Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, June 4th, 2025
the Seventh Week after Easter
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

Bible in Basic English

2 Samuel 4:11

How much more, when evil men have put an upright person to death, in his house, sleeping on his bed, will I take payment from you for his blood, and have you cut off from the earth?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Assassination;   Government;   Homicide;   Ish-Bosheth;   Rechab;   Zeal, Religious;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Kings;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Baanah and Rechab;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - David;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Kill, Killing;   Murder;   Requirement;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Bloodguilt;   Court Systems;   Crimes and Punishments;   Rechab;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Baanah;   Rechab, Rechabites;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Baanah ;   Ishbosheth ;   Rechab ;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Crime;   Rechab;   Samuel, Books of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
How much more when wicked men kill a righteous man in his own house on his own bed! So now, should I not require his blood from you and purge you from the earth?”
Hebrew Names Version
How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the eretz?
King James Version
How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?
Lexham English Bible
How much more when wicked men kill a righteous man in his house, on his bed! So then, shall I not seek his lifeblood from your hand, so that I may destroy you from the earth?"
English Standard Version
How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth?"
New Century Version
So even more I must put you evil men to death because you have killed an innocent man on his own bed in his own house!"
New English Translation
Surely when wicked men have killed an innocent man as he slept in his own house, should I not now require his blood from your hands and remove you from the earth?"
Amplified Bible
"How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous and just man in his own house on his bed, shall I not require his blood from your hand and remove you from the earth?"
New American Standard Bible
"How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood from your hands and eliminate you both from the earth?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
How much more, when wicked men haue slaine a righteous person in his owne house, and vpon his bed? shal I not now therfore require his blood at your hand, and take you from the earth?
Legacy Standard Bible
How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood from your hand and purge you from the earth?"
Contemporary English Version
You evil men have done something much worse than he did. You've killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed. I'll make you pay for that. I'll wipe you from the face of the earth!
Complete Jewish Bible
How much more, when criminals have killed an innocent man in his own house on his own bed, shouldn't I hold you responsible for his death and rid the earth of you?"
Darby Translation
how much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? and should I not now demand his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?
Easy-to-Read Version
I will kill you too and remove this evil from our land because you evil men killed a good man sleeping on his own bed, in his own house."
George Lamsa Translation
How much more, when wicked men have slain a man in his own house upon his bed? Now I will avenge his blood at your hands and destroy you from the earth.
Good News Translation
How much worse it will be for evil men who murder an innocent man asleep in his own house! I will now take revenge on you for murdering him and will wipe you off the face of the earth!"
Literal Translation
And when wicked men have slain a righteous man in his own house on his bed, should I not even now seek his blood from your hand, and glean you from the earth?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And these vngodly personnes haue slayne a righteous man in his owne house vpon his bed. Yee shulde not I requyre his bloude of youre handes, and take you awaye from ye earth?
American Standard Version
How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed, shall I not now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Howe much more when wicked men haue slayne a righteous person in his owne house and vpon his bed? Shal I not nowe therfore require his blood of your hande, & take you from the earth?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed, shall I not now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?'
King James Version (1611)
How much more, when wicked men haue slaine a righteous person, in his owne house, vpon his bed? Shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And now evil men have slain a righteous men in his house on his bed: now then I will require his blood of your hand, and I will destroy you from off the earth.
English Revised Version
How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed, shall I not now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?
Berean Standard Bible
How much more, when wicked men kill a righteous man in his own house and on his own bed, shall I not now require his blood from your hands and wipe you off the earth!"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
hou myche more now, whanne wickid men han slayn a giltles man in his hows on his bed, schal I not seke his blood of youre hond, and schal Y do awey you fro erthe?
Young's Literal Translation
Also -- when wicked men have slain the righteous man in his own house, on his bed; and now, do not I require his blood of your hand, and have taken you away from the earth?'
Update Bible Version
How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?
Webster's Bible Translation
How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?
World English Bible
How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?
New King James Version
How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous person in his own house on his bed? Therefore, shall I not now require his blood at your hand and remove you from the earth?"
New Living Translation
How much more should I reward evil men who have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed? Shouldn't I hold you responsible for his blood and rid the earth of you?"
New Life Bible
How much worse it is when sinful men have killed a man who is right and good, on his bed in his own house! Should I not now punish you for his blood and destroy you from the earth?"
New Revised Standard
How much more then, when wicked men have killed a righteous man on his bed in his own house! And now shall I not require his blood at your hand, and destroy you from the earth?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
how much more, when, lawless men, have slain a righteous person, in his own house, upon his bed? …Now, therefore, must I not require his blood at your hands, and so consume you, out of the earth?
Douay-Rheims Bible
How much more now when wicked men have slain an innocent man in his own house, upon his bed, shall I not require his blood at your hand, and take you away from the earth?
Revised Standard Version
How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous man in his own house upon his bed, shall I not now require his blood at your hand, and destroy you from the earth?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood from your hand and destroy you from the earth?"

