New International Version
2 Samuel 4:8
8They brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, your enemy, who tried to kill you. This day the Lord has avenged my lord the king against Saul and his offspring.”
2 Samuel 4:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they brought the head of Ish–bosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ish–bosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; and the Lord hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.
- English Standard Version (ESV)and brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron. And they said to the king, "Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. The Lord has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David at Hebron, and said to the king, “Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul your enemy, who sought your life; and the Lord has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul and his descendants.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)When they arrived at Hebron, they presented Ishbosheth’s head to David. “Look!” they exclaimed to the king. “Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of your enemy Saul who tried to kill you. Today the Lord has given my lord the king revenge on Saul and his entire family!”
Context of 2 Samuel 4:8
6They went into the inner part of the house as if to get some wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rekab and his brother Baanah slipped away. 7They had gone into the house while he was lying on the bed in his bedroom. After they stabbed and killed him, they cut off his head. Taking it with them, they traveled all night by way of the Arabah. They brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, your enemy, who tried to kill you. This day the Lord has avenged my lord the king against Saul and his offspring.” 9David answered Rekab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble, 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!
Read all of 2 Samuel 42 Samuel 4:8 word by word
וַ֠יָּבִאוּ אֶת־רֹ֨אשׁ אִֽישׁ־בֹּ֥שֶׁת אֶל־דָּוִד֮ חֶבְרוֹן֒ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ הִנֵּֽה־רֹ֣אשׁ אִֽישׁ־בֹּ֗שֶׁת בֶּן־שָׁאוּל֙ אֹֽיִבְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּקֵּ֖שׁ אֶת־נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ וַיִּתֵּ֣ן יְ֠הוָה לַֽאדֹנִ֨י הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ נְקָמוֹת֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה מִשָּׁא֖וּל וּמִזַּרְעֽוֹ׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And they broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- the headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
- of Ish–boshethאִישׁ־בֹ֫שֶׁת'îysh-bôsheth · Ish-boshethH378
- unto Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- to Hebronחֶבְרוֹןchebrôn · HebronH2275
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- to the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- thine enemyאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
- which soughtבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- thy lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
- and the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- hathנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- avengedנְקָמָהneqâmâh · vengeanceH5360
- my lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
- this dayיוֹםyôm · day: todayH3117
- and of his seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seed: childrenH2233
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 4:8
- 1 Samuel 18:11and he hurled it, saying to himself, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.
- 1 Samuel 19:2and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding and stay there.
- 1 Samuel 20:1Then David fled from Naioth at Ramah and went to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What is my crime? How have I wronged your father, that he is trying to kill me?”
- 1 Samuel 23:15While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life.
- 1 Samuel 25:29Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my lord will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God, but the lives of your enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling.
- Psalms 63:9Those who want to kill me will be destroyed; they will go down to the depths of the earth.
- Psalms 71:24My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion.
- Matthew 2:20and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”
- 2 Samuel 18:19Now Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Let me run and take the news to the king that the Lord has vindicated him by delivering him from the hand of his enemies.”
- 2 Samuel 22:48He is the God who avenges me, who puts the nations under me,
- Luke 18:7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
- Revelation 6:10They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”
- Revelation 18:20“Rejoice over her, you heavens! Rejoice, you people of God! Rejoice, apostles and prophets! For God has judged her with the judgment she imposed on you.”
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 4:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8They brought the head - unto David - They thought, as did the poor lying Amalekite, to ingratiate themselves with David by this abominable act.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. 8your enemy: As far as we know, David never referred to Saul as an enemy. the LORD has granted vengeance: People who do wrong things often assume that God supports their plans and use this belief to justify their desire for power. However, David refused to reward acts of betrayal.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. They brought the head of Ish-bosheth unto David ... and said, Behold the head of Ish-bosheth--Such bloody trophies of rebels and conspirators have always been acceptable to princes in the East, and the carriers have been liberally rewarded. Ish-bosheth being a usurper, the two assassins thought they were doing a meritorious service to David by removing the only existing obstacle to the union of the two kingdoms. 2Sa 4:10-12. David Causes Them to Be Put…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 4:8
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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