2 Samuel 16:8
New International Version
The LORD has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The LORD has given the kingdom into the hands of your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a murderer!”

New Living Translation
“The LORD is paying you back for all the bloodshed in Saul’s clan. You stole his throne, and now the LORD has given it to your son Absalom. At last you will taste some of your own medicine, for you are a murderer!”

English Standard Version
The LORD has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the LORD has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood.”

Berean Standard Bible
The LORD has paid you back for all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, you have come to ruin because you are a man of bloodshed!”

King James Bible
The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.

New King James Version
The LORD has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!”

New American Standard Bible
The LORD has brought back upon you all the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have become king; and the LORD has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. And behold, you are caught in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!”

NASB 1995
“The LORD has returned upon you all the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. And behold, you are taken in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!”

NASB 1977
“The LORD has returned upon you all the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. And behold, you are taken in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!”

Legacy Standard Bible
Yahweh has returned upon you all the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and Yahweh has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. And behold, you are taken in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!”

Amplified Bible
The LORD has returned upon you all the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has given the kingdom into the hands of Absalom your son. And behold, you are caught in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!”

Christian Standard Bible
The LORD has paid you back for all the blood of the house of Saul in whose place you became king, and the LORD has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. Look, you are in trouble because you’re a man of bloodshed! ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The LORD has paid you back for all the blood of the house of Saul in whose place you became king, and the LORD has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. Look, you are in trouble because you’re a murderer!”

American Standard Version
Jehovah hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and Jehovah hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son; and, behold, thou art taken in thine own mischief, because thou art a man of blood.

Contemporary English Version
the LORD is paying you back for killing so many in Saul's family. You stole his kingdom, but now the LORD has given it to your son Absalom. You're a murderer, and that's why you're in such big trouble!"

English Revised Version
The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thine own mischief, because thou art a man of blood.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD is paying you back for all the blood you spilled in the family of Saul, whom you succeeded as king. The LORD is giving the kingship to your son Absalom. Now you're in trouble because you're a bloodthirsty man."

Good News Translation
You took Saul's kingdom, and now the LORD is punishing you for murdering so many of Saul's family. The LORD has given the kingdom to your son Absalom, and you are ruined, you murderer!"

International Standard Version
The LORD has repaid you personally for murdering the entire dynasty of Saul, whose place you've taken to reign! And the LORD has given the kingdom into your son Absalom's control. Now look! Your own evil has caught up with you, because you're guilty of murder!"

Majority Standard Bible
The LORD has paid you back for all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, you have come to ruin because you are a man of bloodshed!?

NET Bible
The LORD has punished you for all the spilled blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you rule. Now the LORD has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. Disaster has overtaken you, for you are a man of bloodshed!"

New Heart English Bible
The LORD has returned on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the LORD has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. And look, your evil is upon you, because you are a man of bloodshed."

Webster's Bible Translation
The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.

World English Bible
Yahweh has returned on you all the blood of Saul’s house, in whose place you have reigned! Yahweh has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son! Behold, you are caught by your own mischief, because you are a man of blood!”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
YHWH has turned back on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead you have reigned, and YHWH gives the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom; and behold, you [are] in your evil, for you [are] a man of blood.”

Young's Literal Translation
Jehovah hath turned back on thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned, and Jehovah doth give the kingdom in to the hand of Absalom thy son; and lo, thou art in thine evil, for a man of blood thou art.'

Smith's Literal Translation
Jehovah turned back upon thee Belial all the bloods of the house of Saul of whom thou didst reign in his stead; and Jehovah will give the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son; and behold thee in thine evil, for a man of bloods art thou.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The Lord hath repaid thee for all the blood of the house of Saul: because thou hast usurped the kingdom in his stead, and the Lord hath given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and behold thy evils press upon thee, because thou art a man of blood.

