2 Samuel

2 Samuel 16:9–11

9Then 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!”

10But the king replied, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he curses me because the LORD told him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why did you do this?’”

11Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son, my own flesh and blood, seeks my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone and let him curse me, for the LORD has told him so.

Read all of 2 Samuel 16

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

2 Samuel 16:9

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then Abishaiאֲבִישַׁ֤י’ă·ḇî·šayNoun - proper - masculine singularH52 Abishai
sonבֶּן־ben-Noun - masculine singular constructH1121 son
of Zeruiahצְרוּיָה֙ṣə·rū·yāhNoun - proper - masculine singularH6870 Tserujah
saidוַיֹּ֨אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
the kingהַמֶּ֔לֶךְham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
Whyלָ֣מָּהlām·māhInterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
should thisהַזֶּ֔הhaz·zehArticle; Pronoun - masculine singularH2088 this, that
deadהַמֵּת֙ham·mêṯArticle; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH4191 die
dogהַכֶּ֤לֶבhak·ke·leḇArticle; Noun - masculine singularH3611 dog
curseיְקַלֵּ֞לyə·qal·lêlVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH7043 be slight, swift, trifling
my lordאֲדֹנִ֖י’ă·ḏō·nîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH113 lord
the kingהַמֶּ֑לֶךְham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
Let me go overאֶעְבְּרָה־’e‘·bə·rāh-Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularH5674 pass over, through, by, pass on
and cut off his headרֹאשֽׁוֹ׃סrō·šōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH7218 head

2 Samuel 16:10

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
But the kingהַמֶּ֔לֶךְham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
repliedוַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Whatמַה־mah-InterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
have Iלִּ֥יlîPreposition; first person common singular
to do with youוְלָכֶ֖םwə·lā·ḵemConjunctive waw; Preposition; second person masculine plural
O sonsבְּנֵ֣יbə·nêNoun - masculine plural constructH1121 son
of Zeruiahצְרֻיָ֑הṣə·ru·yāhNoun - proper - masculine singularH6870 Tserujah
IfכִּיkīAdverbH3588 burning, branding
he curses meיְקַלֵּ֗לyə·qal·lêlVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH7043 be slight, swift, trifling
becauseוְכִיwə·ḵīConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
the LORDיְהוָה֙Yah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
toldאָ֤מַר’ā·marVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
himלוֹ֙lōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
Curseקַלֵּ֣לqal·lêlVerb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singularH7043 be slight, swift, trifling
Davidדָּוִ֔דdā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
whoוּמִ֣יū·mîConjunctive waw; InterrogativeH4310 who?
can askיֹאמַ֔רyō·marVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Whyמַדּ֖וּעַmad·dū·a‘InterrogativeH4069 wherefore?
did you doעָשִׂ֥יתָה‘ā·śî·ṯāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularH6213 do, make
thisכֵּֽן׃סkênAdverbH3651 right, veritable, honest

2 Samuel 16:11

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then Davidדָּוִ֤דdā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
saidוַיֹּ֨אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Abishaiאֲבִישַׁי֙’ă·ḇî·šayNoun - proper - masculine singularH52 Abishai
and to allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
his servantsעֲבָדָ֔יו‘ă·ḇā·ḏāwNoun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singularH5650 slave, servant
Beholdהִנֵּ֥הhin·nêhInterjectionH2009 lo! behold!
my own sonבְנִ֛יḇə·nîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH1121 son
my own flesh and bloodמִמֵּעַ֖יmim·mê·‘ayPreposition-m; Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singularH4578 internal organs, inward parts (intestines, bowels), belly
seeksמְבַקֵּ֣שׁmə·ḇaq·qêšVerb - Piel - Participle - masculine singularH1245 seek
my lifeנַפְשִׁ֑יnap̄·šîNoun - feminine singular construct; first person common singularH5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
How much moreכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
thenעַתָּ֜ה‘at·tāhAdverbH6258 now
Benjamiteהַיְמִינִ֗יhay·mî·nîArticle; Noun - proper - masculine singularH1145 Benjaminite
Leave him aloneהַנִּ֤חוּhan·ni·ḥūVerb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine pluralH5117 rest
and let him curse meוִֽיקַלֵּ֔לwî·qal·lêlConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singularH7043 be slight, swift, trifling
for the LORDיְהוָֽה׃Yah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
has toldאָֽמַר־’ā·mar-Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
himל֖וֹlōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
soכִּ֥יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

2 Samuel 16:9 Exodus 22:28 · 2 Samuel 9:8 · 2 Samuel 3:8 · 1 Samuel 24:14 · 1 Peter 2:17 · Job 31:30–31 · Luke 9:54 · Jeremiah 40:13–16 · 1 Samuel 26:6–11 · 2 Samuel 3:30 · Acts 23:5

2 Samuel 16:10 2 Samuel 19:22 · Romans 9:20 · John 18:11 · 1 Peter 2:23 · Genesis 50:20 · Matthew 16:23 · 2 Samuel 3:39 · Daniel 4:35

2 Samuel 16:11 2 Kings 19:37 · 2 Samuel 12:11–12 · Ezekiel 14:9 · Ezekiel 20:25 · Genesis 45:5 · Matthew 10:21 · Isaiah 10:5–7 · 2 Chronicles 32:21 · Genesis 15:4

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.