Bible Strands
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!”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — David addresses his servants immediately following Abner’s death, stating that he is weak this day despite being anointed king. He notes that the sons of Zeruiah operate with a ferocity he cannot currently restrain.
The words — The Hebrew רַךְ (raKh) means "weak" or "tender," placed in direct contrast to David’s title as מֶלֶךְ (Me.lekh), "king." This pairing establishes the literal gap between his consecrated position and his actual political power.
The thread — The text declares that the LORD will repay the evildoer according to his evil, matching the pattern in Psalms 28:4 and Psalms 101:8. This judicial theme later resolves in 1 Kings 2:33, where the blood debt falls on Joab’s line rather than David’s house.
Why it lands — The passage records David’s refusal to claim immediate control over justice and his delegation of vengeance to God. It requires the reader to accept that legitimate authority sometimes operates within constrained limits while awaiting divine reckoning.
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 I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.
Cross-references
- Psalms 28:4 Repay them according to their deeds and for their works of evil. Repay them for what their hands have done; bring back on them what they deserve.
- Psalms 101:8 Every morning I will remove all the wicked of the land, that I may cut off every evildoer from the city of the LORD.
- 1 Kings 2:33 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.”
- Psalms 62:12 and loving devotion to You, O Lord. For You will repay each man according to his deeds.
- Proverbs 25:5 Remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.
- 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.
- 2 Chronicles 19:6 Then he said to the judges, “Consider carefully what you do, for you are not judging for man, but for the LORD, who is with you when you render judgment.
- Romans 13:4 For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.
- 2 Timothy 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did great harm to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
- Exodus 21:12 Whoever strikes and kills a man must surely be put to death.