Bible Strands
2 Samuel 16:10
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?’”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — David addresses Abishai and the sons of Zeruiah while fleeing Jerusalem, responding to their request to kill Shimei for cursing him.
The words — The Hebrew מַה (mah) and the full idiom מַה־לִּי וְלָכֶם (mah-li ve-lakhem) literally ask “what [is there] to me and to you?” (What have I to do with you?), while יְקַלֵּל (yeqallel) denotes the active performance of cursing.
The thread — This exchange parallels David’s later rebuke of the sons of Zeruiah in 2 Samuel 19:22, Paul’s rhetorical challenge in Romans 9:20 regarding created beings questioning the Creator, and Jesus’ acceptance of the Father’s cup in John 18:11.
Why it lands — The text records David’s explicit refusal to intervene when Shimei curses him, noting that the LORD permitted the cursing and that no human authority may question that allowance.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
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?
Cross-references
- 2 Samuel 19:22 And David replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, what have I to do with you, that you should be my adversaries today? Should any man be put to death in Israel today? Am I not indeed aware that today I am king over Israel?”
- Romans 9:20 But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why did You make me like this?”
- John 18:11 “Put your sword back in its sheath!” Jesus said to Peter. “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me?”
- Genesis 50:20 As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people.
- 2 Samuel 3:39 And I am weak this day, though anointed as king, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too fierce for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil!”
- Daniel 4:35 All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”
- Matthew 16:23 But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me. For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
- 1 Peter 2:23 When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.
- 1 Kings 2:5 Moreover, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of the armies of Israel. He killed them in peacetime to avenge the blood of war. He stained with the blood of war the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet.
- 1 Kings 22:21 Then a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ ‘By what means?’ asked the LORD.