New King James Version
2 Samuel 3:8
8Then 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?
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?
- New International Version (NIV)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!
- 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 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
6Now it was so, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner was strengthening his hold on the house of Saul. 7And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?” 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? 9May God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David as the Lord has sworn to him— 10to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”
Read all of 2 Samuel 32 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 the wrath of man shall praise You; With the remainder of wrath You shall gird Yourself.
- Mark 6:18Because John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
- 2 Samuel 9:8Then he bowed himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?”
- 2 Samuel 16:9Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!”
- Deuteronomy 23:18You shall not bring the wages of a harlot or the price of a dog to the house of the Lord your God for any vowed offering, for both of these are an abomination to the Lord your God.
- 1 Samuel 24:14After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea?
- 2 Kings 8:13So Hazael said, “But what is your servant—a dog, that he should do this gross thing?” And Elisha answered, “The Lord has shown me that you will become king over Syria.”
- 2 Samuel 2:9and he made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
- 2 Samuel 5:2Also, in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and the Lord said to you, ‘You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over Israel.’ ”
- 1 Samuel 15:23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.”
- Psalms 2:1Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing?
- Isaiah 37:23“Whom have you reproached and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice, And lifted up your eyes on high? Against the Holy One of Israel.
- Acts 9:4Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting 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
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