2 Samuel 3:8

“Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, etc.] If false he had a good deal of reason for it; and if true, he thought he deserved better at his hands, than to be reproved for and upbraided with what he might think was a very small fault, and might easily be connived at, and especially in one that had been so serviceable to him: and said, [am] I a dog’s head; such a mean, vile, contemptible person with thee, as if no better than a dog, and as useless and as unserviceable as a dead dog, the head of a dog cut off; (see <092414>1 Samuel 24:14) (<100908>2 Samuel 9:8); or am I esteemed and to be treated as a head of dogs, a keeper of a pack of hounds, and not as a general of the…”

“The words against Judah are very obscure. If the text be correct, the words would seem to be Ish-bosheth’s, who in his anger had charged Abner with being a vile partisan of Judah: Abner retorts, “Am I (as you say) a dog’s head which belongeth to Judah, or on Judah’s side! This day I show you kindness, etc., and this day thou chargest me with a fault, etc.” return to 'Top of Page'”

“3:8 some Judean dog: Cp. 1 Sam 17:43. • by not handing you over to David: Abner had control over the life and death of Saul’s son.”

“Abner: Psa 76:10; Mar 6:18, Mar 6:19 Amos I a dog's head: This was a proverbial expression among the Hebrews to denote whatever was deemed worthless and contemptible. Something similar to this was the answer of the Turkish commander at Beer, on the Euphrates, to a request made to see the castle. "Do they," said he, "take me for a child, or an ass's head, that they would feed me with sweet meats, and dupe me with a bit of cloth? No, they shall not see the castle." Sa2 9:8, Sa2 16:9; Deu 23:18; Sa1 24:14, Sa1 24:15; Kg2 8:13 do show: Sa2 3:9, Sa2 3:18, Sa2 5:2; Sa1 15:28; Psa 2:1-4; Isa 37:23; Act 9:4, Act 9:5 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 3:9”