2 Samuel 16 · Verse 10

2 Samuel 16:10

And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
2 Samuel 16:10, King James Version

2 Samuel 16:10 in other translations

BSBBut the king replied, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he curses me because the LORD told him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why did you do this?’”
WEBThe king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses, and because the LORD has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’”
ASVAnd the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Because he curseth, and because Jehovah hath said unto him, Curse David; who then shall say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
YLTAnd the king saith, ‘What--to me and to you, O sons of Zeruiah? for--let him revile; even because Jehovah hath said to him, Revile David; and who saith, Wherefore hast Thou done so?'
DARBYAnd the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, for Jehovah has said to him, Curse David! Who shall then say, Why dost thou so?
BBEAnd the king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Let him go on cursing, for the Lord has said, Put a curse on David, and who then may say, Why have you done so?
WebsterAnd the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said to him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Why hast thou done so?

What does 2 Samuel 16:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 16:5-12

5-12. when king David came to Bahurim--a city of Benjamin (2Sa 3:16; 19:16). It is, however, only the confines of the district that are here meant. Shimei, ... a man of the family of Saul--The misfortune of his family, and the occupation by David of what they considered their rightful possessions, afforded a natural, if not a justifiable cause for this ebullition of rude insults and violence. He upbraided David as…

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 16:5-12 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 10 Because the Lord hath said - The particle וכי vechi should be translated for if, not because. For If the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David, who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 16:5-14

David bore Shimei's curses much better than Ziba's flatteries; by these he was brought to pass a wrong judgment on another, by those to pass a right judgment on himself: the world's smiles are more dangerous than its frowns. Once and again David spared Saul's life, while Saul sought his. But innocence is no defence against malice and falsehood; nor are we to think it strange, if we are charged with that which we…

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 16:5-14 →

2 Samuel 16:10 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
מַה\־mah-what?H4100
לִּ֥יli[is] to me
וְלָכֶ֖םve.la.Khemand to <the> you
בְּנֵ֣יbe.NeiO sons ofH1121
צְרֻיָ֑הtze.ru.YahZeruiahH6870
כֹּ֣הkithusH3541
יְקַלֵּ֗לye.ka.Lelhe is cursingH7043
כִּ֤יve.khiforH3588
יְהוָה֙Yah.wehYahwehH3068
אָ֤מַר'A.marhe has saidH559
לוֹ֙loto <the> him
קַלֵּ֣לka.LelcurseH7043
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
דָּוִ֔דda.VidDavidH1732
וּמִ֣יu.Miand who?H4310
יֹאמַ֔רyo.Marwill he sayH559
מַדּ֖וּעַma.Du.a'why?H4069
עָשִׂ֥יתָה'a.Si.tahhave you doneH6213
כֵּֽן\׃\ \סKenthusH3651

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 16:10

  • 2 Samuel 19:22

    And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?

  • Romans 9:20

    Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

  • John 18:11

    Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

  • 1 Peter 2:23

    Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

  • Genesis 50:20

    But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

  • 2 Samuel 3:39

    And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.

  • Matthew 16:23

    But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

  • Daniel 4:35

    And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

  • Ecclesiastes 8:4

    Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?

  • 1 Kings 2:5

    Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.

  • Job 9:12

    Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?

  • Lamentations 3:38-39

    Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good? Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
What have.
3:39; 19:22; 1Ki 2:5; Mt 16:23; Lu 9:54-56; 1Pe 2:23
so let him.
Ge 50:20; 1Ki 22:21-23; 2Ki 18:25; La 3:38,39; Joh 18:11
Who shall.
Job 9:12; Ec 8:4; Da 4:35; Ro 9:20

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Samuel 16:9

    Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.

  • 2 Samuel 16:10

    And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?

  • 2 Samuel 16:11

    And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him.

Read all of 2 Samuel 16

2 Samuel 16:10 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y el rey respondió: ¿Qué tengo yo con vosotros, hijos de Sarvia? El maldice así, porque Jehová le ha dicho que maldiga á David: ¿quién pues le dirá: Por qué lo haces así?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et le roi dit: Qu’y a-t-il entre moi et vous, fils de Tseruïa? Oui, qu’il maudisse; car l’ Éternel lui a dit: Maudis David! Et qui dira: Pourquoi fais-tu ainsi?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Aber der König sprach: Was haben wir miteinander zu schaffen, ihr Söhne der Zeruja? Ja, mag er fluchen! denn wenn Jehova ihm gesagt hat: Fluche David! wer darf dann sagen: Warum tust du also?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et ait rex: Quid mihi et vobis est, filii Sarviæ? dimittite eum, ut maledicat: Dominus enim præcepit ei ut malediceret David: et quis est qui audeat dicere quare sic fecerit?