2 Samuel 16:9
in 2 Samuel 16Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
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.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 16
Commentary
7 notes on this verseWe can show, too, that holy David was like Paul in this same class of virtue. When … Shimei cursed him and charged him with heavy offenses, at the first he was silent and humbled himself, and was silent even about his good deeds, that is, his knowledge of good works. Then he even asked to be cursed; for when he was cursed he hoped to gain divine pity.But see how he stored up humility and justice and prudence so as to merit grace from the Lord!
This site's exposition
cut off his head
on 2 Samuel 16:9-10
Abishai son of Zeruiah calls Shimei a “dead dog” and asks leave to “cut off his head”. David rebukes him, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah”. He says Shimei curses “because the LORD told him”, and he lets the cursing stand.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
What need is there to be troubled when we hear abuse? Why do we not imitate him who says, "I was dumb and humbled myself, and kept silence even from good words." Or did David only say this, and not act up to it? No, he also acted up to it. For when Shimei the son of Gera reviled him, David was silent; and although he was surrounded with armed men he did not return the abuse, nor seek revenge: no, even when the son of Zeruiah spoke to him, because he wished to take vengeance on him, David did not permit it. He went on as though dumb and humbled; he went on in silence; nor was he disturbed, although called a bloody man, though he was conscious of his own gentleness. He therefore was not disturbed by insults, for he had full knowledge of his own good works.He, then, who is quickly roused by wrong makes himself seem deserving of insult, even while he wishes to be shown not to deserve it. He who despises wrongs is better off than he who grieves over them. For he who despises them looks down on them, as though he doesn't feel them; but he who grieves over them is tormented, just as though he actually felt them.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Shimei unjustly upbraided him with the blood of Saul: from that his conscience acquitted him, but, at the same time, it charged him with the blood of Uriah. "The reproach is too true" (thinks David), "though false as he means it." Note, A humble tender spirit will turn reproaches into reproofs, and so get good by them, instead of being provoked by them.
Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
This dead dog - See the marginal reference and 2Sa 9:8 note. Go over - The ravine, possibly with a stream of water 2Sa 17:20, which lay between them and Shimei.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
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.
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֲבִישַׁ֤י | ʾavishai | Abishai | H52 → | 25 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| צְרוּיָה֙ | tzeruyah | Zeruiah | H6870 → | 26 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| לָ֣מָּה | lamah | <to> why? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| יְקַלֵּ֞ל | yekalel | will he curse | H7043 → | 82 times |
| הַכֶּ֤לֶב | hakelev | the dog | H3611 → | 32 times |
| הַמֵּת֙ | hamet | <the> dead | H4191 → | 839 times |
| הַזֶּ֔ה | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲדֹנִ֖י | ʾadoni | lord my | H113 → | 333 times |
| הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| אֶעְבְּרָה־ | ʾe'berah- | let me pass over | H5674 → | 556 times |
| נָּ֖א | na' | please | H4994 → | 404 times |
| וְאָסִ֥ירָה | veasirah | and let me remove | H5493 → | 299 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| רֹאשֽׁוֹ׃ ס | rosho | head his | H7218 → | 599 times |
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אֲבִישַׁ֤יAbishai
ʾavishaiH52 →25 times
בֶּן־[the] son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
צְרוּיָה֙Zeruiah
tzeruyahH6870 →26 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
לָ֣מָּה<to> why?
lamahH4100 →752 times
יְקַלֵּ֞לwill he curse
yekalelH7043 →82 times
הַכֶּ֤לֶבthe dog
hakelevH3611 →32 times
הַמֵּת֙<the> dead
hametH4191 →839 times
הַזֶּ֔ה<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אֲדֹנִ֖יlord my
ʾadoniH113 →333 times
הַמֶּ֑לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
אֶעְבְּרָה־let me pass over
ʾe'berah-H5674 →556 times
נָּ֖אplease
na'H4994 →404 times
וְאָסִ֥ירָהand let me remove
veasirahH5493 →299 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
רֹאשֽׁוֹ׃ סhead his
roshoH7218 →599 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Samuel 24:14Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 26:20
So do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the LORD. For the king of Israel has come out to look for a flea, like one who hunts…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Samuel 26:20
Through
2 Samuel 3:8Abner 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…
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 9:8
Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog like me?”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Samuel 9:8
Through
Exodus 22:28You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.
it leads to
- Ecclesiastes 10:20
Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich even in your bedroom, for a bird of the air may carry your words, and a winged creature may report your…
- Acts 23:5
“Brothers,” Paul replied, “I was not aware that he was the high priest, for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’”
- Jude 1:8
Yet in the same way these dreamers defile their bodies, reject authority, and slander glorious beings.
- Exodus 22:8–9
If the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges to determine whether he has taken his neighbor’s property.
- Exodus 21:17
Anyone who curses his father or mother must surely be put to death.
- Ecclesiastes 10:20
Through
2 Samuel 9:8Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog like me?”
it leads to
- Matthew 15:26–27
But Jesus replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
- Matthew 15:26–27
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Samuel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, On the Duties of the Clergy 1.48.236-38; Ambrose of Milan, On the Duties of the Clergy 1.6.21-22; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.