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Monday, November 24th, 2025
the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Easy-to-Read Version

2 Samuel 16:10

But the king answered, "What can I do, sons of Zeruiah? Yes, Shimei is cursing me, but the Lord told him to curse me. And who can ask him why he did that?"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflictions and Adversities;   Clemency;   Forgiveness;   Meekness;   Prayer;   Resignation;   Shimei;   Zeruiah;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Enemies;   Meekness;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Hadadezer or Hadarezer;   Shimel;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Abishai;   Solomon;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Meekness;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Providence;   Shimei;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Bird;   Providence;   Shimei;   Swallow;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Samuel, Books of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Shimei ;   Zeruiah ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Absalom;   Jerusalem;   Shimei;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Shim'ei;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Samuel, Books of;   Shimei;   Zeruiah;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Alexandri;   Shimei;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The king replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything? He curses me this way because the Lord told him, ‘Curse David!’ Therefore, who can say, ‘Why did you do that?’”
Hebrew Names Version
The king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Tzeru'yah? Because he curses, and because the LORD has said to him, Curse David; who then shall say, Why have you done so?
King James Version
And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
Lexham English Bible
The king said, "What do we have in common, sons of Zeruiah? If he curses because Yahweh has said to him ‘Curse David,' who can say, "Why have you done this?"
English Standard Version
But the king said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David,' who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?'"
New Century Version
But the king answered, "This does not concern you, sons of Zeruiah! If he is cursing me because the Lord told him to, who can question him?"
New English Translation
But the king said, "What do we have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? If he curses because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David!', who can say to him, ‘Why have you done this?'"
Amplified Bible
But the king said, "What business is this of yours, O sons of Zeruiah? If Shimei is cursing because the LORD said to him, 'Curse David,' then who should say, 'Why have you done so?'"
New American Standard Bible
But the king said, "What business of mine is yours, you sons of Zeruiah? If he curses, and if the LORD has told him, 'Curse David,' then who should say, 'Why have you done so?'"
Geneva Bible (1587)
But the King saide, What haue I to doe with you, ye sonnes of Zeruiah? for he curseth, eue because the Lord hath bidden him curse Dauid: who dare then say, Wherfore hast thou done so?
Legacy Standard Bible
But the king said, "What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he curses, and if Yahweh has told him, ‘Curse David,' then who shall say, ‘Why have you done so?'"
Contemporary English Version
David replied, "What will I ever do with you and your brother Joab? If Shimei is cursing me because the Lord has told him to, then who are you to tell him to stop?"
Complete Jewish Bible
The king said, "Do you sons of Tz'ruyah and I have anything in common? Let him curse. If Adonai tells him, ‘Curse David,' who has the right to ask, ‘Why are you doing it?'"
Darby Translation
And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, for Jehovah has said to him, Curse David! Who shall then say, Why dost thou so?
George Lamsa Translation
And King David said to him, What is it to me and to you, O sons of Zoriah? Let him curse, it is the LORD who has told him to curse David. Therefore who can say to me, Why has this happened?
Good News Translation
"This is none of your business," the king said to Abishai and his brother Joab. "If he curses me because the Lord told him to, who has the right to ask why he does it?"
Literal Translation
And the king said, What have I to do with you, sons of Zeruiah? For let him curse, even because Jehovah has said to him, Curse David. And who shall say, Why have you done so?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The kynge saide: Ye children of Zeru Ia, what haue I to do wt you? Let him curse on, for the LORDE hath commaunded him: Curse Dauid. Who can saye now: Why doest thou so?
American Standard Version
And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Because he curseth, and because Jehovah hath said unto him, Curse David; who then shall say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
Bible in Basic English
And the king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Let him go on cursing, for the Lord has said, Put a curse on David, and who then may say, Why have you done so?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the king sayde: What haue I to do with you ye sonnes of Zaruia? for he curseth euen because the Lord hath bidden him curse Dauid: Who dare then say, Wherfore hast thou done so?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the king said: 'What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him: Curse David; who then shall say: Wherefore hast thou done so?'
King James Version (1611)
And the king said, What haue I to doe with you, ye sonnes of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the Lord hath said vnto him, Curse Dauid. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Saruia? even let him alone, and so let him curse, for the Lord has told him to curse David: and who shall say, Why hast thou done thus?
English Revised Version
And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Because he curseth, and because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David; who then shall say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
Berean Standard Bible
But 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?'"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the kyng seide, Ye sones of Saruye, what is to me and to you? Suffre ye hym, that he curse; for the Lord comaundide to hym, that he schulde curse Dauid; and who is he that dare seie, Whi dide he so?
Young's Literal Translation
And the king saith, `What -- to me and to you, O sons of Zeruiah? for -- let him revile; even because Jehovah hath said to him, Revile David; and who saith, Wherefore hast Thou done so?'
Update Bible Version
And the king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses, and because Yahweh has said to him, Curse David; who then shall say, Why have you done so?
Webster's Bible Translation
And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said to him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Why hast thou done so?
World English Bible
The king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses, and because Yahweh has said to him, Curse David; who then shall say, Why have you done so?
New King James Version
But the king said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the LORD has said to him, "Curse David.' Who then shall say, "Why have you done so?"'
New Living Translation
"No!" the king said. "Who asked your opinion, you sons of Zeruiah! If the Lord has told him to curse me, who are you to stop him?"
New Life Bible
But the king said, "What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he speaks against me, and if the Lord has told him, ‘Speak against David,' then who should say, ‘Why have you done so?'"
New Revised Standard
But the king said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David,' who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?'"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But the king said, What have I in common with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? thus, he curseth, because, Yahweh, hath said unto him - Curse David. Who then can say, Why hast thou done thus?
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the king said: What have I to do with you, ye sons of Sarvia? Let him alone and let him curse: for the Lord hath bid him curse David: and who is he that shall dare say, why hath he done so?
Revised Standard Version
But the king said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeru'iah? If he is cursing because the LORD has said to him, 'Curse David,' who then shall say, 'Why have you done so?'"
THE MESSAGE
But the king said, "Why are you sons of Zeruiah always interfering and getting in the way? If he's cursing, it's because God told him, ‘Curse David.' So who dares raise questions?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But the king said, "What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he curses, and if the LORD has told him, 'Curse David,' then who shall say, 'Why have you done so?'"

