The Meaning of 2 Samuel 3:8 Explained

2 Samuel 3:8

KJV: Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head, which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this woman?

YLT: And it is displeasing to Abner exceedingly, because of the words of Ish-Bosheth, and he saith, 'The head of a dog am I -- that in reference to Judah to-day I do kindness with the house of Saul thy father, unto his brethren, and unto his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David -- that thou chargest against me iniquity concerning the woman to-day?

Darby: Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head, I who against Judah do shew kindness this day to the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou reproachest me this day with the fault of this woman?

ASV: Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head that belongeth to Judah? This day do I show kindness unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David; and yet thou chargest me this day with a fault concerning this woman.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then was Abner  very  wroth  for the words  of Ishbosheth,  and said,  [Am] I a dog's  head,  which against Judah  do shew  kindness  this day  unto the house  of Saul  thy father,  to his brethren,  and to his friends,  and have not delivered  thee into the hand  of David,  that thou chargest  me to day  with a fault  concerning this woman? 

What does 2 Samuel 3:8 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 3:1-11 - A Split In The Enemy's Ranks
Abner's career reveals the principles on which ambitious men build their lives. He was, according to David's estimate, a great man and a prince, but his soul was eager for his own advancement. "He made himself strong in the house of Saul," 2 Samuel 3:6, r.v. He knew that David was God's appointed king and that through him the divine purpose would move, 2 Samuel 3:10; 2 Samuel 3:18; but yet, because it seemed likely to insure his own advancement, he set Ish-bosheth on the throne. It was a deliberate attempt to thwart God's will, and it failed miserably. "Woe to him that striveth with his Maker!"
Ish-bosheth was a poor weak soul, a mere puppet king, who was set on the throne because he was likely to be pliant in the hands of his great general. Yet even he was aroused to protest when Abner threatened to desert him. And so the alliance between ambition and weakness was broken and the way was made for David to come to the throne of all Israel. In the meantime he ruled at Hebron, waiting, as our Lord waits at the Father's right hand, till His enemies should be made His footstool, Acts 2:34-35. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 3

1  During the war David becomes stronger
2  Six sons are born to him in Hebron
6  Abner, displeased with Ishbosheth
7  revolts to David
13  David requires as a condition to bring him his wife Michal
17  Abner confers with the Israelites, feasted by David, and dismissed
22  Joab returning from battle, is displeased with the king, and kills Abner
28  David curses Joab
31  and mourns for Abner

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 3:8 mean?

and became angry Abner very at the words of Ishbosheth and said [am] a head of dog I that belongs to Judah Today I show loyalty to the house of Saul your father to his brothers and to his friends and not have delivered you into the hand of David and you charge me with a fault concerning this woman today
וַיִּחַר֩ לְאַבְנֵ֨ר מְאֹ֜ד עַל־ דִּבְרֵ֣י אִֽישׁ־ בֹּ֗שֶׁת וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הֲרֹ֨אשׁ כֶּ֥לֶב אָנֹ֘כִי֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לִֽיהוּדָה֒ הַיּ֨וֹם אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־ חֶ֜סֶד עִם־ בֵּ֣ית ׀ שָׁא֣וּל אָבִ֗יךָ אֶל־ אֶחָיו֙ וְאֶל־ מֵ֣רֵעֵ֔הוּ וְלֹ֥א הִמְצִיתִ֖ךָ בְּיַד־ דָּוִ֑ד וַתִּפְקֹ֥ד עָלַ֛י עֲוֺ֥ן הָאִשָּׁ֖ה ؟ הַיּֽוֹם

וַיִּחַר֩  and  became  angry 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָרָה  
Sense: to be hot, furious, burn, become angry, be kindled.
לְאַבְנֵ֨ר  Abner 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִינֵר 
Sense: Saul’s cousin and army captain, treacherously slain by Joab.
מְאֹ֜ד  very 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְאֹד  
Sense: exceedingly, much subst.
עַל־  at 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
דִּבְרֵ֣י  the  words 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
בֹּ֗שֶׁת  Ishbosheth 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ־בֹּשֶׁת  
Sense: surviving son of Saul, king of Israel for 7 years while David was king over Judah; succeeded by David who united the kingdom.
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הֲרֹ֨אשׁ  [am]  a  head 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
כֶּ֥לֶב  of  dog 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֶּלֶב  
Sense: dog.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
לִֽיהוּדָה֒  belongs  to  Judah 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
הַיּ֨וֹם  Today 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־  I  show 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
חֶ֜סֶד  loyalty 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֶסֶד 
Sense: goodness, kindness, faithfulness.
בֵּ֣ית ׀  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
שָׁא֣וּל  of  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
אָבִ֗יךָ  your  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
אֶחָיו֙  his  brothers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
וְאֶל־  and  to 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
מֵ֣רֵעֵ֔הוּ  his  friends 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מֵרֵעַ  
Sense: companion, friend, confidential friend.
וְלֹ֥א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הִמְצִיתִ֖ךָ  have  delivered  you 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
בְּיַד־  into  the  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
דָּוִ֑ד  of  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
וַתִּפְקֹ֥ד  and  you  charge 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: פָּקַד 
Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.
עָלַ֛י  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
עֲוֺ֥ן  with  a  fault  concerning 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: עָוֹן  
Sense: perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity.
הָאִשָּׁ֖ה  this  woman 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
؟ הַיּֽוֹם  today 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.