2 Samuel 3:8

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?
• 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?
• New Living Translation (NLT)Abner was furious. “Am I some Judean dog to be kicked around like this?” he shouted. “After all I have done for your father, Saul, and his family and friends by not handing you over to David, is this my reward—that you find fault with me about this woman?

Context of 2 Samuel 3:8

6During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had been strengthening his own position in the house of Saul. 7Now Saul had had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. And Ish-Bosheth said to Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?” 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! 9May God deal with Abner, be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the Lord promised him on oath 10and transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish David’s throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba.”

2 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 76:10Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise, and the survivors of your wrath are restrained.
• Mark 6:18For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
• 2 Samuel 9:8Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice 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 not bring the earnings of a female prostitute or of a male prostitute into the house of the Lord your God to pay any vow, because the Lord your God detests them both.
• 1 Samuel 24:14“Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?
• 2 Kings 8:13Hazael said, “How could your servant, a mere dog, accomplish such a feat?” “The Lord has shown me that you will become king of Aram,” answered Elisha.
• 2 Samuel 2:9He made him king over Gilead, Ashuri and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel.
• 2 Samuel 5:2In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’ ”
• 1 Samuel 15:23For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance 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 conspire and the peoples plot in vain?
• Isaiah 37:23Who is it you have ridiculed and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel!
• Acts 9:4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute 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

• Abner
• Conspiracy
• Dog (Sodomite?)
• Ish-Bosheth
• Proverbs
• Treason

In the dictionaries

• Abner
• David
• Judah
• Saul
• Judah, kingdom of Judah
• Judea, Judah
• Paul, Saul
• Ish-Bosheth
• Communication
• Dog

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