2 Samuel 3:29

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 Living Translation (NLT)Joab and his family are the guilty ones. May the family of Joab be cursed in every generation with a man who has open sores or leprosy or who walks on crutches or dies by the sword or begs for food!”

Context of 2 Samuel 3:29

27Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother. 28Afterward, when David heard it, he said, “My kingdom and I are guiltless before the Lord forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 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.” 30So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle. 31Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” And King David followed the coffin.

2 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 1:16“Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.”
• Judges 9:24that the crime done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be settled and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who aided him in the killing of his brothers.
• 1 Kings 2:31Then the king said to him, “Do as he has said, and strike him down and bury him, that you may take away from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood which Joab shed.
• Acts 28:4So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.”
• Revelation 16:6For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, And You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due.”
• 1 Samuel 2:32And you will see an enemy in My dwelling place, despite all the good which God does for Israel. And there shall not be an old man in your house forever.
• 2 Kings 5:27Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever.” And he went out from his presence leprous, as white as snow.
• Psalms 109:8Let his days be few, And let another take his office.
• Leviticus 13:44he is a leprous man. He is unclean. The priest shall surely pronounce him unclean; his sore is on his head.
• 2 Kings 5:1Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper.

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

• Abner
• Chiding
• Imprecation
• Tact

In the dictionaries

• Joab
• Communication
• Ishbosheth
• Sackcloth
• Translate
• Abner
• David
• Fail
• Genealogy
• Government

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