Catholic Public Domain Version
The Lord has repaid you for all the blood of the house of Saul. For you have usurped the kingdom in place of him. And so, the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom, your son. And behold, your evils press close upon you, because you are a man of blood.”

New American Bible
The LORD has paid you back for all the blood shed from the family of Saul, whom you replaced as king, and the LORD has handed over the kingdom to your son Absalom. And now look at you: you suffer ruin because you are a man of blood.”

New Revised Standard Version
The LORD has avenged on all of you the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, disaster has overtaken you; for you are a man of blood.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The LORD has requited upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead you have reigned; and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son; and, behold, you have been requited for your evil, because you are a bloody man.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
LORD JEHOVAH will pay you all the blood of the house of Shaul, for you have reigned after him, and LORD JEHOVAH has delivered his kingdom into the hands of Abishlum your son, and behold, you are paid for your evil, because you are a man shedder of blood!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
the LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son; and, behold, thou art taken in thine own mischief, because thou art a man of blood.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
The Lord has returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, because thou hast reigned in his stead; and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of Abessalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Shimei Curses David
7And as he yelled curses, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you worthless man of bloodshed! 8The LORD has paid you back for all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, you have come to ruin because you are a man of bloodshed!” 9Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head!”…

Cross References
1 Samuel 24:12
May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD take vengeance on you, but my hand will never be against you.

1 Samuel 25:28
Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the LORD will surely make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because he fights the LORD’s battles. May no evil be found in you as long as you live.

1 Kings 2:32-33
The LORD will bring his bloodshed back upon his own head, for without the knowledge of my father David he struck down two men more righteous and better than he when he put to the sword Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army. / Their blood will come back upon the heads of Joab and his descendants forever; but for David, his descendants, his house, and his throne, there shall be peace from the LORD forever.”

1 Kings 2:44
The king also said, “You know in your heart all the evil that you did to my father David. Therefore the LORD will bring your evil back upon your head.

1 Samuel 15:28
So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.

1 Samuel 28:17-18
He has done exactly what He spoke through me: The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor David. / Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out His burning anger against Amalek, the LORD has done this to you today.

1 Samuel 16:13-14
So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah. / Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a spirit of distress from the LORD began to torment him.

1 Samuel 13:14
But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought a man after His own heart and appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept the command of the LORD.”

1 Samuel 18:8
And Saul was furious and resented this song. “They have ascribed tens of thousands to David,” he said, “but only thousands to me. What more can he have but the kingdom?”

1 Samuel 20:31
For as long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Now send for him and bring him to me, for he must surely die!”

1 Samuel 22:17-19
Then the king ordered the guards at his side, “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they too sided with David. For they knew he was fleeing, but they did not tell me.” But the king’s servants would not lift a hand to strike the priests of the LORD. / So the king ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests!” And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests himself. On that day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. / He also put to the sword Nob, the city of the priests, with its men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.

1 Samuel 23:17
saying, “Do not be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. And you will be king over Israel, and I will be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows this is true.”

1 Samuel 24:20
Now I know for sure that you will be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.

1 Samuel 25:30
When the LORD has done for my lord all the good He promised, and when He has appointed you ruler over Israel,

1 Samuel 26:10
David added, “As surely as the LORD lives, the LORD Himself will strike him down; either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish.


Treasury of Scripture

The LORD has returned on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead you have reigned; and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son: and, behold, you are taken in your mischief, because you are a bloody man.

returned

Judges 9:24,56,57
That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren…

1 Kings 2:32,33
And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah…

Acts 28:4,5
And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live…

the blood

2 Samuel 1:16
And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD'S anointed.

2 Samuel 3:28,29
And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner: …

2 Samuel 4:8-12
And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed…

thou, etc.

