2 Samuel 16:9

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."

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.

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!"

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

⁵ When King David came to Bahu'rim, there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shim'e-i, the son of Gera; and as he came he cursed continually. ⁶ And he threw stones at David, and at all the servants of King David; and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. ⁷ And Shim'e-i said as he cursed, "Begone, begone, you man of blood, you worthless fellow! ⁸ The LORD has avenged upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Ab'salom. See, your ruin is on you; for you are a man of blood." ⁹ 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." ¹⁰ But the king said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeru'iah? If he is cursing because the LORD has said to him, 'Curse David,' who then shall say, 'Why have you done so?'" ¹¹ And David said to Abi'shai and to all his servants, "Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD has bidden him. ¹² It may be that the LORD will look upon my affliction, and that the LORD will repay me with good for this cursing of me today." ¹³ So David and his men went on the road, while Shim'e-i went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him and flung dust. ¹⁴ And the king, and all the people who were with him, arrived weary at the Jordan; and there he refreshed himself.

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
And Sar'ai said to Abram, "May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my maid to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me!"

Genesis 16:6
But Abram said to Sar'ai, "Behold, your maid is in your power; do to her as you please." Then Sar'ai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her.

Ecclesiastes 10:4
If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for deference will make amends for great offenses.

Ephesians 5:21
Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Titus 2:9
Bid slaves to be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect; they are not to be refractory,

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.