New King James Version
2 Samuel 3:33
33And the king sang a lament over Abner and said: “Should Abner die as a fool dies?
2 Samuel 3:33 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth?
- New International Version (NIV)The king sang this lament for Abner: “Should Abner have died as the lawless die?
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the king lamented for Abner, saying, "Should Abner die as a fool dies?
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then the king sang this funeral song for Abner: “Should Abner have died as fools die?
Context of 2 Samuel 3:33
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. 32So they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. And the king sang a lament over Abner and said: “Should Abner die as a fool dies? 34Your hands were not bound Nor your feet put into fetters; As a man falls before wicked men, so you fell.” Then all the people wept over him again. 35And when all the people came to persuade David to eat food while it was still day, David took an oath, saying, “God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else till the sun goes down!”
Read all of 2 Samuel 32 Samuel 3:33 word by word
וַיְקֹנֵ֥ן הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶל־אַבְנֵ֖ר וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַכְּמ֥וֹת נָבָ֖ל יָמ֥וּת אַבְנֵֽר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 3:33
- 2 Samuel 13:12But she answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing!
- Proverbs 18:7A fool’s mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul.
- Ecclesiastes 2:15So I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, It also happens to me, And why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart, “This also is vanity.”
- Jeremiah 17:11“As a partridge that broods but does not hatch, So is he who gets riches, but not by right; It will leave him in the midst of his days, And at his end he will be a fool.”
- Luke 12:19And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 3:33
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 33The king lamented over Abner - This lamentation, though short, is very pathetic. It is a high strain of poetry; but the measure cannot be easily ascertained. Our own translation may be measured thus: - Died Abner as a fool dieth? Thy hands were not bound, Nor thy feet put into fetters. As a man falleth before the wicked. So hast thou fallen! Or thus: - Shall Abner die a death like to a villain's? Thy hands not bound, Nor were the fetters to thy feet…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 33Lamented - i. e. composed and sang the funeral dirge which follows (compare 2 Samuel 1:17). Died Abner - i. e. The great and noble and valiant Abner had died as ignobly and as helplessly as the meanest churl!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. 33die the death of a fool: Joab deceived Abner by pretending to be his friend. He was actually an enemy (see 2 Samuel 3:27).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33-3433-34. the king lamented over Abner--This brief elegy is an effusion of indignation as much as of sorrow. As Abner had stabbed Asahel in open war [2Sa 2:23], Joab had not the right of the Goel. Besides, he had adopted a lawless and execrable method of obtaining satisfaction (see on 1Ki 2:5). The deed was an insult to the authority, as well as most damaging to the prospects of the king. But David's feelings and conduct on hearing of the death, together…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 3:33
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 King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries