1:1 After the death of Saul, 1 when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, 2 he stayed at Ziklag 3 for two days. 1:2 On the third day a man arrived from the camp of Saul with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. 4 When he approached David, the man 5 threw himself to the ground. 6
1:3 David asked him, “Where are you coming from?” He replied, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 1:4 David inquired, “How were things going? 7 Tell me!” He replied, “The people fled from the battle and many of them 8 fell dead. 9 Even Saul and his son Jonathan are dead!” 1:5 David said to the young man 10 who was telling him this, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 11 1:6 The young man who was telling him this 12 said, “I just happened to be on Mount Gilboa and came across Saul leaning on his spear for support. The chariots and leaders of the horsemen were in hot pursuit of him. 1:7 When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me. I answered, ‘Here I am!’ 1:8 He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ I told him, ‘I’m 13 an Amalekite.’ 1:9 He said to me, ‘Stand over me and finish me off! 14 I’m very dizzy, 15 even though I’m still alive.’ 16 1:10 So I stood over him and put him to death, since I knew that he couldn’t live in such a condition. 17 Then I took the crown which was on his head and the 18 bracelet which was on his arm. I have brought them here to my lord.” 19
1:11 David then grabbed his own clothes 20 and tore them, as did all the men who were with him. 1:12 They lamented and wept and fasted until evening because Saul, his son Jonathan, the Lord’s people, and the house of Israel had fallen by the sword.
1:13 David said to the young man who told this to him, “Where are you from?” He replied, “I am an Amalekite, the son of a resident foreigner.” 21 1:14 David replied to him, “How is it that you were not afraid to reach out your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” 1:15 Then David called one of the soldiers 22 and said, “Come here and strike him down!” So he struck him down, and he died. 1:16 David said to him, “Your blood be on your own head! Your own mouth has testified against you, saying ‘I have put the Lord’s anointed to death.’”
1:17 Then David chanted this lament over Saul and his son Jonathan. 1:18 (He gave instructions that the people of Judah should be taught “The Bow.” 23 Indeed, it is written down in the Book of Yashar.) 24
1:19 The beauty 25 of Israel lies slain on your high places!
How the mighty have fallen!
1:20 Don’t report it in Gath,
don’t spread the news in the streets of Ashkelon, 26
or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice,
the daughters of the uncircumcised will celebrate!
1:21 O mountains of Gilboa,
may there be no dew or rain on you, nor fields of grain offerings! 27
For it was there that the shield of warriors was defiled; 28
the shield of Saul lies neglected without oil. 29
1:22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of warriors,
the bow of Jonathan was not turned away.
The sword of Saul never returned 30 empty.
1:23 Saul and Jonathan were greatly loved 31 during their lives,
and not even in their deaths were they separated.
They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.
1:24 O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you in scarlet 32 as well as jewelry,
who put gold jewelry on your clothes.
1:25 How the warriors have fallen
in the midst of battle!
Jonathan lies slain on your high places!
1:26 I grieve over you, my brother Jonathan!
You were very dear to me.
Your love was more special to me than the love of women.
1:27 How the warriors have fallen!
The weapons of war 33 are destroyed!
2:1 Afterward David inquired of the Lord, “Should I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” The Lord told him, “Go up.” David asked, “Where should I go?” The Lord replied, 34 “To Hebron.” 2:2 So David went up, along with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail, formerly the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 2:3 David also brought along the men who were with him, each with his family. They settled in the cities 35 of Hebron. 2:4 The men of Judah came and there they anointed David as king over the people 36 of Judah.
David was told, 37 “The people 38 of Jabesh Gilead are the ones who buried Saul.” 2:5 So David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh Gilead and told them, “May you be blessed by the Lord because you have shown this kindness 39 to your lord Saul by burying him. 2:6 Now may the Lord show you true kindness! 40 I also will reward you, 41 because you have done this deed. 2:7 Now be courageous 42 and prove to be valiant warriors, for your lord Saul is dead. The people of Judah have anointed me as king over them.”
2:8 Now Abner son of Ner, the general in command of Saul’s army, had taken Saul’s son Ish-bosheth 43 and had brought him to Mahanaim. 2:9 He appointed him king over Gilead, the Geshurites, 44 Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Israel. 2:10 Ish-bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he began to rule over Israel. He ruled two years. However, the people 45 of Judah followed David. 2:11 David was king in Hebron over the people of Judah for seven and a half years. 46
2:12 Then Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth son of Saul went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 2:13 Joab son of Zeruiah and the servants of David also went out and confronted them at the pool of Gibeon. One group stationed themselves on one side of the pool, and the other group on the other side of the pool. 2:14 Abner said to Joab, “Let the soldiers get up and fight 47 before us.” Joab said, “So be it!” 48
2:15 So they got up and crossed over by number: twelve belonging to Benjamin and to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David. 2:16 As they grappled with one another, each one stabbed his opponent with his sword and they fell dead together. 49 So that place is called the Field of Flints; 50 it is in Gibeon.
2:17 Now the battle was very severe that day; Abner and the men of Israel were overcome by David’s soldiers. 51 2:18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there – Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. (Now Asahel was as quick on his feet as one of the gazelles in the field.) 2:19 Asahel chased Abner, without turning to the right or to the left as he followed Abner.
