New International Version
2 Samuel 4:12
12So David gave an order to his men, and they killed them. They cut off their hands and feet and hung the bodies by the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-Bosheth and buried it in Abner’s tomb at Hebron.
2 Samuel 4:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish–bosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And David commanded his young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner at Hebron.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So David commanded his young men, and they executed them, cut off their hands and feet, and hanged them by the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner in Hebron.
- New Living Translation (NLT)So David ordered his young men to kill them, and they did. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies beside the pool in Hebron. Then they took Ishbosheth’s head and buried it in Abner’s tomb in Hebron.
Context of 2 Samuel 4:12
10when someone told me, ‘Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and put him to death in Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news! 11How much more—when wicked men have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed—should I not now demand his blood from your hand and rid the earth of you!” So David gave an order to his men, and they killed them. They cut off their hands and feet and hung the bodies by the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-Bosheth and buried it in Abner’s tomb at Hebron.
Read all of 2 Samuel 42 Samuel 4:12 word by word
וַיְצַו֩ דָּוִ֨ד אֶת־הַנְּעָרִ֜ים וַיַּהַרְג֗וּם וַֽיְקַצְּצ֤וּ אֶת־יְדֵיהֶם֙ וְאֶת־רַגְלֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּתְל֥וּ עַל־הַבְּרֵכָ֖ה בְּחֶבְר֑וֹן וְאֵ֨ת רֹ֤אשׁ אִֽישׁ־בֹּ֙שֶׁת֙ לָקָ֔חוּ וַיִּקְבְּר֥וּ בְקֶֽבֶר־אַבְנֵ֖ר בְּחֶבְרֽוֹן׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
- his young menנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- and they slewהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
- them, and cut offקָצַץqâtsats · to cutH7112
- their handsיָדyâd · handH3027
- and their feetרֶ֫גֶלregel · footH7272
- upתָּלָהtâlâh · to hangH8518
- over the poolבְּרֵכָהberêkâh · poolH1295
- in Hebronחֶבְרוֹןchebrôn · HebronH2275
- But they tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- the headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
- of Ish–boshethאִישׁ־בֹ֫שֶׁת'îysh-bôsheth · Ish-boshethH378
- and buriedקָבַרqâbar · to buryH6912
- in the sepulchreקֶ֫בֶרqeber qibrâh · graveH6913
- of Abnerאֲבִינֵר'abnêr 'ăbîynêr · AbnerH74
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 4:12
- 2 Samuel 1:15Then David called one of his men and said, “Go, strike him down!” So he struck him down, and he died.
- Psalms 55:23But you, God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of decay; the bloodthirsty and deceitful will not live out half their days. But as for me, I trust in you.
- Matthew 7:2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
- 2 Samuel 21:9He handed them over to the Gibeonites, who killed them and exposed their bodies on a hill before the Lord. All seven of them fell together; they were put to death during the first days of the harvest, just as the barley harvest was beginning.
- Deuteronomy 21:22If someone guilty of a capital offense is put to death and their body is exposed on a pole,
- 2 Samuel 3:32They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king wept aloud at Abner’s tomb. All the people wept also.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 4:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12And they slew them - None ever more richly deserved death; and by this act of justice, David showed to all Israel that he was a decided enemy to the destruction of Saul's family; and that none could lift up their hands against any of them without meeting with condign punishment. In all these cases I know not that it was possible for David to show more sincerity, or a stricter regard for justice.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Cut off their hands - After they were dead. Their hands and feet were hung up in a place of public resort, both to deter others and also to let all Israel know that David was not privy to the murder of Ish-bosheth.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-12Verses 8-12 A person may be glad to obtain his just wishes, and yet really regret the means by which he receives them. He may be sorry for the death of a person by which he is a gainer. These men shed innocent blood, from the basest motives. David justly executed vengeance upon them. He would not be beholden to any to help him by unlawful practices. God had helped him over many a difficulty, and through many a danger, therefore he depended upon him to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12They cut off their hands and feet: David displayed the bodies of Ish-bosheth’s killers to shame them by denying them a proper burial (compare 1 Samuel 31:8–13). This public act also showed that David was not responsible for Ish-bosheth’s death.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet--as the instruments in perpetrating their crime. The exposure of the mutilated remains was intended as not only a punishment of their crime, but also the attestation of David's abhorrence.Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 4:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 4
- 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
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