Then he bowed himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?”
Parallel translations
- WEB He bowed down, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look at such a dead dog as I am?”
- KJV And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?
- BSB Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog like me?”
- NASB Again he prostrated himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should be concerned about a dead dog like me?”
- NLT Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, “Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?”
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
Mephibosheth, astonished, calls himself a 'dead dog,' marveling that the king would notice someone so lowly. His humility highlights the freeness of the kindness shown.
Overview
A 'dead dog' was an expression of utter worthlessness and contempt. Mephibosheth sees clearly that he has no claim on David's favor, which makes the grace all the more striking. The believer rightly stands in the same posture before God, knowing that acceptance is sheer mercy.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Matt 15:26–27But he answered, “It is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
- 2 Sam 16:9Then 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.”
- 1 Sam 24:14–15Against 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!
- 1 Sam 26:20Now therefore, don’t let my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of Yahweh; for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
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 9:8 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.