2 Samuel 16:9

THE MESSAGE

Abishai son of Zeruiah said, "This mangy dog can't insult my master the king this way—let me go over and cut off his head!"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and remove his head!”

Hebrew Names Version
Then said Avishai the son of Tzeru'yah to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head."

King James Version
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.

Lexham English Bible
Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head."

English Standard Version
Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head."

New Century Version
Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse you, the king? Let me go over and cut off his head!"

New English Translation
Then 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!"

Amplified Bible
Then Abishai [David's nephew], the son of Zeruiah, said to the king, "Why should this dead dog (despicable person) curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head."

New American Standard Bible
Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Now let me go over and cut off his head."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then saide Abishai the sonne of Zeruiah vnto the King, Why doeth this dead dog curse my lord the King? let me goe, I pray thee, and take away his head.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me pass over now and remove his head."

Contemporary English Version
Abishai said, "Your Majesty, this man is as useless as a dead dog! He shouldn't be allowed to curse you. Let me go over and chop off his head."

Complete Jewish Bible
Avishai the son of Tz'ruyah said to the king, "Why allow this dead dog to curse my lord the king? Just let me go over and remove his head!"

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

Easy-to-Read Version
Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dying dog curse you, my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off Shimei's head."

George Lamsa Translation
Then Abishai the son of Zoriah said to David, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.

Good News Translation
Abishai, whose mother was Zeruiah, said to the king, "Your Majesty, why do you let this dog curse you? Let me go over there and cut off his head!"

Literal Translation
And Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, Why does this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me pass over, and I will take off his head.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But Abisai the sonne of Zeru Ia sayde vnto the kynge: Shall this deed dogg curse my lorde the kynge? I wyl go and take the heade awaye from him.

American Standard Version
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.

Bible in Basic English
Then Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said to the king, Is this dead dog to go on cursing my lord the king? let me go over and take off his head.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then sayde Abisai the sonne of Zaruia vnto the king: Why doth this dead dogge curse my lord the king? let me go nowe, and take of the head of him.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.'

King James Version (1611)
Then said Abishai the sonne of Zeruiah vnto the king, Why should this dead dogge curse my lord the king? let mee goe ouer, I pray thee, and take off his head.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Abessa the son of Saruia said to the king, Why does this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over now and take off his head.

English Revised Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
Then 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!"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe Abisay, the sone of Saruye, seide to the kyng, Whi cursith this dogge, that schal die, my lord the kyng? Y schal go, and Y schal girde of his heed.

Young's Literal Translation
And Abishai son of Zeruiah saith unto the king, `Why doth this dead dog revile my lord the king? let me pass over, I pray thee, and I turn aside his head.'

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

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

World English Bible
Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head."

New King James Version
Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!"

New Living Translation
"Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?" Abishai son of Zeruiah demanded. "Let me go over and cut off his head!"

New Life Bible
Zeruiah's son Abishai said to the king, "Why should this dead dog speak against my lord the king? Let me go now and cut off his head."

New Revised Standard
Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said Abishai, son of Zeruiah, unto the king - Wherefore should this dead dog curse my lord the king? I pray thee, let me cross over and take off his head.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Abisai the son of Sarvia said to the king: Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? I will go, and cut off his head.

Revised Standard Version
Then Abi'shai the son of Zeru'iah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over now and cut off his head."

Contextual Overview

⁵When the king got to Bahurim, a man appeared who had connections with Saul's family. His name was Shimei son of Gera. As he followed along he shouted insults and threw rocks right and left at David and his company, servants and soldiers alike. To the accompaniment of curses he shouted, "Get lost, get lost, you butcher, you hellhound! God has paid you back for all your dirty work in the family of Saul and for stealing his kingdom. God has given the kingdom to your son Absalom. Look at you now—ruined! And good riddance, you pathetic old man!" ⁹ Abishai son of Zeruiah said, "This mangy dog can't insult my master the king this way—let me go over and cut off his head!" ¹⁰ But the king said, "Why are you sons of Zeruiah always interfering and getting in the way? If he's cursing, it's because God told him, ‘Curse David.' So who dares raise questions?" ¹¹"Besides," continued David to Abishai and the rest of his servants, "my own son, my flesh and bone, is right now trying to kill me; compared to that this Benjaminite is small potatoes. Don't bother with him; let him curse; he's preaching God 's word to me. And who knows, maybe God will see the trouble I'm in today and exchange the curses for something good." ¹³ David and his men went on down the road, while Shimei followed along on the ridge of the hill alongside, cursing, throwing stones down on them, and kicking up dirt. ¹⁴ By the time they reached the Jordan River, David and all the men of the company were exhausted. There they rested and were revived.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Abishai: 2 Samuel 3:30, 1 Samuel 26:6-8

dead dog: 2 Samuel 3:8, 2 Samuel 9:8, 1 Samuel 24:14

curse: Exodus 22:28, Acts 23:5, 1 Peter 2:17

let me go: 1 Samuel 26:6-11, Job 31:30, Job 31:31, Jeremiah 40:13-16

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 17:43 - Am 1 Chronicles 2:16 - the sons of 1 Chronicles 18:12 - Moreover

Cross-References

Genesis 16:5
Sarai told Abram, "It's all your fault that I'm suffering this abuse. I put my maid in bed with you and the minute she knows she's pregnant, she treats me like I'm nothing. May God decide which of us is right."

Genesis 16:6
"You decide," said Abram. "Your maid is your business." Sarai was abusive to Hagar and Hagar ran away.

Ecclesiastes 10:4
If a ruler loses his temper against you, don't panic; A calm disposition quiets intemperate rage.

Ephesians 5:21
Out of respect for Christ, be courteously reverent to one another.

Titus 2:9
Guide slaves into being loyal workers, a bonus to their masters—no back talk, no petty thievery. Then their good character will shine through their actions, adding luster to the teaching of our Savior God.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king,.... A sister's son of his, and a general in the army, who could not bear to hear the king abused in this manner:

why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? be suffered to do it with impunity; a "dog" he calls him, because of his vileness and baseness, and because of his impudence, and on account of his reproachful and abusive language, aptly signified by the snarling and barking of a dog; and a "dead" dog, as being useless, detestable, and abominable:

let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head; go over the plain where David and his men were, to the hill on which Shimei was, and strike off his head with his sword; which he could easily do, and soon put an end to his cursing.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This dead dog - See the marginal reference and 2 Samuel 9:8 note.

Go over - The ravine, possibly with a stream of water 2 Samuel 17:20, which lay between them and Shimei.