New English Translation
2 Samuel 3:8
8These words of Ish-bosheth really angered Abner and he said, “Am I the head of a dog that belongs to Judah? This very day I am demonstrating loyalty to the house of Saul your father and to his relatives and his friends! I have not betrayed you into the hand of David. Yet you have accused me of sinning with this woman today!
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
6As the war continued between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was becoming more influential in the house of Saul. 7Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why did you have sexual relations with my father’s concubine?” These words of Ish-bosheth really angered Abner and he said, “Am I the head of a dog that belongs to Judah? This very day I am demonstrating loyalty to the house of Saul your father and to his relatives and his friends! I have not betrayed you into the hand of David. Yet you have accused me of sinning with this woman today! 9God will severely judge Abner if I do not do for David exactly what the Lord has promised him, 10namely, to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah all the way from Dan to Beer Sheba!”
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 76:10Certainly your angry judgment upon men will bring you praise; you reveal your anger in full measure.
- Mark 6:18For John had repeatedly told Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
- 2 Samuel 9:8Then Mephibosheth bowed and said, “Of what importance am I, your servant, that you show regard for 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 cut off his head!”
- Deuteronomy 23:18You must never bring the pay of a female prostitute or the wage of a male prostitute into the temple of the Lord your God in fulfillment of any vow, for both of these are abhorrent to the Lord your God.
- 1 Samuel 24:14Who has the king of Israel come out after? Who is it that you are pursuing? A dead dog? A single flea?
- 2 Kings 8:13Hazael said, “How could your servant, who is as insignificant as a dog, accomplish this great military victory?” Elisha answered, “The Lord has revealed to me that you will be the king of Syria.”
- 2 Samuel 2:9He appointed him king over Gilead, the Geshurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Israel.
- 2 Samuel 5:2In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the real leader in Israel. The Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel; you will rule over Israel.’”
- 1 Samuel 15:23For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and presumption is like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”
- Psalms 2:1Why do the nations rebel? Why are the countries devising plots that will fail?
- Isaiah 37:23Whom have you taunted and hurled insults at? At whom have you shouted and looked so arrogantly? At the Holy One of Israel!
- Acts 9:4He fell to the ground and 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
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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries