Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him.
Parallel translations
- WEB Your hands weren’t bound, and your feet weren’t put into fetters. As a man falls before the children of iniquity, so you fell.” All the people wept again over him.
- BSB Your hands were not bound, your feet were not fettered. As a man falls before the wicked, so also you fell.” And all the people wept over him even more.
- NKJV Your hands were not bound Nor your feet put into fetters; As a man falls before wicked men, so you fell.” Then all the people wept over him again.
- NASB “Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put in bronze shackles; As one falls before the wicked, you have fallen.” And all the people wept over him again.
- NLT Your hands were not bound; your feet were not chained. No, you were murdered— the victim of a wicked plot.” All the people wept again for Abner.
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
David laments that Abner fell not as a bound criminal but as a victim of wicked men. The people weep again at his words.
Overview
Continuing the lament, David notes that Abner was not chained or fettered like a condemned man, yet he fell as one slain by the unjust. The point is that Abner died defenselessly, ambushed by treachery rather than justly executed. The renewed weeping of the people shows how David's honest grief turned public sentiment and confirmed his blamelessness.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Judg 16:21But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.
- 2 Sam 1:12And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.
- Job 24:14The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.
- Hos 6:9And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness.
- Ps 107:10–11Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 3:34 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
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