2 Samuel 16:11
New International Version
David then said to Abishai and all his officials, “My son, my own flesh and blood, is trying to kill me. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the LORD has told him to.

New Living Translation
Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son is trying to kill me. Doesn’t this relative of Saul have even more reason to do so? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to do it.

English Standard Version
And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to.

Berean Standard Bible
Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son, my own flesh and blood, seeks my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone and let him curse me, for the LORD has told him so.

King James Bible
And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.

New King James Version
And David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the LORD has ordered him.

New American Standard Bible
Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my son who came out of my own body seeks my life; how much more now this Benjaminite? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him.

NASB 1995
Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my son who came out from me seeks my life; how much more now this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him.

NASB 1977
Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my son who came out from me seeks my life; how much more now this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my son who came forth from my body seeks my life; how much more now this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him curse, for Yahweh has told him.

Amplified Bible
Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Look, my son [Absalom] who came from my own body, is seeking my life; how much more [reason] now [does] this Benjamite [have to curse me]? Let him alone and let him curse, for [it could be that] the LORD has told him [to do it].

Christian Standard Bible
Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, “Look, my own son, my own flesh and blood, intends to take my life —how much more now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone and let him curse me; the LORD has told him to.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, “Look, my own son, my own flesh and blood, intends to take my life—how much more now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone and let him curse me; the LORD has told him to.

American Standard Version
And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more may this Benjamite now do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for Jehovah hath bidden him.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
David said to Abishi and to all his Servants: “Behold, my son who came out from my loins seeks to take my life, and also, behold, the sons of my right hand. Let him insult! THE LORD JEHOVAH has spoken to him.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And David said to Abessa and to all his servants, Behold, my son who came forth out of my bowels seeks my life; still more now may the son of Benjamin: let him curse, because the Lord has told him.

Contemporary English Version
Then David said to Abishai and all his soldiers: My own son is trying to kill me! Why shouldn't this man from the tribe of Benjamin want me dead even more? Let him curse all he wants. Maybe the LORD did tell him to curse me.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the king said to Abisai, and to all his servants: Behold my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now a son of Jemini? let him alone that he may curse as the Lord hath bidden him.

English Revised Version
And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more may this Benjamite now do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
David told Abishai and all his servants, "My own son, my own flesh and blood, is trying to kill me. Why, then, shouldn't this Benjaminite do this? Leave him alone. Let him curse, since the LORD has told him to do it.

Good News Translation
And David said to Abishai and to all his officials, "My own son is trying to kill me; so why should you be surprised at this Benjaminite? The LORD told him to curse; so leave him alone and let him do it.

International Standard Version
So David ordered Abishai and all of his staff: "Look! My own son wants to kill me! How much more now is this descendant of Benjamin? Leave him alone and let him go on cursing, because the LORD has ordered him to do this.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants: 'Behold, my son, who came forth of my body, seeketh my life; how much more this Benjamite now? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.

Literal Standard Version
And David says to Abishai, and to all his servants, “Behold, my son who came out of my bowels is seeking my life, and also surely now the Benjamite; leave him alone, and let him revile, for YHWH has commanded [so] to him;

Majority Standard Bible
Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son, my own flesh and blood, seeks my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone and let him curse me, for the LORD has told him so.

New American Bible
Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants: “If my own son, who came forth from my loins, is seeking my life, how much more might this Benjaminite do so! Let him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to.

NET Bible
Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "My own son, my very own flesh and blood, is trying to take my life. So also now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone so that he can curse, for the LORD has spoken to him.

New Revised Standard Version
David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD has bidden him.

New Heart English Bible
David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, "Look, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeks my life. How much more this Benjamite, now? Leave him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD has invited him.

Webster's Bible Translation
And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjaminite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.

World English Bible
David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my son, who came out of my bowels, seeks my life. How much more this Benjamite, now? Leave him alone, and let him curse; for Yahweh has invited him.

Young's Literal Translation
And David saith unto Abishai, and unto all his servants, 'Lo, my son who came out of my bowels is seeking my life, and also surely now the Benjamite; leave him alone, and let him revile, for Jehovah hath said so to him;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Shimei Curses David
10But 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?’ ” 11Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son, my own flesh and blood, seeks my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone and let him curse me, for the LORD has told him so. 12Perhaps the LORD will see my affliction and repay me with good for the cursing I receive today.”…

Cross References
Genesis 45:5
And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves that you sold me into this place, because it was to save lives that God sent me before you.

1 Samuel 26:19
Now please, may my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the LORD has stirred you up against me, then may He accept an offering. But if men have done it, may they be cursed in the presence of the LORD! For today they have driven me away from sharing in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, 'Go, serve other gods.'

2 Samuel 12:11
This is what the LORD says: 'I will raise up adversity against you from your own house. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to another, and he will lie with them in broad daylight.

Psalm 109:28
Though they curse, You will bless. When they rise up, they will be put to shame, but Your servant will rejoice.


Treasury of Scripture

And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeks my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD has bidden him.

Behold

2 Samuel 12:11,12
Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun…

came forth

2 Samuel 7:2
That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.

Genesis 15:4
And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.

seeketh

2 Samuel 17:1-4
Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night: …

2 Kings 19:37
And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.

2 Chronicles 32:21
And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.

the Lord

Isaiah 10:5-7
O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation…

Ezekiel 14:9
And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

Ezekiel 20:25
Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;

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Abishai Alone Benjaminite Benjamite Bidden Body Bowels Curse David Forth Invited Life Seeketh Seeks Servants
2 Samuel 16
1. Ziba, by presents and false suggestions, obtains his master's inheritance
5. At Bahurim, Shimei curses David
9. David with patience abstains, and restrains others, from revenge
15. Hushai insinuates himself into Absalom's counsel
20. Ahithophel's counsel














(11) How much more now may this Benjamite.--The "Benjamite" is in contrast to his own son, because he represents the adherent of another and rival dynasty. It is noticeable that David accuses Absalom not only of seeking his throne, but his life.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then David
דָּוִ֤ד (dā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

said
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Abishai
אֲבִישַׁי֙ (’ă·ḇî·šay)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 52: Abishai -- 'my father is Jesse', an Israelite name

and all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

his servants,
עֲבָדָ֔יו (‘ă·ḇā·ḏāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

“Behold,
הִנֵּ֥ה (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

my own son,
בְנִ֛י (ḇə·nî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1121: A son

my own flesh and blood,
מִמֵּעַ֖י (mim·mê·‘ay)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 4578: The intestines, the abdomen, sympathy, a vest, the stomach, the uterus, the heart

seeks
מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ (mə·ḇaq·qêš)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1245: To search out, to strive after

my life.
נַפְשִׁ֑י (nap̄·šî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

How much more,
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

then,
עַתָּ֜ה (‘at·tāh)
Adverb
Strong's 6258: At this time

[this] Benjamite!
הַיְמִינִ֗י (hay·mî·nî)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1145: Benjamite -- a Benjaminite

Leave him alone
הַנִּ֤חוּ (han·ni·ḥū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 3240: Bestow, cast down, lay down, up, leave off, let alone remain, pacify, place,

and let him curse me,
וִֽיקַלֵּ֔ל (wî·qal·lêl)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7043: To be slight, swift or trifling

for the LORD
יְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

has told
אָֽמַר־ (’ā·mar-)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

him
ל֖וֹ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

so.
כִּ֥י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction


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OT History: 2 Samuel 16:11 David said to Abishai and to all (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
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