2 Samuel 3:29 net — May his blood whirl over the head of Joab and the entire house of his father! May the males of Joab’s house never cease…

NET Bible

"May his blood whirl over the head of Joab and the entire house of his father! May the males of Joab’s house never cease to have someone with a running sore or a skin disease or one who works at the spindle or one who falls by the sword or one who lacks food!”"

— 2 Samuel 3:29, NET Bible

Read in Another Translation

5 of 21 translations

2 Samuel 3:29 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread.”

  • ASV

    “let it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon all his father’s house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth by the sword, or that lacketh bread. ”

  • WEB

    “Let it fall on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house. Let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread."”

  • DRB

    “And may it come upon the head of Joab, and upon all his father's house: and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue of seed, or that is a leper, or that holdeth the distaff, or that falleth by the sword, or that wanteth bread.”

  • BBE

    “May it come on the head of Joab and all his father's family: among the men of Joab's family may there ever be some who are diseased or lepers, or who do the work of women, or are put to the sword, or are wasted from need of food!”

  • KJVA

    “Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread.”

2 Samuel 3 — Context

26

Then Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the well of Sirah.(But David was not aware of it.)

27

When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gate as if to speak privately with him. Joab then stabbed him in the abdomen and killed him, avenging the shed blood of his brother Asahel.

28

When David later heard about this, he said,“I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the LORD of the shed blood of Abner son of Ner!

29

May his blood whirl over the head of Joab and the entire house of his father! May the males of Joab’s house never cease to have someone with a running sore or a skin disease or one who works at the spindle or one who falls by the sword or one who lacks food!”

30

So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in Gibeon during the battle.

31

David instructed Joab and all the people who were with him,“Tear your clothes! Put on sackcloth! Lament before Abner!” Now King David followed behind the funeral pallet.

32

So they buried Abner in Hebron. The king cried loudly over Abner’s grave and all the people wept too.

2 Samuel 3:29 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 2 Samuel 3:29 say?
2 Samuel 3:29 in the NET Bible reads: “May his blood whirl over the head of Joab and the entire house of his father! May the males of Joab’s house never cease to have someone with a running sore or a skin disease or one who works at the spindle or one who falls by the sword or one who lacks food!””
Where is 2 Samuel 3:29 in the Bible?
2 Samuel 3:29 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 2 Samuel, chapter 3, verse 29.
Who wrote 2 Samuel?
2 Samuel is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Nathan and Gad). It was written c. 930–722 BC.
What is the book of 2 Samuel about?
2 Samuel records David's reign — his rise to the throne, the conquest of Jerusalem, the eternal covenant God makes with his house, and the moral failure with Bathsheba that fractures his family. From the highs of triumph to the depths of repentance, David remains the messianic prototype.
What are the major themes of 2 Samuel?
2 Samuel explores themes including Davidic Covenant, Sin & Repentance, Kingdom, Mercy, Consequences. These themes shape the meaning and context of 2 Samuel 3:29.
What translation should I read 2 Samuel 3:29 in?
2 Samuel 3:29 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 2 Samuel 3:29?
2 Samuel 3:29 reads (NET): “May his blood whirl over the head of Joab and the entire house of his father! May the males of Joab’s house never cease to have someone with a running sore or a skin disease or one who works at the spindle or one who falls by the sword or one who lacks food!”” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
GodsGoodBook logo

GodsGoodBook

Making God's Word accessible to everyone

Experience the Bible like never before with multiple translations, powerful search tools, and features to make God's Word personal to you. Completely free, forever.

Features

15+ Bible Translations
Powerful Search Tools
Highlight & Annotate
Share Verses
100% Free Forever
© 2025 GodsGoodBookVersion 1.8.2