New English Translation
2 Samuel 3:29
29May his blood whirl over the head of Joab and the entire house of his father! May the males of Joab’s house never cease to have someone with a running sore or a skin disease or one who works at the spindle or one who falls by the sword or one who lacks food!”
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 took him aside at the gate as if to speak privately with him. Joab then stabbed him in the abdomen and killed him, avenging the shed blood of his brother Asahel. 28When David later heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord of the shed blood of Abner son of Ner! May his blood whirl over the head of Joab and the entire house of his father! May the males of Joab’s house never cease to have someone with a running sore or a skin disease or one who works at the spindle or one who falls by the sword or one who lacks food!” 30So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in Gibeon during the battle. 31David instructed Joab and all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes! Put on sackcloth! Lament before Abner!” Now King David followed behind the funeral bier.
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 consider your servant a wicked woman, for until now I have spoken from my deep pain and anguish.”
- Judges 9:24He did this so the violent deaths of Jerub-Baal’s seventy sons might be avenged and Abimelech, their half-brother who murdered them, might have to pay for their spilled blood, along with the leaders of Shechem who helped him murder them.
- 1 Kings 2:31The king told him, “Do as he said! Strike him down and bury him. Take away from me and from my father’s family the guilt of Joab’s murderous, bloody deeds.
- Acts 28:4When the local people saw the creature hanging from Paul’s hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer! Although he has escaped from the sea, Justice herself has not allowed him to live!”
- Revelation 16:6because they poured out the blood of your saints and prophets, so you have given them blood to drink. They got what they deserved!”
- 1 Samuel 2:32You will see trouble in my dwelling place! Israel will experience blessings, but there will not be an old man in your house for all time.
- 2 Kings 5:27Therefore Naaman’s skin disease will afflict you and your descendants forever!” When Gehazi went out from his presence, his skin was as white as snow.
- Psalms 109:8May his days be few! May another take his job!
- Leviticus 13:44he is a diseased man. He is unclean. The priest must surely pronounce him unclean because of his infection on his head.
- 2 Kings 5:1Now Naaman, the commander of the king of Syria’s army, was esteemed and respected by his master, for through him the Lord had given Syria military victories. But this great warrior 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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