2 Samuel 16:8

⁶ And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.

⁷ And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:

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.

⁹ Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.

¹⁰ 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?

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
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.
Read in context
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:
Read in context
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.
Read in context
Judges 9:56–57
Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:
Read in context
Judges 9:24
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.
Read in context
2 Samuel 21:9
And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the LORD: and they fell all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.
Read in context
Revelation 16:6
For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
Read in context
2 Samuel 4:8–12
And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ish-bosheth 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.
Read in context