Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, July 6th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

2 Samuel 3:34

This verse is not available in the MSG!

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Abner;   Elegy;   Mourning;   Poetry;   Tact;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Burial;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - David;   Funeral;   Joab;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Funeral;   Psalms, Theology of;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Chain;   Lamentation;   Mourn;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - David;   King;   Lamentations;   Samuel, the Books of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Poetry;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Abner;   Mourning Customs;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Fetters;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Abner;   David;   Dwelling;   Samuel first and second books of;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Ab'ner;   Chain;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Justice;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bible, the;   Chain;   Punishments;   Son;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Abner;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Cruelty;   Fetters;   Samuel, Books of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Your hands were not bound,your feet not placed in bronze shackles.You fell like one who falls victim to criminals.
Hebrew Names Version
Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put into fetters: As a man falls before the children of iniquity, so did you fall. All the people wept again over him.
King James Version
Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him.
Lexham English Bible
Your hands were not tied and your feet were not in contact with bronze fetters. You have fallen as one who falls before sons of wickedness." Then all the people wept over him again.
English Standard Version
Your hands were not bound; your feet were not fettered; as one falls before the wicked you have fallen." And all the people wept again over him.
New Century Version
His hands were not tied. His feet were not in chains. He fell at the hands of evil men." Then all the people cried again for Abner.
New English Translation
Your hands were not bound, and your feet were not put into irons. You fell the way one falls before criminals." All the people wept over him again.
Amplified Bible
"Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put in fetters; As a man falls before the wicked, so you have fallen." And all the people wept again over him.
New American Standard Bible
"Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put in bronze shackles; As one falls before the wicked, you have fallen." And all the people wept over him again.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Thine handes were not bounde, nor thy feete tyed in fetters of brasse: but as a man falleth before wicked men, so diddest thou fall. And all the people wept againe for him.
Legacy Standard Bible
Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put in fetters;As one falls before the unrighteous, you have fallen."And all the people continued to weep over him.
Contemporary English Version
No one tied your hands or chained your feet, yet you died as a victim of murderers. Everyone started crying again.
Complete Jewish Bible
Your hands weren't tied, your feet weren't fettered; you fell like one who falls at the hands of criminals." Then all the people wept over him more than ever.
Darby Translation
Thy hands were not bound, Nor thy feet put into fetters; As a man falleth before wicked men, Fellest thou! And all the people wept again over him.
Easy-to-Read Version
Abner, your hands were not tied. Your feet were not put in chains. No, Abner, evil men killed you!" Then all the people cried again for Abner.
George Lamsa Translation
Your hands were not bound nor were your feet put into fetters; as one falls before the wicked men, so have you fallen. And all the people wept again over him.
Good News Translation
His hands were not tied, And his feet were not bound; He died like someone killed by criminals!" And the people wept for him again.
Literal Translation
Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put into fetters. As one falls before sons of evil, you have fallen! And all the people wept again over him.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Thy handes were not bounde, thy fete were not vexed with fetters, thou art fallen as a man falleth before wicked vnthriftes. Then all the people bewayled him yet more.
American Standard Version
Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: As a man falleth before the children of iniquity, so didst thou fall. And all the people wept again over him.
Bible in Basic English
Your hands were free, your feet were not chained: like the downfall of a man before evil men, so was your fall. And the weeping of the people over him went on again.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Thy handes were not bounde, nor thy feete brought into fetters of brasse: but as a man falleth before wicked children, so fellest thou. And all they that were of the people, wept yet more ouer him.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters; as a man falleth before the children of iniquity, so didst thou fall. And all the people wept again over him.
King James Version (1611)
Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feete put into fetters: as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept againe ouer him.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Thy hands were not bound, and thy feet were not put in fetters: one brought thee not near as Nabal; thou didst fall before children of iniquity.
English Revised Version
Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man falleth before the children of iniquity, so didst thou fall. And all the people wept again over him.
Berean Standard Bible
Your hands were not bound, your feet were not fettered. As a man falls before the wicked, so also you fell." And all the people wept over him even more.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thin hondis weren not boundun, and thi feet weren not greuyd with stockis, but thou feldist doun, as men ben wont to falle bifor the sones of wickidnesse. And al the puple doublide togidere, and wepte on hym.
Young's Literal Translation
Thy hands not bound, And thy feet to fetters not brought nigh! As one falling before sons of evil -- Thou hast fallen!' and all the people add to weep over him.
Update Bible Version
Your hands were not bound, and your feet were not put into fetters: As a man falls before the sons of iniquity, so did you fall. And all the people wept again over him.
Webster's Bible Translation
Thy hands [were] not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man falleth before wicked men, [so] fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him.
World English Bible
Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put into fetters: As a man falls before the children of iniquity, so did you fall. All the people wept again over him.
New King James Version
Your hands were not bound Nor your feet put into fetters; As a man falls before wicked men, so you fell." Then all the people wept over him again.
New Living Translation
Your hands were not bound; your feet were not chained. No, you were murdered— the victim of a wicked plot." All the people wept again for Abner.
New Life Bible
Your hands were not tied. Your feet were not put in chains. You have fallen as one falls in front of the sinful." And all the people cried again over him.
New Revised Standard
Your hands were not bound, your feet were not fettered; as one falls before the wicked you have fallen." And all the people wept over him again.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Thy hands, were not bound, And, thy feet, near to fetters, were not brought, As one falleth before assassins, so didst thou fall! And again all the people wept over him.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet laden with fetters: but as men fall before the children of iniquity, so didst thou fall. And all the people repeating it wept over him.
Revised Standard Version
Your hands were not bound, your feet were not fettered; as one falls before the wicked you have fallen." And all the people wept again over him.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put in fetters; As one falls before the wicked, you have fallen." And all the people wept again over him.

Contextual Overview

22Soon after that, David's men, led by Joab, came back from a field assignment. Abner was no longer in Hebron with David, having just been dismissed with David's blessing. As Joab and his raiding party arrived, they were told that Abner the son of Ner had been there with David and had been sent off with David's blessing. 24Joab went straight to the king: "What's this you've done? Abner shows up, and you let him walk away scot-free? You know Abner son of Ner better than that. This was no friendly visit. He was here to spy on you, figure out your comings and goings, find out what you're up to." 26Joab left David and went into action. He sent messengers after Abner; they caught up with him at the well at Sirah and brought him back. David knew nothing of all this. When Abner got back to Hebron, Joab steered him aside at the gate for a personal word with him. There he stabbed him in the belly, killed him in cold blood for the murder of his brother Asahel. 28Later on, when David heard what happened, he said, "Before God I and my kingdom are totally innocent of this murder of Abner son of Ner. Joab and his entire family will always be under the curse of this bloodguilt. May they forever be victims of crippling diseases, violence, and famine." (Joab and his brother, Abishai, murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel at the battle of Gibeon.) 31David ordered Joab and all the men under him, "Rip your cloaks into rags! Wear mourning clothes! Lead Abner's funeral procession with loud lament!" King David followed the coffin. They buried Abner in Hebron. The king's voice was loud in lament as he wept at the side of Abner's grave. All the people wept, too. 33Then the king sang this tribute to Abner: Can this be? Abner dead like a nameless bum? You were a free man, free to go and do as you wished— Yet you fell as a victim in a street brawl. And all the people wept—a crescendo of crying! 35They all came then to David, trying to get him to eat something before dark. But David solemnly swore, "I'll not so much as taste a piece of bread, or anything else for that matter, before sunset, so help me God!" Everyone at the funeral took notice—and liked what they saw. In fact everything the king did was applauded by the people. It was clear to everyone that day, including all Israel, that the king had nothing to do with the death of Abner son of Ner. 38The king spoke to his servants: "You realize, don't you, that today a prince and hero fell victim of foul play in Israel? And I, though anointed king, was helpless to do anything about it. These sons of Zeruiah are too much for me. God , requite the criminal for his crime!"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

hands: The hand of malefactors were usually secured with cords, and their feet with fetters; a custom to which David affectingly alludes in his lamentation over the dust of Abner. Thy hands, O Abner, were not bound, as found to be a malefactor, nor thy feet put in fetters; thou was treated with honour by him whose business it was to judge thee, and thy attachment to the house of Saul was esteemed rather generous than culpable: as the best of men may fall, so thou fellest by the sword of treachery, not of justice. Judges 16:21, Psalms 107:10, Psalms 107:11

wicked men: Heb. children of iniquity, Job 24:14, Hosea 6:9

wept: 2 Samuel 1:12

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 11:21 - Thy servant 2 Samuel 14:19 - of Joab Ezekiel 32:16 - General

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Thy hands [were] not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters,.... As malefactors are when they are taken up for any crime, and especially when proved upon them, and condemned for it, and brought forth to be executed. This was not his case, and had he been aware of the design against him, as his hands and feet were at liberty, he might have defended himself; or if he found he had too many to deal with, might have made use of his feet and fled:

as a man falleth before wicked men, [so] fellest thou; as a man being before bloodthirsty and deceitful men, falls before them, through treachery and deceit, privately and unawares, so fell Abner before Joab and Abishai; this David said in the presence of Joab, and before all the people, to declare the plain fact how it was, to express his detestation of it, and to show he had no hand in it; and Joab must be an hardened creature to stand at the grave of Abner, and hear all this, and not be affected with it:

and all the people wept again over him; over Abner, being laid in his grave; they had wept before, but hearing this funeral oration delivered by the king in such moving language, and in such a mournful tone, it drew tears afresh from them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Thy hands were not bound ... - This thought prepares the way for the solution; Abner had been treacherously murdered by wicked men.


 
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