2:20 Then Abner turned and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?” He replied, “Yes it is!” 2:21 Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right or to your left. Capture one of the soldiers 52 and take his equipment for yourself!” But Asahel was not willing to turn aside from following him. 2:22 So Abner spoke again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me! I do not want to strike you to the ground. 53 How then could I show 54 my face in the presence of Joab your brother?” 2:23 But Asahel 55 refused to turn aside. So Abner struck him in the abdomen with the back end of his 56 spear. The spear came out his back; Asahel 57 collapsed on the spot and died there right before Abner. 58 Everyone who now comes to the place where Asahel fell dead pauses in respect. 59
2:24 So Joab and Abishai chased Abner. At sunset they came to the hill of Ammah near Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon. 2:25 The Benjaminites formed their ranks 60 behind Abner and were like a single army, standing at the top of a certain hill.
2:26 Then Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will turn bitter in the end? When will you tell the people to turn aside from pursuing their brothers?” 2:27 Joab replied, “As surely as God lives, if you had not said this, it would have been morning before the people would have abandoned pursuit 61 of their brothers!” 2:28 Then Joab blew the ram’s horn and all the people stopped in their tracks. 62 They stopped chasing Israel and ceased fighting. 63 2:29 Abner and his men went through the Arabah all that night. They crossed the Jordan River 64 and went through the whole region of Bitron 65 and came to Mahanaim.
2:30 Now Joab returned from chasing Abner and assembled all the people. Nineteen of David’s soldiers were missing, in addition to Asahel. 2:31 But David’s soldiers had slaughtered the Benjaminites and Abner’s men – in all, 360 men had died! 2:32 They took Asahel’s body and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. 66 Joab and his men then traveled all that night and reached Hebron by dawn. 3:1 However, the war was prolonged between the house of Saul and the house of David. David was becoming steadily stronger, while the house of Saul was becoming increasingly weaker.
3:2 Now sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, born to Ahinoam the Jezreelite. 3:3 His second son 67 was Kileab, born to Abigail the widow 68 of Nabal the Carmelite. His third son was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur. 3:4 His fourth son was Adonijah, the son of Haggith. His fifth son was Shephatiah, the son of Abitail. 3:5 His sixth son was Ithream, born to David’s wife Eglah. These sons 69 were all born to David in Hebron.
3:6 As the war continued between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was becoming more influential 70 in the house of Saul. 3:7 Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. Ish-bosheth 71 said to Abner, “Why did you have sexual relations with 72 my father’s concubine?” 73
3:8 These words of Ish-bosheth really angered Abner and he said, “Am I the head of a dog that belongs to Judah? This very day I am demonstrating 74 loyalty to the house of Saul your father and to his relatives 75 and his friends! I have not betrayed you into the hand of David. Yet you have accused me of sinning with this woman today! 76 3:9 God will severely judge Abner 77 if I do not do for David exactly what the Lord has promised him, 78 3:10 namely, to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah all the way from Dan to Beer Sheba!” 3:11 Ish-bosheth 79 was unable to answer Abner with even a single word because he was afraid of him.
3:12 Then Abner sent messengers 80 to David saying, “To whom does the land belong? Make an agreement 81 with me, and I will do whatever I can 82 to cause all Israel to turn to you.” 3:13 So David said, “Good! I will make an agreement with you. I ask only one thing from you. You will not see my face unless you bring Saul’s daughter Michal when you come to visit me.” 83
3:14 David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth son of Saul with this demand: 84 “Give me my wife Michal whom I acquired 85 for a hundred Philistine foreskins.” 3:15 So Ish-bosheth took her 86 from her husband Paltiel 87 son of Laish. 3:16 Her husband went along behind her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Finally Abner said to him, “Go back!” 88 So he returned home.
3:17 Abner advised 89 the elders of Israel, “Previously you were wanting David to be your king. 90 3:18 Act now! For the Lord has said to David, ‘By the hand of my servant David I will save 91 my people Israel from 92 the Philistines and from all their enemies.’”
3:19 Then Abner spoke privately 93 with the Benjaminites. Abner also went to Hebron to inform David privately 94 of all that Israel and the entire house of Benjamin had agreed to. 95 3:20 When Abner, accompanied by twenty men, came to David in Hebron, David prepared a banquet for Abner and the men who were with him. 3:21 Abner said to David, “Let me leave so that I may go and gather all Israel to my lord the king so that they may make an agreement 96 with you. Then you will rule over all that you desire.” So David sent Abner away, and he left in peace.
3:22 Now David’s soldiers 97 and Joab were coming back from a raid, bringing a great deal of plunder with them. Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, for David 98 had sent him away and he had left in peace. 3:23 When Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, Joab was told: “Abner the son of Ner came to the king; he sent him away, and he left in peace!”
3:24 So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Abner 99 has come to you! Why would you send him away? Now he’s gone on his way! 100 3:25 You know Abner the son of Ner! Surely he came here to spy on you and to determine when you leave and when you return 101 and to discover everything that you are doing!”
3:26 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.) 3:27 When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gate as if to speak privately with him. Joab then stabbed him 102 in the abdomen and killed him, avenging the shed blood of his brother Asahel. 103
3:28 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! 3:29 May his blood whirl over 104 the head of Joab and the entire house of his father! 105 May the males of Joab’s house 106 never cease to have 107 someone with a running sore or a skin disease or one who works at the spindle 108 or one who falls by the sword or one who lacks food!”
3:30 So Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in Gibeon during the battle.
3:31 David instructed Joab and all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes! Put on sackcloth! Lament before Abner!” Now King David followed 109 behind the funeral bier. 3:32 So they buried Abner in Hebron. The king cried loudly 110 over Abner’s grave and all the people wept too. 3:33 The king chanted the following lament for Abner:
“Should Abner have died like a fool?
3:34 Your hands 111 were not bound,
and your feet were not put into irons.
You fell the way one falls before criminals.”
All the people 112 wept over him again. 3:35 Then all the people came and encouraged David to eat food while it was still day. But David took an oath saying, “God will punish me severely 113 if I taste bread or anything whatsoever before the sun sets!”
3:36 All the people noticed this and it pleased them. 114 In fact, everything the king did pleased all the people. 3:37 All the people and all Israel realized on that day that the killing of Abner son of Ner was not done at the king’s instigation. 115
3:38 Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not realize that a great leader 116 has fallen this day in Israel? 3:39 Today I am weak, even though I am anointed as king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too much for me to bear! 117 May the Lord punish appropriately the one who has done this evil thing!” 118
4:1 When Ish-bosheth 119 the son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he was very disheartened, 120 and all Israel was afraid. 4:2 Now Saul’s son 121 had two men who were in charge of raiding units; one was named Baanah and the other Recab. They were sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, who was a Benjaminite. (Beeroth is regarded as belonging to Benjamin, 4:3 for the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have remained there as resident foreigners until the present time.) 122
4:4 Now Saul’s son Jonathan had a son who was crippled in both feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan arrived from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but in her haste to get away, he fell and was injured. 123 Mephibosheth was his name.
4:5 Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite – Recab and Baanah – went at the hottest part of the day to the home of Ish-bosheth, as he was enjoying his midday rest. 4:6 They 124 entered the house under the pretense of getting wheat and mortally wounded him 125 in the stomach. Then Recab and his brother Baanah escaped.
4:7 They had entered 126 the house while Ish-bosheth 127 was resting on his bed in his bedroom. They mortally wounded him 128 and then cut off his head. 129 Taking his head, 130 they traveled on the way of the Arabah all that night. 4:8 They brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David in Hebron, saying to the king, “Look! The head of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, your enemy who sought your life! The Lord has granted vengeance to my lord the king this day against 131 Saul and his descendants!”
4:9 David replied to Recab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered my life from all adversity, 4:10 when someone told me that Saul was dead – even though he thought he was bringing good news 132 – I seized him and killed him in Ziklag. That was the good news I gave to him! 4:11 Surely when wicked men have killed an innocent man as he slept 133 in his own house, should I not now require his blood from your hands and remove 134 you from the earth?”
4:12 So David issued orders to the soldiers and they put them to death. Then they cut off their hands and feet and hung them 135 near the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth 136 and buried it in the tomb of Abner 137 in Hebron. 138
5:1 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron saying, “Look, we are your very flesh and blood! 139 5:2 In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the real leader in Israel. 140 The Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel; you will rule over Israel.’”
5:3 When all the leaders 141 of Israel came to the king at Hebron, King David made an agreement with them 142 in Hebron before the Lord. They designated 143 David as king over Israel. 5:4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign and he reigned for forty years. 5:5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem 144 he reigned for thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
5:6 Then the king and his men advanced to Jerusalem 145 against the Jebusites who lived in the land. The Jebusites 146 said to David, “You cannot invade this place! Even the blind and the lame will turn you back, saying, ‘David cannot invade this place!’”
5:7 But David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the city of David). 5:8 David said on that day, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites must approach the ‘lame’ and the ‘blind’ who are David’s enemies 147 by going through the water tunnel.” 148 For this reason it is said, “The blind and the lame cannot enter the palace.” 149
5:9 So David lived in the fortress and called it the City of David. David built all around it, from the terrace inwards. 5:10 David’s power grew steadily, for the Lord God 150 who commands armies 151 was with him. 152
5:11 King Hiram of Tyre 153 sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons. They built a palace 154 for David. 5:12 David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that he had elevated his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. 5:13 David married more concubines and wives from Jerusalem after he arrived from Hebron. Even more sons and daughters were born to David. 5:14 These are the names of children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5:15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 5:16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
5:17 When the Philistines heard that David had been designated 155 king over Israel, they all 156 went up to search for David. When David heard about it, he went down to the fortress. 5:18 Now the Philistines had arrived and spread out in the valley of Rephaim. 5:19 So David asked the Lord, “Should I march up against the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord said to David, “March up, for I will indeed 157 hand the Philistines over to you.”
5:20 So David marched against Baal Perazim and defeated them there. Then he said, “The Lord has burst out against my enemies like water bursts out.” So he called the name of that place Baal Perazim. 158 5:21 The Philistines 159 abandoned their idols 160 there, and David and his men picked them up.
5:22 The Philistines again came up and spread out in the valley of Rephaim. 5:23 So David asked the Lord what he should do. 161 This time 162 the Lord 163 said to him, “Don’t march straight up. Instead, circle around behind them and come against them opposite the trees. 164 5:24 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, act decisively. For at that moment the Lord is going before you to strike down the army 165 of the Philistines.” 5:25 David did just as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines from Gibeon all the way to Gezer. 166
6:1 David again assembled 167 all the best 168 men in Israel, thirty thousand in number. 6:2 David and all the men who were with him traveled 169 to 170 Baalah 171 in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the name 172 of the Lord of hosts, who sits enthroned between the cherubim that are on it. 6:3 They loaded the ark of God on a new cart and carried it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart. 6:4 They brought 173 it with the ark of God up from the house of Abinadab on the hill. Ahio was walking in front of the ark, 6:5 while David and all Israel 174 were energetically celebrating before the Lord, singing 175 and playing various stringed instruments, 176 tambourines, rattles, 177 and cymbals.
6:6 When they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, 178 Uzzah reached out and grabbed hold of 179 the ark of God, 180 because the oxen stumbled. 6:7 The Lord was so furious with Uzzah, 181 he 182 killed him on the spot 183 for his negligence. 184 He died right there beside the ark of God.
6:8 David was angry because the Lord attacked 185 Uzzah; so he called that place Perez Uzzah, 186 which remains its name to this very day. 6:9 David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How will the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” 6:10 So David was no longer willing to bring the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. David left it in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 6:11 The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months. The Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his family. 187 6:12 David was told, 188 “The Lord has blessed the family of Obed-Edom and everything he owns because of the ark of God.” So David went and joyfully brought the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David. 6:13 Those who carried the ark of the Lord took six steps and then David 189 sacrificed an ox and a fatling calf. 6:14 Now David, wearing a linen ephod, was dancing with all his strength before the Lord. 190 6:15 David and all Israel 191 were bringing up the ark of the Lord, shouting and blowing trumpets. 192
6:16 As the ark of the Lord entered the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked out the window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him. 193 6:17 They brought the ark of the Lord and put it in its place 194 in the middle of the tent that David had pitched for it. Then David offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before the Lord. 6:18 When David finished offering the burnt sacrifices and peace offerings, he pronounced a blessing over the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. 6:19 He then handed out to each member of the entire assembly of Israel, 195 both men and women, a portion of bread, a date cake, 196 and a raisin cake. Then all the people went home. 197 6:20 When David went home to pronounce a blessing on his own house, 198 Michal, Saul’s daughter, came out to meet him. 199 She said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished 200 himself this day! He has exposed himself today before his servants’ slave girls the way a vulgar fool 201 might do!”
6:21 David replied to Michal, “It was before the Lord! I was celebrating before the Lord, who chose me over your father and his entire family 202 and appointed me as leader over the Lord’s people Israel. 6:22 I am willing to shame and humiliate myself even more than this! 203 But with the slave girls whom you mentioned let me be distinguished!” 6:23 Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, had no children to the day of her death.
7:1 The king settled into his palace, 204 for the Lord gave him relief 205 from all his enemies on all sides. 206 7:2 The king said to Nathan the prophet, “Look! I am living in a palace made from cedar, while the ark of God sits in the middle of a tent.” 7:3 Nathan replied to the king, “You should go 207 and do whatever you have in mind, 208 for the Lord is with you.” 7:4 That night the Lord told Nathan, 209 7:5 “Go, tell my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord says: Do you really intend to build a house for me to live in? 7:6 I have not lived in a house from the time I brought the Israelites up from Egypt to the present day. Instead, I was traveling with them and living in a tent. 210 7:7 Wherever I moved among all the Israelites, I did not say 211 to any of the leaders 212 whom I appointed to care for 213 my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house made from cedar?”’
7:8 “So now, say this to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of hosts says: I took you from the pasture and from your work as a shepherd 214 to make you leader of my people Israel. 7:9 I was with you wherever you went, and I defeated 215 all your enemies before you. Now I will make you as famous as the great men of the earth. 216 7:10 I will establish a place for my people Israel and settle 217 them there; they will live there and not be disturbed 218 any more. Violent men 219 will not oppress them again, as they did in the beginning 7:11 and during the time when I appointed judges to lead my people Israel. Instead, I will give you relief 220 from all your enemies. The Lord declares 221 to you that he himself 222 will build a dynastic house 223 for you. 7:12 When the time comes for you to die, 224 I will raise up your descendant, one of your own sons, to succeed you, 225 and I will establish his kingdom. 7:13 He will build a house for my name, and I will make his dynasty permanent. 226 7:14 I will become his father and he will become my son. When he sins, I will correct him with the rod of men and with wounds inflicted by human beings. 7:15 But my loyal love will not be removed from him as I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 7:16 Your house and your kingdom will stand before me 227 permanently; your dynasty 228 will be permanent.’” 7:17 Nathan told David all these words that were revealed to him. 229
7:18 King David went in, sat before the Lord, and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, 230 that you should have brought me to this point? 7:19 And you didn’t stop there, O Lord God! You have also spoken about the future of your servant’s family. 231 Is this your usual way of dealing with men, 232 O Lord God? 7:20 What more can David say to you? You have given your servant special recognition, 233 O Lord God! 7:21 For the sake of your promise and according to your purpose 234 you have done this great thing in order to reveal it to your servant. 235 7:22 Therefore you are great, O Lord God, for there is none like you! There is no God besides you! What we have heard is true! 236 7:23 Who is like your people, Israel, a unique nation 237 on the earth? Their God 238 went 239 to claim 240 a nation for himself and to make a name for himself! You did great and awesome acts for your land, 241 before your people whom you delivered for yourself from the Egyptian empire and its gods. 242 7:24 You made Israel your very own people for all time. 243 You, O Lord, became their God. 7:25 So now, O Lord God, make this promise you have made about your servant and his family a permanent reality. 244 Do as you promised, 245 7:26 so you may gain lasting fame, 246 as people say, 247 ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel!’ The dynasty 248 of your servant David will be established before you, 7:27 for you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have told 249 your servant, ‘I will build you a dynastic house.’ 250 That is why your servant has had the courage 251 to pray this prayer to you. 7:28 Now, O sovereign Lord, you are the true God! 252 May your words prove to be true! 253 You have made this good promise to your servant! 254 7:29 Now be willing to bless your servant’s dynasty 255 so that it may stand permanently before you, for you, O sovereign Lord, have spoken. By your blessing may your servant’s dynasty be blessed on into the future!” 256
8:1 Later David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. David took Metheg Ammah 257 from the Philistines. 258 8:2 He defeated the Moabites. He made them lie on the ground and then used a rope to measure them off. He put two-thirds of them to death and spared the other third. 259 The Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute. 260 8:3 David defeated King Hadadezer son of Rehob of Zobah when he came to reestablish 261 his authority 262 over the Euphrates 263 River. 8:4 David seized from him 1,700 charioteers 264 and 20,000 infantrymen. David cut the hamstrings of all but a hundred of the chariot horses. 265 8:5 The Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, but David killed 22,000 of the Arameans. 8:6 David placed garrisons in the territory of the Arameans of Damascus; the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought tribute. The Lord protected 266 David wherever he campaigned. 267 8:7 David took the golden shields that belonged to Hadadezer’s servants and brought them to Jerusalem. 268 8:8 From Tebah 269 and Berothai, Hadadezer’s cities, King David took a great deal of bronze.
8:9 When King Toi 270 of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 8:10 he 271 sent his son Joram 272 to King David to extend his best wishes 273 and to pronounce a blessing on him for his victory over Hadadezer, for Toi had been at war with Hadadezer. 274 He brought with him various items made of silver, gold, and bronze. 275 8:11 King David dedicated these things to the Lord, 276 along with the dedicated silver and gold that he had taken from 277 all the nations that he had subdued, 8:12 including 278 Aram, 279 Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amelek. This also included some of the plunder taken from 280 King Hadadezer son of Rehob of Zobah.
8:13 David became famous 281 when he returned from defeating the Arameans 282 in the Valley of Salt, he defeated 283 18,000 in all. 8:14 He placed garrisons throughout Edom, 284 and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. The Lord protected David wherever he campaigned. 8:15 David reigned over all Israel; he guaranteed justice for all his people. 285
8:16 Joab son of Zeruiah was general in command of 286 the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was secretary; 8:17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar 287 were priests; Seraiah was scribe; 8:18 Benaiah son of Jehoida supervised 288 the Kerithites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests. 289
9:1 290 Then David asked, “Is anyone still left from the family 291 of Saul, so that I may extend kindness to him for the sake of Jonathan?”
9:2 Now there was a servant from Saul’s house named Ziba, so he was summoned to David. The king asked him, “Are you Ziba?” He replied, “At your service.” 292 9:3 The king asked, “Is there not someone left from Saul’s family, 293 that I may extend God’s kindness to him?” Ziba said to the king, “One of Jonathan’s sons is left; both of his feet are crippled.” 9:4 The king asked him, “Where is he?” Ziba told the king, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.
9:5 So King David had him brought 294 from the house of Makir son of Ammiel in 295 Lo Debar. 9:6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed low with his face toward the ground. 296 David said, “Mephibosheth?” He replied, “Yes, at your service.” 297
9:7 David said to him, “Don’t be afraid, because I will certainly extend kindness to you for the sake of Jonathan your father. You will be a regular guest at my table.” 298 9:8 Then Mephibosheth 299 bowed and said, “Of what importance am I, your servant, that you show regard for a dead dog like me?” 300
9:9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s attendant, and said to him, “Everything that belonged to Saul and to his entire house I hereby give to your master’s grandson. 9:10 You will cultivate 301 the land for him – you and your sons and your servants. You will bring its produce 302 and it will be 303 food for your master’s grandson to eat. 304 But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will be a regular guest at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)
9:11 Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do everything that my lord the king has instructed his servant to do.” So Mephibosheth was a regular guest 305 at David’s table, 306 just as though he were one of the king’s sons.
9:12 Now Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. All the members of Ziba’s household were Mephibosheth’s servants. 9:13 Mephibosheth was living in Jerusalem, 307 for he was a regular guest at the king’s table. But both his feet were crippled.
10:1 Later the king of the Ammonites died and his son Hanun succeeded him. 308 10:2 David said, “I will express my loyalty 309 to Hanun son of Nahash just as his father was loyal 310 to me.” So David sent his servants with a message expressing sympathy over his father’s death. 311 When David’s servants entered the land of the Ammonites, 10:3 the Ammonite officials said to their lord Hanun, “Do you really think David is trying to honor your father by sending these messengers to express his sympathy? 312 No, David has sent his servants to you to get information about the city and spy on it so they can overthrow it!” 313
10:4 So Hanun seized David’s servants and shaved off half of each one’s beard. He cut the lower part of their robes off so that their buttocks were exposed, 314 and then sent them away. 10:5 Messengers 315 told David what had happened, 316 so he summoned them, for the men were thoroughly humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho 317 until your beards have grown again; then you may come back.”
10:6 When the Ammonites realized that David was disgusted with them, 318 they 319 sent and hired 20,000 foot soldiers from Aram Beth Rehob and Aram Zobah, 320 in addition to 1,000 men from the king of Maacah and 12,000 men from Ish-tob. 321
10:7 When David heard the news, he sent Joab and the entire army to meet them. 322 10:8 The Ammonites marched out and were deployed for battle at the entrance of the city gate, while the men from Aram Zobah, Rehob, Ish-tob, and Maacah were by themselves in the field.
10:9 When Joab saw that the battle would be fought on two fronts, he chose some of Israel’s best men and deployed them against the Arameans. 323 10:10 He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the army 324 and they were deployed 325 against the Ammonites. 10:11 Joab 326 said, “If the Arameans start to overpower me, 327 you come to my rescue. If the Ammonites start to overpower you, 328 I will come to your rescue. 10:12 Be strong! Let’s fight bravely for the sake of our people and the cities of our God! The Lord will do what he decides is best!” 329
10:13 So Joab and his men 330 marched out to do battle with the Arameans, and they fled before him. 10:14 When the Ammonites saw the Arameans flee, they fled before his brother Abishai and went into the city. Joab withdrew from fighting the Ammonites and returned to 331 Jerusalem. 332
10:15 When the Arameans realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they consolidated their forces. 333 10:16 Then Hadadezer sent for Arameans from 334 beyond the Euphrates River, 335 and they came to Helam. Shobach, the general in command of Hadadezer’s army, led them. 336
10:17 When David was informed, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, 337 and came to Helam. The Arameans deployed their forces against David and fought with him. 10:18 The Arameans fled before Israel. David killed 700 Aramean charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers. 338 He also struck down Shobach, the general in command of the army, who died there. 10:19 When all the kings who were subject to Hadadezer 339 saw they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subjects of Israel. 340 The Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.
11:1 In the spring of the year, at the time when kings 341 normally conduct wars, 342 David sent out Joab with his officers 343 and the entire Israelite army. 344 They defeated the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed behind in Jerusalem. 345 11:2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of his palace. 346 From the roof he saw a woman bathing. Now this woman was very attractive. 347 11:3 So David sent someone to inquire about the woman. The messenger 348 said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”
11:4 David sent some messengers to get her. 349 She came to him and he had sexual relations with her. 350 (Now at that time she was in the process of purifying herself from her menstrual uncleanness.) 351 Then she returned to her home. 11:5 The woman conceived and then sent word to David saying, “I’m pregnant.”
11:6 So David sent a message to Joab that said, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. 11:7 When Uriah came to him, David asked about how Joab and the army were doing and how the campaign was going. 352 11:8 Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your home and relax.” 353 When Uriah left the palace, the king sent a gift to him. 354 11:9 But Uriah stayed at the door of the palace with all 355 the servants of his lord. He did not go down to his house.
11:10 So they informed David, “Uriah has not gone down to his house.” So David said to Uriah, “Haven’t you just arrived from a journey? Why haven’t you gone down to your house?” 11:11 Uriah replied to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah reside in temporary shelters, and my lord Joab and my lord’s soldiers are camping in the open field. Should I go to my house to eat and drink and have marital relations 356 with my wife? As surely as you are alive, 357 I will not do this thing!” 11:12 So David said to Uriah, “Stay here another day. Tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem both that day and the following one. 358 11:13 Then David summoned him. He ate and drank with him, and got him drunk. But in the evening he went out to sleep on his bed with the servants of his lord; he did not go down to his own house.
11:14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 11:15 In the letter he wrote: “Station Uriah in the thick of the battle and then withdraw from him so he will be cut down and killed.”
11:16 So as Joab kept watch on the city, he stationed Uriah at the place where he knew the best enemy soldiers 359 were. 11:17 When the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, some of David’s soldiers 360 fell in battle. Uriah the Hittite also died.
11:18 Then Joab sent a full battle report to David. 361 11:19 He instructed the messenger as follows: “When you finish giving the battle report to the king, 11:20 if the king becomes angry and asks you, ‘Why did you go so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you realize they would shoot from the wall? 11:21 Who struck down Abimelech the son of Jerub-Besheth? Didn’t a woman throw an upper millstone 362 down on him from the wall so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go so close to the wall?’ just say to him, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’”
11:22 So the messenger departed. When he arrived, he informed David of all the news that Joab had sent with him. 11:23 The messenger said to David, “The men overpowered us and attacked us 363 in the field. But we forced them to retreat all the way 364 to the door of the city gate. 11:24 Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall and some of the king’s soldiers 365 died. Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.” 11:25 David said to the messenger, “Tell Joab, ‘Don’t let this thing upset you. 366 There is no way to anticipate whom the sword will cut down. 367 Press the battle against the city and conquer 368 it.’ Encourage him with these words.” 369
11:26 When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband Uriah was dead, she mourned for him. 370 11:27 When the time of mourning passed, David had her brought to his palace. 371 She became his wife and she bore him a son. But what David had done upset the Lord. 372
12:1 So the Lord sent Nathan 373 to David. When he came to David, 374 Nathan 375 said, 376 “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. 12:2 The rich man had a great many flocks and herds. 12:3 But the poor man had nothing except for a little lamb he had acquired. He raised it, and it grew up alongside him and his children. 377 It used to 378 eat his food, 379 drink from his cup, and sleep in his arms. 380 It was just like a daughter to him.
12:4 “When a traveler arrived at the rich man’s home, 381 he did not want to use one of his own sheep or cattle to feed 382 the traveler who had come to visit him. 383 Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and cooked 384 it for the man who had come to visit him.”
12:5 Then David became very angry at this man. He said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die! 385 12:6 Because he committed this cold-hearted crime, he must pay for the lamb four times over!” 386
12:7 Nathan said to David, “You are that man! This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I chose 387 you to be king over Israel and I rescued you from the hand of Saul. 12:8 I gave you your master’s house, and put your master’s wives into your arms. 388 I also gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all that somehow seems insignificant, I would have given you so much more as well! 12:9 Why have you shown contempt for the word of the Lord by doing evil in my 389 sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and you have taken his wife as your own! 390 You have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 12:10 So now the sword will never depart from your house. For you have despised me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite as your own!’ 12:11 This is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to bring disaster on you 391 from inside your own household! 392 Right before your eyes I will take your wives and hand them over to your companion. 393 He will have sexual relations with 394 your wives in broad daylight! 395 12:12 Although you have acted in secret, I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight.’” 396
12:13 Then David exclaimed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord!” Nathan replied to David, “Yes, and the Lord has forgiven 397 your sin. You are not going to die. 12:14 Nonetheless, because you have treated the Lord with such contempt 398 in this matter, the son who has been born to you will certainly die.”
12:15 Then Nathan went to his home. The Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and the child became very ill. 399 12:16 Then David prayed to 400 God for the child and fasted. 401 He would even 402 go and spend the night lying on the ground. 12:17 The elders of his house stood over him and tried to lift him from the ground, but he was unwilling, and refused to eat food with them.
12:18 On the seventh day the child died. But the servants of David were afraid to inform him that the child had died, for they said, “While the child was still alive he would not listen to us 403 when we spoke to him. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He will do himself harm!” 404
12:19 When David saw that his servants were whispering to one another, he 405 realized that the child was dead. So David asked his servants, “Is the child dead?” They replied, “Yes, he’s dead.” 12:20 So David got up from the ground, bathed, put on oil, and changed his clothes. He went to the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then, when he entered his palace, he requested that food be brought to him, and he ate.
12:21 His servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? While 406 the child was still alive, you fasted and wept. Once the child was dead you got up and ate food!” 12:22 He replied, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept because I thought, 407 ‘Perhaps 408 the Lord will show pity and the child will live. 12:23 But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Am I able to bring him back? I will go to him, but he cannot return to me!’”
12:24 So David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He went to her and had marital relations with her. 409 She gave birth to a son, and David 410 named him Solomon. Now the Lord loved the child 411 12:25 and sent word through Nathan the prophet that he should be named Jedidiah 412 for the Lord’s sake.
12:26 413 So Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal city. 12:27 Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, “I have fought against Rabbah and have captured the water supply of the city. 414 12:28 So now assemble the rest of the army 415 and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will capture the city and it will be named for me.”
12:29 So David assembled all the army and went to Rabbah and fought against it and captured it. 12:30 He took the crown of their king 416 from his head – it was gold, weighed about seventy-five pounds, 417 and held a precious stone – and it was placed on David’s head. He also took from the city a great deal of plunder. 12:31 He removed 418 the people who were in it and made them do hard labor with saws, iron picks, and iron axes, putting them to work at the brick kiln. This was his policy 419 with all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem. 420
13:1 Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. In the course of time David’s son Amnon fell madly in love with her. 421 13:2 But Amnon became frustrated because he was so lovesick 422 over his sister Tamar. For she was a virgin, and to Amnon it seemed out of the question to do anything to her.
13:3 Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very crafty man. 13:4 He asked Amnon, 423 “Why are you, the king’s son, 424 so depressed every morning? Can’t you tell me?” So Amnon said to him, “I’m in love with Tamar the sister of my brother Absalom.” 13:5 Jonadab replied to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick. 425 When your father comes in to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can fix some food for me. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I can watch. Then I will eat from her hand.’”
13:6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came in to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can make a couple of cakes in my sight. Then I will eat from her hand.”
13:7 So David sent Tamar to the house saying, “Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare some food for him.” 13:8 So Tamar went to the house of Amnon her brother, who was lying down. She took the dough, kneaded it, made some cakes while he watched, 426 and baked them. 427 13:9 But when she took the pan and set it before him, he refused to eat. Instead Amnon said, “Get everyone out of here!” 428 So everyone left. 429
13:10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the cakes into the bedroom; then I will eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the cakes that she had prepared and brought them to her brother Amnon in the bedroom. 13:11 As she brought them to him to eat, he grabbed her and said to her, “Come on! Get in bed with me, 430 my sister!”
13:12 But she said to him, “No, my brother! Don’t humiliate me! This just isn’t done in Israel! Don’t do this foolish thing! 13:13 How could I ever be rid of my humiliation? And you would be considered one of the fools 431 in Israel! Just 432 speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” 13:14 But he refused to listen to her. 433 He overpowered her and humiliated her by raping her. 434 13:15 Then Amnon greatly despised her. 435 His disdain toward her surpassed the love he had previously felt toward her. 436 Amnon said to her, “Get up and leave!”
13:16 But she said to him, “No I won’t, for sending me away now would be worse than what you did to me earlier!” 437 But he refused to listen to her. 13:17 He called his personal attendant and said to him, “Take this woman out of my sight 438 and lock the door behind her!” 13:18 (Now she was wearing a long robe, 439 for this is what the king’s virgin daughters used to wear.) So Amnon’s 440 attendant removed her and bolted the door 441 behind her. 13:19 Then Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long robe she was wearing. She put her hands on her head and went on her way, wailing as she went.
13:20 Her brother Absalom said to her, “Was Amnon your brother with you? Now be quiet, my sister. He is your brother. Don’t take it so seriously!” 442 Tamar, devastated, lived in the house of her brother Absalom.
13:21 Now King David heard about all these things and was very angry. 443 13:22 But Absalom said nothing to Amnon, either bad or good, yet Absalom hated Amnon because he had humiliated his sister Tamar.
13:23 Two years later Absalom’s sheepshearers were in Baal Hazor, 444 near Ephraim. Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 13:24 Then Absalom went to the king and said, “My shearers have begun their work. 445 Let the king and his servants go with me.”