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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














The LORD has paid you back
This phrase suggests divine retribution, a common theme in the Old Testament where God is seen as a just judge who repays individuals according to their deeds. The Hebrew root for "paid back" is "shalam," which means to make whole or to recompense. This reflects the belief that God’s justice is restorative, aiming to bring balance and order.

for all the bloodshed
The term "bloodshed" here is translated from the Hebrew word "dam," which signifies the shedding of blood, often associated with violence or murder. In the context of David's life, this refers to the numerous battles and conflicts he engaged in, including those against Saul's house. Historically, David's reign was marked by warfare, which, while establishing his kingdom, also brought about significant bloodshed.

in the house of Saul
The "house of Saul" refers to the family and dynasty of King Saul, Israel's first king. David's complex relationship with Saul, marked by both loyalty and conflict, is a significant narrative in 1 Samuel. Archaeologically, the transition from Saul to David represents a shift in Israelite leadership and the establishment of Jerusalem as the political and spiritual center.

in whose place you have reigned
This phrase acknowledges David's succession to the throne of Israel, which was once occupied by Saul. The Hebrew word for "reigned" is "malak," meaning to become king or to rule. David's reign is seen as divinely ordained, yet it was fraught with challenges, including the lingering loyalty of some to Saul's lineage.

And the LORD has given the kingdom
The giving of the kingdom is an act of divine sovereignty. The Hebrew word "natan," meaning to give, implies that God is the ultimate authority over the kingdoms of men. This reflects the biblical theme that earthly power is subject to divine will, and God can raise or depose leaders according to His purposes.

into the hand of your son Absalom
Absalom, David's son, led a rebellion against his father, which is a pivotal event in David's life. The phrase "into the hand" suggests control or possession, indicating that Absalom temporarily seized power. This rebellion is a consequence of David's familial and political struggles, highlighting the personal cost of his earlier actions.

Indeed, you are in trouble
The word "trouble" is translated from the Hebrew "ra‘ah," meaning evil or distress. This reflects the turmoil and adversity David faced due to his own decisions and the rebellion of his son. It serves as a reminder of the consequences of sin and the challenges of leadership.

because you are a man of bloodshed!
This accusation against David underscores the theme of divine justice. The Hebrew word "ish" for "man" emphasizes David's identity and character, while "bloodshed" reiterates the earlier point about his violent past. This serves as a moral reflection on the cost of violence and the importance of righteousness in leadership.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The LORD
יְהוָ֜ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

has paid you back
הֵשִׁיב֩ (hê·šîḇ)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

for all
כֹּ֣ל ׀ (kōl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the blood
דְּמֵ֣י (də·mê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1818: Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed

of the house
בֵית־ (ḇêṯ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of Saul,
שָׁא֗וּל (šā·’ūl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7586: Saul -- first king of Israel, also an Edomite and two Israelites

in whose
אֲשֶׁ֤ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

place
תַּחְתָּ֔יו (taḥ·tāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of

you have reigned,
מָלַ֙כְתָּ֙ (mā·laḵ·tā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 4427: To reign, inceptively, to ascend the throne, to induct into royalty, to take counsel

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

has handed the kingdom
הַמְּלוּכָ֔ה (ham·mə·lū·ḵāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4410: Something ruled, a realm

over to
וַיִּתֵּ֤ן (way·yit·tên)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

your son
בְּנֶ֑ךָ (bə·ne·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1121: A son

Absalom.
אַבְשָׁל֣וֹם (’aḇ·šā·lō·wm)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 53: Absalom -- 'my father is peace', two Israelites

See,
וְהִנְּךָ֙ (wə·hin·nə·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw | Interjection | second person masculine singular
Strong's 2005: Lo! behold!

you have come to ruin
בְּרָ֣עָתֶ֔ךָ (bə·rā·‘ā·ṯe·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

because
כִּ֛י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

you are
אָֽתָּה׃ (’āt·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

a man
אִ֥ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

of bloodshed!?
דָּמִ֖ים (dā·mîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1818: Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed


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OT History: 2 Samuel 16:8 Yahweh has returned on you all (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 16:7
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