New Living Translation
2 Samuel 4:10
10Someone once told me, ‘Saul is dead,’ thinking he was bringing me good news. But I seized him and killed him at Ziklag. That’s the reward I gave him for his news!
2 Samuel 4:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:
- New International Version (NIV)when 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!
- English Standard Version (ESV)when one told me, 'Behold, Saul is dead,' and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news.
- New King James Version (NKJV)when 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.
Context of 2 Samuel 4:10
8When 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!” 9But David said to Recab and Baanah, “The Lord, who saves me from all my enemies, is my witness. Someone once told me, ‘Saul is dead,’ thinking he was bringing me good news. But I seized him and killed him at Ziklag. That’s the reward I gave him for his news! 11How much more should I reward evil men who have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed? Shouldn’t I hold you responsible for his blood and rid the earth of you?” 12So David ordered his young men to kill them, and they did. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies beside the pool in Hebron. Then they took Ishbosheth’s head and buried it in Abner’s tomb in Hebron.
Read all of 2 Samuel 42 Samuel 4:10 word by word
כִּ֣י הַמַּגִּיד֩ לִ֨י לֵאמֹ֜ר הִנֵּה־מֵ֣ת שָׁא֗וּל וְהֽוּא־הָיָ֤ה כִמְבַשֵּׂר֙ בְּעֵינָ֔יו וָאֹחֲזָ֣ה ב֔וֹ וָאֶהְרְגֵ֖הוּ בְּצִֽקְלָ֑ג אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְתִתִּי־ל֖וֹ בְּשֹׂרָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- When one toldנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
- me, sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Behold, Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- is deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- thinking to have broughtעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: appearanceH5869
- good tidingsבָּשַׂרbâώar · to bear tidingsH1319
- I took holdאָחַז'âchaz · to graspH270
- of him, and slewהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
- him in Ziklagצִקְלַגtsiqlag tsîyqelag · ZiklagH6860
- that I would have givenנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- him a reward for his tidingsבְּשֹׂרָהbeώôrâh beώôrâh · good newsH1309
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 4:10
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 4:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10A reward for his tidings - ̔ , Septuagint. Here is a proof that , evangelium or gospel, signifies the reward which the bringer of good tidings is entitled to receive. See my preface to St. Matthew's Gospel.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. 9-11when someone told me: Compare 2 Samuel 1:1–16.Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 4:10
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 Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries