King James Version

2 Samuel 16:9

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.

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּ֨אמֶרvayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…אֲבִישַׁ֤יavishayAbishaiאֲבִישַׁיnoun, proper name — “Abishai”H52Abishai, an IsraeliteAbishai.בֶּןbensonבֵּןnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […צְרוּיָה֙tseruyahZeruiahצְרוּיָהnoun, proper name — “Zeruiah”H6870Tserujah, an IsraelitessZeruiah.אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).הַמֶּ֔לֶךְhamelekhthe kingמֶלֶךְdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the king”, the ordinary formH4428a kingking, royal.לָ֣מָּהlamahto howמָהpreposition, particle, interrogative — “to how”H4100properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senseshow (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.יְקַלֵּ֞לyeqalelmake brightקָלַלverb, piel, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “make bright”, an unfinished actionH7043to be (causatively, make) light, literally (swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively (easy, trifling, vile, etc.)abate, make bright, bring into contempt, (ac-) curse, despise, (be) ease(-y, -ier), (be a, make, make somewhat, move, seem a, set) light(-en, -er, -ly, -ly afflict, -ly esteem, thing), [idiom] slight(-ly), be swift(-er), (be, be more, make…הַכֶּ֤לֶבhakelevthe dogכֶּלֶבdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the dog”, the ordinary formH3611a dog; hence (by euphemism) a male prostitutedog.הַמֵּת֙hametthe dieמוּתdefinite article, verb, qal, participle, absolute — “the die”, a verb used as a describing wordH4191to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill[idiom] at all, [idiom] crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), [idiom] must needs, slay, [idiom] surely, [idiom] very suddenly, [idiom] in (no) w…הַזֶּ֔הhazehthe the one...the otherזֶהdefinite article, pronoun, demonstrative, masculine, singular — “the the one...the other”H2088the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or thathe, [idiom] hence, [idiom] here, it(-self), [idiom] now, [idiom] of him, the one...the other, [idiom] than the other, ([idiom] out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, [idiom] thus,…אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).אֲדֹנִ֖יadonilordאָדוֹןnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “lord”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH113sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine)lord, master, owner. Compare also names beginning with 'Adoni-'.הַמֶּ֑לֶךְhamelekhthe kingמֶלֶךְdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the king”, the ordinary formH4428a kingking, royal.אֶעְבְּרָהeberahalienateעָבַרverb, qal, cohortative, 1st person, common, singular — “alienate”, a determination or requestH5674to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation)alienate, alter, [idiom] at all, beyond, bring (over, through), carry over, (over-) come (on, over), conduct (over), convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail, gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way…נָּ֖אnaI beseech theeנָאparticle, interjection — “I beseech thee”H4994'I pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the Imperative or Future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunctionI beseech (pray) thee (you), go to, now, oh.וְאָסִ֥ירָהveasirahand turnסוּרconjunction, verb, hiphil, cohortative, 1st person, common, singular — “and turn”, a determination or requestH5493to turn off (literal or figurative)be(-head), bring, call back, decline, depart, eschew, get (you), go (aside), [idiom] grievous, lay away (by), leave undone, be past, pluck away, put (away, down), rebel, remove (to and fro), revolt, [idiom] be sour, take (away, off), turn…אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).רֹאשֽׁוֹroshvoheadרֹאשׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “head”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7218the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, [idiom] every (man), excellent, first, forefront, (be-)head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), [idiom] lead, [idiom] poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.

Jewish translation (JPS 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.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

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.

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.'

World 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.”

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.

Douay-Rheims

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.

Jewish Publication Society (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.'

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

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.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶπεν Ἀβεσσὰ υἱὸς Σαρουίας πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, ἱνατί καταρᾶται ὁ κύων ὁ τεθνηκὼς οὗτος τὸν κύριόν μου τὸν βασιλέα; διαβήσομαι δὴ καὶ ἀφελῶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ.