2 Samuel 16:8

⁶ He threw stones at David and at all the servants of the king, though the troops and all the mighty men were on David’s right and left.

⁷ And as he yelled curses, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you worthless man of bloodshed!

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!”

⁹ Then 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!”

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?’”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: 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!”
KJV: 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.
WEB: The LORD has returned on you all the blood of Saul’s house, in whose place you have reigned! The LORD 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!”
ASV: 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.
DARBY: Jehovah has returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and Jehovah has given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son; and behold, thou art [taken] in thine own evil, for thou art a man of blood.
BLB: YHWH has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. And YHWH has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. And behold, you [are] in your own evil, because you [are] a man of blood.”

ÅB: Herren har nå latt komme igjen over deg alt det blod som har flytt i Sauls hus, han i hvis sted du ble konge, og Herren har gitt kongedømmet til din sønn Absalom; se, nå er du kommet i den ulykke du har fortjent; for en blodhund er du.
OTB: Herren har vendt tilbake over deg alt blodet fra Sauls hus, i hvis sted du har regjert. Herren har gitt kongedømmet i din sønn Absaloms hånd. Se, du er fanget i din egen ondskap, for du er en blodig mann!"
B1930: Herren har nu latt komme igjen over dig alt det blod som har flytt i Sauls hus, han i hvis sted du blev konge, og Herren har gitt kongedømmet til din sønn Absalom; se, nu er du kommet i den ulykke du har fortjent; for en blodhund er du.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

2 Samuel 1:16
For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood be on your own head because your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’”
Read in context
2 Samuel 3:28–29
Afterward, David heard about this and said, “I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the LORD concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner.
Read in context
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.
Read in context
Judges 9:56–57
In this way God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done to his father in murdering his seventy brothers.
Read in context
Judges 9:24
in order that the crime against the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come to justice and their blood be avenged on their brother Abimelech and on the leaders of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers.
Read in context
2 Samuel 21:9
And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill before the LORD. So all seven of them fell together; they were put to death in the first days of the harvest, at the beginning of the barley harvest.
Read in context
Revelation 16:6
For they have spilled the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink, as they deserve.”
Read in context
2 Samuel 4:8–12
They brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, your enemy who sought your life. Today the LORD has granted vengeance to my lord the king against Saul and his offspring.”
Read in context