New Living Translation
2 Samuel 9:8
8Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, “Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?”
2 Samuel 9:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?
- New International Version (NIV)Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he paid homage and said, "What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then he bowed himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?”
Context of 2 Samuel 9:8
6His name was Mephibosheth; he was Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson. When he came to David, he bowed low to the ground in deep respect. David said, “Greetings, Mephibosheth.” Mephibosheth replied, “I am your servant.” 7“Don’t be afraid!” David said. “I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king’s table!” Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, “Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?” 9Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10You and your sons and servants are to farm the land for him to produce food for your master’s household. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will eat here at my table.” (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)
Read all of 2 Samuel 92 Samuel 9:8 word by word
וַיִּשְׁתַּ֕חוּ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מֶ֣ה עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֣י פָנִ֔יתָ אֶל־הַכֶּ֥לֶב הַמֵּ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּמֽוֹנִי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 9:8
- 2 Samuel 3:8Abner 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?
- 2 Samuel 16:9“Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?” Abishai son of Zeruiah demanded. “Let me go over and cut off his head!”
- 1 Samuel 24:14Who is the king of Israel trying to catch anyway? Should he spend his time chasing one who is as worthless as a dead dog or a single flea?
- 1 Samuel 26:20Must I die on foreign soil, far from the presence of the Lord? Why has the king of Israel come out to search for a single flea? Why does he hunt me down like a partridge on the mountains?”
- Matthew 15:26Jesus responded, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 9:8
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Mephibosheth‘s humility of expression, even in the mouth of an Oriental, is painful. It was perhaps in part the result of his helpless lameness, and of the other misfortunes of his life. A dead dog - The wild dogs of the East, which still abound in every town, are the natural objects of contempt and dislike.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8a dead dog like me: Mephibosheth understood that anyone who might claim the throne could be killed as a potential threat to the king.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-122Sa 9:1-12. David Sends for Mephibosheth. 1-7. David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul--On inquiry, Saul's land steward was found, who gave information that there still survived Mephibosheth, a son of Jonathan who was five years old at his father's death, and whom David, then wandering in exile, had never seen. His lameness (2Sa 4:4) had prevented him from taking any part in the public contests of the time. Besides, according to…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 9:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 9
- 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
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