Contextual Overview

5 As David came to Bahurim, a man from Saul's family, Shimei son of Gera, came out cursing David again and again. 6 Shimei began throwing stones at David and his officers. Both the people and the soldiers gathered around David to protect him—they were all around him. 7 Shimei cursed David. He said, "Get out, get out, you no-good murderer! 8 The Lord is punishing you because you killed people in Saul's family. You stole Saul's place as king. But now the same bad things are happening to you. The Lord has given the kingdom to your son Absalom, because you are a murderer." 9 Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dying dog curse you, my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off Shimei's head." 10 But the king answered, "What can I do, sons of Zeruiah? Yes, Shimei is cursing me, but the Lord told him to curse me. And who can ask him why he did that?" 11 David also said to Abishai and all his servants, "Look, my very own son is trying to kill me, so why shouldn't this man from the tribe of Benjamin want to do the same? Leave him alone. Let him continue to curse me. The Lord told him to do this. 12 Maybe the Lord will see the wrong things that are happening to me and give me something good for every bad thing that Shimei says today." 13 So David and his men went on their way down the road. Shimei kept following David. He walked on the other side of the road by the side of the hill. He kept cursing David on his way. Shimei also threw stones and dirt at David. 14 King David and all his people came to the Jordan River. They were tired, so they rested and refreshed themselves there.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

What have: 2 Samuel 3:39, 2 Samuel 19:22, 1 Kings 2:5, Matthew 16:23, Luke 9:54-56, 1 Peter 2:23

so let him: Genesis 50:20, 1 Kings 22:21-23, 2 Kings 18:25, Lamentations 3:38, Lamentations 3:39, John 18:11

