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!”
Parallel translations
- WEB 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.”
- 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.
- BSB 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!”
- NASB 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.”
- NLT “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?” Abishai son of Zeruiah demanded. “Let me go over and cut off his head!”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Abishai offers to behead the cursing Shimei, calling him a dead dog. David's fierce warrior wants to silence the insult by force.
Overview
Abishai, son of Zeruiah, is incensed and asks leave to kill Shimei for cursing the king. His zeal for David's honor reflects loyalty but also a vengeful spirit. David's restraining reply will contrast worldly retaliation with humble trust in God's vindication.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Exod 22:28“You shall not blaspheme God, nor curse a ruler of your people.
- 2 Sam 9:8He bowed down, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look at such a dead dog as I am?”
- 1 Sam 24:14Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea?
- 2 Sam 3:8Then 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 Saul’s house your father, 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!
- Acts 23:5Paul said, “I didn’t know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”
- 1 Pet 2:17Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
- Luke 9:54When his disciples, James and John, saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from the sky, and destroy them, just as Elijah did?”
- Jer 40:13–16Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,
- 2 Sam 3:30So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
- Job 31:30–31(yes, I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse);
- 1 Sam 26:6–11Then David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp?” Abishai said, “I will go down with you.”
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Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 16:9 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.