2 Samuel 3:8
Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish–bosheth, and said, Am I a dog’s head, which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this woman?
2 Samuel 3:8 in other translations
| BSB | Abner was furious over Ish-bosheth’s accusation. “Am I the head of a dog that belongs to Judah?” he asked. “All this time I have been loyal to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends. I have not delivered you into the hand of David, but now you accuse me of wrongdoing with this woman! |
|---|---|
| WEB | Then Abner was very angry about Ishbosheth’s words, and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to your father Saul’s house, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman! |
| ASV | Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dog’s head that belongeth to Judah? This day do I show kindness unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David; and yet thou chargest me this day with a fault concerning this woman. |
| YLT | And it is displeasing to Abner exceedingly, because of the words of Ish-Bosheth, and he saith, ‘The head of a dog am I--that in reference to Judah to-day I do kindness with the house of Saul thy father, unto his brethren, and unto his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David--that thou chargest against me iniquity concerning the woman to-day? |
| DARBY | Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head, I who against Judah do shew kindness this day to the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou reproachest me this day with the fault of this woman? |
| BBE | And Abner was very angry at the words of Ish-bosheth, and he said, Am I a dog's head of Judah? I am this day doing all in my power for the cause of your father Saul and for his brothers and his friends, and have not given you up into the hands of David, and now you say I have done wrong with a woman. |
| Webster | Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head, who against Judah do show kindness this day to the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to-day with a fault concerning this woman? |
What does 2 Samuel 3:8 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 3:6-11
6-11. Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul--In the East, the wives and concubines of a king are the property of his successor to this extent, that for a private person to aspire to marry one of them would be considered a virtual advance of pretensions to the crown (see 1Ki 2:17). It is not clear whether the accusation against Abner was well or ill founded. But he resented the charge as an indignity, and…
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 3:7-21
Many, like Abner, are not above committing base crimes, who are too proud to bear reproof, or even the suspicion of being guilty. While men go on in sin, and apparently without concern, they are often conscious that they are fighting against God. Many mean to serve their own purposes; and will betray those who trust them, when they can get any advantage. Yet the Lord serves his own designs, even by those who are…
2 Samuel 3:8 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.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for 2 Samuel 3:8
- 2 Samuel 9:8
And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?
- 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.
- 1 Samuel 15:28
And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.
- Deuteronomy 23:18
Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the Lord thy God.
- 2 Samuel 5:2
Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.
- Isaiah 37:23
Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.
- 1 Samuel 24:14-15
After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. The Lord therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.
- Mark 6:18-19
For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:
- Acts 9:4-5
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
- 2 Kings 8:13
And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria.
- Psalms 76:10
Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.
- 2 Samuel 3:9
So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the Lord hath sworn to David, even so I do to him;
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ps 76:10; Mr 6:18,19
Am I a dog's head.This was a proverbial expression among the Hebrews to denote whatever was deemed worthless and contemptible. Something similar to this was the answer of the Turkish commander at Beer, on the Euphrates, to a request made to see the castle. "Do they," said he, "take me for a child, or an ass's head, that they would feed me with sweet meats, and dupe me with a bit of cloth? No, they shall not see the castle."
9:8; 16:9; De 23:18; 1Sa 24:14,15; 2Ki 8:13
do shew.
9,18; 5:2; 1Sa 15:28; Ps 2:1-4; Isa 37:23; Ac 9:4,5
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- 2 Samuel 3:7
And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish–bosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father’s concubine?
- 2 Samuel 3:8
Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish–bosheth, and said, Am I a dog’s head, which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this woman?
- 2 Samuel 3:9
So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the Lord hath sworn to David, even so I do to him;
2 Samuel 3:8 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Y enojóse Abner en gran manera por las palabras de Is-boseth, y dijo: ¿Soy yo cabeza de perros respecto de Judá? Yo he hecho hoy misericordia con la casa de Saúl tu padre, con sus hermanos, y con sus amigos, y no te he entregado en las manos de David: ¿y tú me haces hoy cargo del pecado de esta mujer? |
|---|---|
| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Et Abner fut fort irrité à cause des paroles d’Ish-Bosheth, et il dit: Suis-je une tête de chien, moi qui aujourd’hui, contre Juda, ai usé de bonté envers la maison de Saül, ton père, envers ses frères et envers ses amis, et qui ne t’ai pas livré aux mains de David, que tu m’imputes aujourd’hui de l’iniquité à cause de cette femme? |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Da ergrimmte Abner sehr über die Worte Isboseths und sprach: Bin ich ein Hundskopf, der es mit Juda hält? Heute erweise ich Güte an dem Hause deines Vaters Saul, an seinen Brüdern und an seinen Freunden, und ich habe dich nicht in die Hand Davids überliefert; und du wirfst mir heute das Vergehen mit diesem Weibe vor? |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Quare ingressus es ad concubinam patris mei? Qui iratus nimis propter verba Isboseth, ait: Numquid caput canis ego sum adversum Judam hodie, qui fecerim misericordiam super domum Saul patris tui, et super fratres et proximos ejus, et non tradidi te in manus David, et tu requisisti in me quod argueres pro muliere hodie? |