Who shall: Job 9:12, Ecclesiastes 8:4, Daniel 4:35, Romans 9:20

Reciprocal: Genesis 24:51 - hath Genesis 45:5 - God Exodus 21:13 - God 1 Samuel 3:18 - It is the Lord 1 Samuel 26:6 - to Abishai 2 Samuel 10:12 - the Lord 2 Samuel 19:19 - did perversely 2 Samuel 24:1 - moved 1 Kings 17:18 - What have I 1 Chronicles 19:13 - let the Lord 2 Chronicles 35:21 - What Job 31:31 - the men Psalms 38:13 - General Psalms 39:9 - General Psalms 109:28 - Let them Ecclesiastes 7:21 - unto Song of Solomon 5:6 - my soul Matthew 8:29 - What John 2:4 - what

Cross-References

Genesis 16:1
Sarai was Abram's wife, but she did not have any children. She had an Egyptian slave named Hagar.
Genesis 16:2
Sarai told Abram, "The Lord has not allowed me to have children, so sleep with my slave. Maybe she can have a son, and I will accept him as my own." Abram did what Sarai said.
Genesis 16:3
So after living ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai gave her Egyptian slave to Abram as a second wife.
Genesis 16:5
Then Sarai said to Abram, "My slave girl now hates me, and I blame you for this. I gave her to you, and she became pregnant. Then she began to feel that she is better than I am. I want the Lord to judge which of us is right."
Genesis 16:6
But Abram said to Sarai, "She is your slave. You can do anything you want to her." So Sarai was cruel to Hagar, and Hagar ran away.
Genesis 16:7
The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring of water in the desert. The spring was by the road to Shur.
Genesis 16:8
The angel said, "Hagar, Sarai's slave girl, why are you here? Where are you going?" Hagar said, "I am running away from Sarai."
Genesis 16:9
The angel of the Lord said to her, "Sarai is your owner. Go home to her and obey her."
Genesis 16:11
Then the angel of the Lord said, "Hagar, you are now pregnant, and you will have a son. You will name him Ishmael, because the Lord has heard that you were treated badly.
Genesis 16:12
Ishmael will be wild and free like a wild donkey. He will be against everyone, and everyone will be against him. He will move from place to place and camp near his brothers."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the king said, what have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah?.... It seems as if Joab, the brother of Abishai, joined with him in this request to have leave to take off the head of Shimei; and though David had to do with them as his relations, his sister's sons, and as they were generals in his army; yet in this case he would have nothing to do with them, would not take their advice, nor suffer them to take revenge on this man for his cursing him: or "what [is it] to me, [or] to you" u? what signifies his cursing? it will neither hurt me nor you:

so let him curse; go on cursing after this manner; do not restrain him from it, or attempt to stop his mouth: or, "for he will curse" w; so is the textual reading; you will not be able to restrain him, for the following reason:

because the Lord hath said unto him, curse David; not by way of command, or a precept of his; for to curse the ruler of the people is contrary to the word and law of God, Exodus 22:28, nor by any operation of his spirit moving and exciting him to it; for the operations of the Spirit are to holiness, and not to sin; but by the secret providence of God ordering, directing, and overruling all circumstances relative to this affair. Shimei had conceived enmity and hatred to David; God left him to the power of this corruption in his breast, opened a way in Providence, and gave him an opportunity of exercising it on him: it was not a bare permission of God that Shimei should curse David; but it was his will, and he ordered it so in Providence, that he should do it; which action was attended with the predetermined concourse of divine Providence, so far as it was an action; though, as a sinful action, it was of Shimei, sprung from his own heart, instigated by Satan; but as a correction and chastisement of David, it was by the will, order, and appointment of God, and as such David considered it, and quietly submitted to it:

who shall then say, wherefore hast thou done so? for though Shimei might justly be blamed, and reproved for it, yet the thing itself was not to be hindered or restrained, it being according to the will and providence of God, to answer some good end with respect to David.

u מה לי ולכם "quid mihi et vobis", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus. w כי "quia", Moatanus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

What have I to do ... - See the marginal references compare Matthew 8:29; John 2:4, and a similar complaint about the sons of Zeruiah 2 Samuel 3:39. And for a like striking incident in the life of the Son of David, see Luke 9:52-56.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 16:10. Because the Lord hath said — The particle וכי vechi should be translated for if, not because. FOR IF the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David, who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so!


 
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