Contextual Overview

9 And David made answer to Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, By the living Lord, who has kept me safe from all my trouble, 10 When one came to me with the news of Saul's death, in the belief that it would be good news, I took him and put him to death in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news: 11 How much more, when evil men have put an upright person to death, in his house, sleeping on his bed, will I take payment from you for his blood, and have you cut off from the earth? 12 And David gave orders to his young men and they put them to death, cutting off their hands and their feet and hanging them up by the side of the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and put it in its last resting-place with Abner's body in Hebron.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

when wicked: 1 Kings 2:32, Proverbs 25:26, Habakkuk 1:4, Habakkuk 1:12, 1 John 3:12

require: 2 Samuel 3:27, 2 Samuel 3:39, Genesis 9:5, Genesis 9:6, Exodus 21:12, Numbers 35:31-34, Psalms 9:12

from: Genesis 4:11, Genesis 6:13, Genesis 7:23, Exodus 9:15, Psalms 109:15, Proverbs 2:22, Jeremiah 10:11

Reciprocal: Genesis 20:4 - wilt Joshua 2:19 - his blood Job 31:29 - General Lamentations 1:6 - all Ezekiel 3:18 - but Ezekiel 33:6 - his blood Habakkuk 1:13 - the wicked 1 Timothy 6:10 - the love Hebrews 9:14 - How

Cross-References

Genesis 3:14
And the Lord God said to the snake, Because you have done this you are cursed more than all cattle and every beast of the field; you will go flat on the earth, and dust will be your food all the days of your life:
Genesis 4:14
You have sent me out this day from the face of the earth and from before your face; I will be a wanderer in flight over the earth, and whoever sees me will put me to death.
Genesis 4:15
And the Lord said, Truly, if Cain is put to death, seven lives will be taken for his. And the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one might put him to death.
Genesis 4:16
And Cain went away from before the face of the Lord, and made his living-place in the land of Nod on the east of Eden.
Genesis 4:19
And Lamech had two wives; the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
Genesis 4:20
And Adah gave birth to Jabal: he was the father of such as are living in tents and keep cattle.
Genesis 4:21
And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all players on instruments of music.
Genesis 4:26
And Seth had a son, and he gave him the name of Enosh: at this time men first made use of the name of the Lord in worship.
Job 16:18
O earth, let not my blood be covered, and let my cry have no resting-place!
Isaiah 26:21
For the Lord is coming out of his place to send punishment on the people of the earth for their evil-doing: the earth will let the blood drained out on her be seen, and will keep her dead covered no longer.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person,.... As Ishbosheth was in comparison of the wicked men that slew him; though not with respect to David, if he knew of his divine designation to the throne; nor with respect to Mephibosheth his eldest brother's son, whose right to the throne was prior to his, which he must know; though with respect to his conduct towards David, in assuming the throne of Israel, it might not be owing to any bad principles of malice and injustice, but to his ignorance of David's having a right to the throne upon his father's death, and by the advice of his friends he took it: the sin of these men in murdering him is aggravated, in that they slew him

in his own palace, upon his bed? in cold blood, and not in the field of battle, not being engaged in war with him; in his own palace, where he might justly think himself in safety; on his bed asleep, and so at an unawares, when insensible of danger, and not in a posture of defence; and now David argues from the lesser to the greater, that if the man that brought him the tidings of Saul's death had no reward given him for bringing what he thought would be reckoned good tidings, then much less would any be given them who had actually slain their master, and that in such a base and barbarous way; and if the above person, who only was a bringer of tidings, was taken and slain, then how much more did they deserve to die, who had been guilty of such a cruel and barbarous murder?

shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hands, and take you away from the earth? avenge his blood on them, by putting them to death, out of the world, and from the land of the living, as men that deserved to live no longer on it.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 4:11. How much more — Here are several things which aggravated the guilt of those wicked men.

1. Ish-bosheth was an innocent man, and therefore none could have any ground of quarrel against him.

2. He was in his own house, which was his sanctuary, and none but the worst of men would disturb him there.

3. He was upon his bed, resting in the heat of the day, and so free from suspicion that he was not even attended by his guards, nor had he his doors secured. To take away the life of such a man, in such circumstances, whom also they professed to hold as their sovereign, was the most abandoned treachery.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile