 2 Samuel 2:9Abner made him king of Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin, that is, all Israel.
- 2 Samuel 5:2“Even in the past when Saul ruled us, you were the one who led Israel in battle. The Lord has said to you, ‘You will be shepherd of my people Israel, the leader of Israel.’ ”
- 1 Samuel 15:23The sin of black magic is rebellion. Wickedness and idolatry are arrogance. Because you rejected the Lord’s word, he rejects you as king.”
- Psalms 2:1Why do the nations gather together? Why do their people devise useless plots?
- Isaiah 37:23Whom are you defying and slandering? Against whom are you shouting? Who are you looking at so arrogantly? It is the Holy One of Israel!
- Acts 9:4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say 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
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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