New King James Version
2 Samuel 4:8
8And 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.”
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.
- New International Version (NIV)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.”
- 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 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
6And they came there, all the way into the house, as though to get wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. 7For when they came into the house, he was lying on his bed in his bedroom; then they struck him and killed him, beheaded him and took his head, and were all night escaping through the plain. 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.” 9But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from all adversity, 10when someone told me, saying, ‘Look, Saul is dead,’ thinking to have brought good news, I arrested him and had him executed in Ziklag—the one who thought I would give him a reward 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 Saul cast the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David escaped his presence twice.
- 1 Samuel 19:2So Jonathan told David, saying, “My father Saul seeks to kill you. Therefore please be on your guard until morning, and stay in a secret place and hide.
- 1 Samuel 20:1Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and went and said to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity, and what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?”
- 1 Samuel 23:15So David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. And David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in a forest.
- 1 Samuel 25:29Yet a man has risen to pursue you and seek your life, but the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living with the Lord your God; and the lives of your enemies He shall sling out, as from the pocket of a sling.
- Psalms 63:9But those who seek my life, to destroy it, Shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
- Psalms 71:24My tongue also shall talk of Your righteousness all the day long; For they are confounded, For they are brought to shame Who seek my hurt.
- Matthew 2:20saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.”
- 2 Samuel 18:19Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run now and take the news to the king, how the Lord has avenged him of his enemies.”
- 2 Samuel 22:48It is God who avenges me, And subdues the peoples under me;
- Luke 18:7And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?
- Revelation 6:10And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
- Revelation 18:20“Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!”
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries