2 Samuel 16:9

2 Samuel 16:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.
• New International Version (NIV)Then 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.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!”

Context of 2 Samuel 16:9

7Thus Shimei said when he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, and worthless fellow! 8The Lord has returned upon you all the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. And behold, you are taken in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!” Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over now and cut off his head.” 10But the king said, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he curses, and if the Lord has told him, ‘Curse David,’ then who shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’” 11Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my son who came out from me seeks my life; how much more now this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him.

2 Samuel 16:9 word by word

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲבִישַׁ֤י בֶּן־צְרוּיָה֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לָ֣מָּה יְקַלֵּ֞ל הַכֶּ֤לֶב הַמֵּת֙ הַזֶּ֔ה אֶת־אֲדֹנִ֖י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ אֶעְבְּרָה־נָּ֖א וְאָסִ֥ירָה אֶת־רֹאשֽׁוֹ׃ סRead the interlinear

• Abishaiאֲבִישַׁי'ăbîyshay 'abshay · AbishaiH52
• the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Zeruiahצְרוּיָהtserûyâh · ZeruiahH6870
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• Whyמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• dogכֶּ֫לֶבkeleb · dogH3611
• curseקָלַלqâlal · to lightenH7043
• my lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
• Let me goעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• nowנָאnâ' · pleaseH4994
• cutסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: removeH5493
• his headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 16:9

• 2 Samuel 3:30So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.
• 1 Samuel 26:6Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.”
• 2 Samuel 3:8Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hands of David; and yet today you charge me with a guilt concerning the woman.
• 2 Samuel 9:8Again he prostrated himself and said, “What is your servant, that you should regard a dead dog like me?”
• 1 Samuel 24:14After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, a single flea?
• Exodus 22:28“You shall not curse God, nor curse a ruler of your people.
• Acts 23:5And Paul said, “I was not aware, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”
• 1 Peter 2:17Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.
• Job 31:30No, I have not allowed my mouth to sin By asking for his life in a curse.
• Jeremiah 40:13Now Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces that were in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 16:9

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9This dead dog - See the marginal reference and 2 Samuel 9:8 note. Go over - The ravine, possibly with a stream of water 2 Samuel 17:20, which lay between them and Shimei.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-14Verses 5-14 David bore Shimei's curses much better than Ziba's flatteries; by these he was brought to pass a wrong judgment on another, by those to pass a right judgment on himself: the world's smiles are more dangerous than its frowns. Once and again David spared Saul's life, while Saul sought his. But innocence is no defence against malice and falsehood; nor are we to think it strange, if we are charged with that which we have been most careful to keep…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9Abishai was David’s nephew (1 Chronicles 2:13–16) and likely part of his personal guard. He thought no one should speak to the king disrespectfully and survive (compare 2 Samuel 19:21). David was more cautious in making judgments (compare 1 Kings 2:8–9).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5-125-12. when king David came to Bahurim--a city of Benjamin (2Sa 3:16; 19:16). It is, however, only the confines of the district that are here meant. Shimei, ... a man of the family of Saul--The misfortune of his family, and the occupation by David of what they considered their rightful possessions, afforded a natural, if not a justifiable cause for this ebullition of rude insults and violence. He upbraided David as an ambitious usurper, and charged him, as…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 16:9

• Abishai
• Clemency
• Dog (Sodomite?)
• Forgiveness
• Meekness
• Shimei
• Zeruiah

In the dictionaries

• Dog
• Shimei
• Abishai
• Bible, the
• David
• Dead
• Horse
• Israel, History of
• Samuel, Books of
• Solomon

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 16

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings