New Living Translation
2 Samuel 4:8
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!”
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 King James Version (NKJV)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.”
Context of 2 Samuel 4:8
6The doorkeeper, who had been sifting wheat, became drowsy and fell asleep. So Recab and Baanah slipped past her. 7They went into the house and found Ishbosheth sleeping on his bed. They struck and killed him and cut off his head. Then, taking his head with them, they fled across the Jordan Valley through the night. 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!” 9But David said to Recab and Baanah, “The Lord, who saves me from all my enemies, is my witness. 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!
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 he suddenly hurled it at David, intending to pin him to the wall. But David escaped him twice.
- 1 Samuel 19:2told him what his father was planning. “Tomorrow morning,” he warned him, “you must find a hiding place out in the fields.
- 1 Samuel 20:1David now fled from Naioth in Ramah and found Jonathan. “What have I done?” he exclaimed. “What is my crime? How have I offended your father that he is so determined to kill me?”
- 1 Samuel 23:15One day near Horesh, David received the news that Saul was on the way to Ziph to search for him and kill him.
- 1 Samuel 25:29“Even when you are chased by those who seek to kill you, your life is safe in the care of the Lord your God, secure in his treasure pouch! But the lives of your enemies will disappear like stones shot from a sling!
- Psalms 63:9But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin. They will go down into the depths of the earth.
- Psalms 71:24I will tell about your righteous deeds all day long, for everyone who tried to hurt me has been shamed and humiliated.
- Matthew 2:20“Get up!” the angel said. “Take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.”
- 2 Samuel 18:19Then Zadok’s son Ahimaaz said, “Let me run to the king with the good news that the Lord has rescued him from his enemies.”
- 2 Samuel 22:48He is the God who pays back those who harm me; he brings down the nations under me
- Luke 18:7Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
- Revelation 6:10They shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?”
- Revelation 18:20Rejoice over her fate, O heaven and people of God and apostles and prophets! For at last God has judged her for your sakes.
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
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