2 Samuel 3:39

³⁷ For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.

³⁸ And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?

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.

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: 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!”
KJV: 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.
WEB: I am weak today, though anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May the LORD reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.”
ASV: And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me: Jehovah reward the evil-doer according to his wickedness.
DARBY: And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too hard for me: Jehovah reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness!
BLB: And I [am] weak today, and though anointed king, these men, the sons of Zeruiah, [are] too harsh for me; YHWH shall repay the evildoer according to his wickedness.”

ÅB: Men jeg er enda svak og bare salvet til konge, og disse menn, Serujas sønner, er mektigere enn jeg. Herren gjengjelde den som gjør ondt, det onde han gjør!
[^1]: kalles og Daniel, 1KR 3, 1.
OTB: Og jeg er svak i dag, selv om jeg er salvet til konge; og disse mennene, Serujas sønner, er for harde for meg. Måtte Herren gjengjelde den onde etter hans ondskap."
B1930: Men jeg er ennu svak og bare salvet til konge, og disse menn, Serujas sønner, er mektigere enn jeg. Herren gjengjelde den som gjør ondt, det onde han gjør!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Psalms 28:4
Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.
Read in context
Psalms 101:8
I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD.
Read in context
1 Kings 2:33–34
Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the LORD.
Read in context
2 Timothy 4:14
Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
Read in context
Proverbs 25:5
Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
Read in context
1 Kings 2:5–6
Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.
Read in context
Psalms 62:12
Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.
Read in context
2 Samuel 19:5–7
And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;
Read in context