撒母耳记下 3:39

Chinese NCV (Simplified)

今天我雖然受膏為王，但我還是幼弱的。洗魯雅的兩個兒子太強了，非我所能應付。願耶和華照著惡人所行的惡，報應惡人。”

Parallel Translations

Chinese Union (Simplified)
我 虽 然 受 膏 为 王 ， 今 日 还 是 软 弱 ； 这 洗 鲁 雅 的 两 个 儿 子 比 我 刚 强 。 愿 耶 和 华 照 着 恶 人 所 行 的 恶 报 应 他 。

Contextual Overview

²² Just then Joab and David's men came from a battle, bringing many valuable things they had taken from the enemy. David had let Abner leave in peace, so he was not with David at Hebron. ²³ When Joab and all his army arrived at Hebron, the army said to Joab, "Abner son of Ner came to King David, and David let him leave in peace." ²⁴ Joab came to the king and said, "What have you done? Abner came to you. Why did you let him go? Now he's gone. ²⁵ You know Abner son of Ner! He came to trick you! He came to learn about everything you are doing!" ²⁶ After Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know this. ²⁷ When Abner arrived at Hebron, Joab took him aside into the gateway. He acted as though he wanted to talk with Abner in private, but Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and Abner died. Abner had killed Joab's brother Asahel, so Joab killed Abner to pay him back. ²⁸ Later when David heard the news, he said, "My kingdom and I are innocent forever of the death of Abner son of Ner. The Lord knows this. ²⁹ Joab and his family are responsible for this. May his family always have someone with sores or with a skin disease. May they always have someone who must lean on a crutch. May some of his family be killed in war. May they always have someone without food to eat." ³⁰ (Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.) ³¹ Then David said to Joab and to all the people with Joab, "Tear your clothes and put on rough cloth to show how sad you are. Cry for Abner." King David himself followed the body of Abner.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I am: Exodus 21:12, 2 Chronicles 19:6, 2 Chronicles 19:7, Psalms 75:10, Psalms 101:8, Proverbs 20:8, Proverbs 25:5

weak: Heb. tender, 1 Chronicles 22:5, Isaiah 7:4, *marg. Romans 13:4

the sons: 1 Chronicles 2:15, 1 Chronicles 2:16

too hard: 2 Samuel 19:6, 2 Samuel 19:7, 2 Samuel 19:13

the Lord: 1 Kings 2:5, 1 Kings 2:6, 1 Kings 2:33, 1 Kings 2:34, Psalms 7:16, Psalms 28:4, Psalms 62:12, 2 Timothy 4:14

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 3:11 - because 2 Samuel 3:24 - What hast 2 Samuel 4:11 - require 2 Samuel 16:10 - What have 2 Samuel 19:22 - What have 2 Samuel 20:6 - Abishai Job 21:19 - he rewardeth Proverbs 17:26 - to strike Proverbs 19:10 - much Jeremiah 38:5 - for Daniel 6:16 - the king Matthew 8:2 - a leper

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I [am] this day weak, though anointed king,.... Which seems to be given as a reason, or for an excuse why he did not inflict just punishment upon the murderer, according to the law of God, because he was "weak"; not in body or mind, but with respect to the kingdom, that was like a tender branch, or in its infant state; and great care and caution were to be used that it was not overturned: he was a king by unction, not by birth; a son of the late king was yet up against him, and was possessed of the far greater part of the kingdom; he was indeed anointed by Samuel to be king over all Israel; but as yet he was not put into the possession of the kingdom he was anointed to; he was anointed and made king over Judah, and invested with the office of king there, and settled in it; and yet his power was not very great there, for as follows:

and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, [be] too hard for me; his sister's sons, Joab and Abishai, they were a check upon him; he could not do what he would, their influence was so great, both in the court and in the camp; the one was general of the army, and the other a considerable officer in it, and both variant men, and very respectable among the people, for their achievements in war, and the success they had; so that they were very much out of the reach of David to bring them to justice, without shaking his kingdom; and therefore in point of prudence he thought it best to connive at this fact until he was more established in the kingdom. Whatever may be said for this conduct, it is certain he was too dilatory, and which did not sit easy upon his mind, and therefore gave it in charge to Solomon before his death not to suffer Joab to go to his grave in peace, 1 Kings 2:5. Some take these words, "weak" and "hard", in a different sense, that David was weak or "tender" x, as it may be rendered, tenderhearted, of a merciful disposition, and therefore spared Abner when he was in his hands, though he had done him so much harm, who was the Lord's anointed; but these men, his sister's sons, were of cruel tempers, more unmerciful than he, and therefore slew him; but the first sense seems best:

the Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness; which may be considered either as an imprecation of evil on Joab, or a prediction, that sooner or later righteous judgment would be rendered to him by the Lord; with whom he leaves it to take vengeance on him, satisfying himself with this for the present, that though it was not in his power to do it, the Lord would in his own time and way: but after all that can be said in favour of David, he seems to have been too much in fear of men, and too distrustful of the power and promise of God to establish him in his kingdom, and was too negligent of public justice; which had it been exercised, might have prevented other sins, as the murder of Ishbosheth, to which the authors of it might be encouraged by this lenity.

x רך "tener", Pagninus, Montanus.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 3:39. I am this day weak — Had Abner lived, all the tribes of Israel would have been brought under my government.

Though anointed king — I have little else than the title: first, having only one tribe under my government; and secondly, the sons of Zeruiah, Joab and his brethren, having usurped all the power, and reduced me to the shadow of royalty.

The Lord shall reward the doer of evil — That is, Joab, whom he appears afraid to name.

WE talk much of ancient manners, their simplicity and ingenuousness; and say that the former days were better than these. But who says this who is a judge of the times? In those days of celebrated simplicity, c., there were not so many crimes as at present I grant: but what they wanted in number they made up in degree: deceit, cruelty, rapine, murder, and wrong of almost every kind, then flourished. We are refined in our vices they were gross and barbarous in theirs: they had neither so many ways nor so many means of sinning; but the sum of their moral turpitude was greater than ours. We have a sort of decency and good breeding, which lay a certain restraint on our passions, they were boorish and beastly, and their bad passions were ever in full play. Civilization prevents barbarity and atrocity; mental cultivation induces decency of manners: those primitive times were generally without these. Who that knows them would wish such ages to return?