13:25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son. We shouldn’t all go. We shouldn’t burden you in that way.” Though Absalom 446 pressed 447 him, the king 448 was not willing to go. Instead, David 449 blessed him.
13:26 Then Absalom said, “If you will not go, 450 then let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king replied to him, “Why should he go with you?” 13:27 But when Absalom pressed him, he sent Amnon and all the king’s sons along with him.
13:28 Absalom instructed his servants, “Look! When Amnon is drunk 451 and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ kill him then and there. Don’t fear! Is it not I who have given you these instructions? Be strong and courageous!” 452 13:29 So Absalom’s servants did to Amnon exactly what Absalom had instructed. Then all the king’s sons got up; each one rode away on his mule and fled.
13:30 While they were still on their way, the following report reached David: “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons; not one of them is left!” 13:31 Then the king stood up and tore his garments and lay down on the ground. All his servants were standing there with torn garments as well.
13:32 Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, said, “My lord should not say, ‘They have killed all the young men who are the king’s sons.’ For only Amnon is dead. This is what Absalom has talked about 453 from the day that Amnon 454 humiliated his sister Tamar. 13:33 Now don’t let my lord the king be concerned about the report that has come saying, ‘All the king’s sons are dead.’ It is only Amnon who is dead.”
13:34 In the meantime Absalom fled. When the servant who was the watchman looked up, he saw many people coming from the west 455 on a road beside the hill. 13:35 Jonadab said to the king, “Look! The king’s sons have come! It’s just as I said!”
13:36 Just as he finished speaking, the king’s sons arrived, wailing and weeping. 456 The king and all his servants wept loudly 457 as well. 13:37 But Absalom fled and went to King Talmai son of Ammihud of Geshur. And David 458 grieved over his son every day.
13:38 After Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he remained there for three years. 13:39 The king longed 459 to go to Absalom, for he had since been consoled over the death of Amnon. 460
14:1 Now Joab son of Zeruiah realized that the king longed to see 461 Absalom. 14:2 So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He told her, “Pretend to be in mourning 462 and put on garments for mourning. Don’t anoint yourself with oil. Instead, act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for some time. 463 14:3 Go to the king and speak to him in the following fashion.” Then Joab told her what to say. 464
14:4 So the Tekoan woman went 465 to the king. She bowed down with her face to the ground in deference to him and said, “Please help me, 466 O king!” 14:5 The king replied to her, “What do you want?” 467 She answered, “I am a widow; my husband is dead. 14:6 Your servant 468 has two sons. When the two of them got into a fight in the field, there was no one present who could intervene. One of them struck the other and killed him. 14:7 Now the entire family has risen up against your servant, saying, ‘Turn over the one who struck down his brother, so that we can execute him and avenge the death 469 of his brother whom he killed. In so doing we will also destroy the heir.’ They want to extinguish my remaining coal, 470 leaving no one on the face of the earth to carry on the name of my husband.”
14:8 Then the king told the woman, “Go to your home. I will give instructions concerning your situation.” 471 14:9 The Tekoan woman said to the king, “My lord the king, let any blame fall on me and on the house of my father. But let the king and his throne be innocent!”
14:10 The king said, “Bring to me whoever speaks to you, and he won’t bother you again!” 14:11 She replied, “In that case, 472 let the king invoke the name of 473 the Lord your God so that the avenger of blood may not kill! Then they will not destroy my son!” He replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, not a single hair of your son’s head 474 will fall to the ground.”
14:12 Then the woman said, “Please permit your servant to speak to my lord the king about another matter.” He replied, “Tell me.” 14:13 The woman said, “Why have you devised something like this against God’s people? When the king speaks in this fashion, he makes himself guilty, for the king has not brought back the one he has banished. 14:14 Certainly we must die, and are like water spilled on the ground that cannot be gathered up again. But God does not take away life; instead he devises ways for the banished to be restored. 475 14:15 I have now come to speak with my lord the king about this matter, because the people have made me fearful. 476 But your servant said, ‘I will speak to the king! Perhaps the king will do what his female servant 477 asks. 14:16 Yes! 478 The king may 479 listen and deliver his female servant 480 from the hand of the man who seeks to remove 481 both me and my son from the inheritance God has given us!’ 482 14:17 So your servant said, ‘May the word of my lord the king be my security, for my lord the king is like the angel of God when it comes to deciding between right and wrong! May the Lord your God be with you!’”
14:18 Then the king replied to the woman, “Don’t hide any information from me when I question you.” The woman said, “Let my lord the king speak!” 14:19 The king said, “Did Joab put you up to all of this?” 483 The woman answered, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, there is no deviation to the right or to the left from all that my lord the king has said. For your servant Joab gave me instructions. He has put all these words in your servant’s mouth. 14:20 Your servant Joab did this so as to change this situation. But my lord has wisdom like that of the angel of God, and knows everything that is happening in the land.” 484
14:21 Then the king said to Joab, “All right! I 485 will do this thing! Go and bring back the young man Absalom! 14:22 Then Joab bowed down with his face toward the ground and thanked 486 the king. Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord the king, because the king has granted the request of your 487 servant!”
14:23 So Joab got up and went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. 488 14:24 But the king said, “Let him go over 489 to his own house. He may not see my face.” So Absalom went over 490 to his own house; he did not see the king’s face.
14:25 Now in all Israel everyone acknowledged that there was no man as handsome as Absalom. 491 From the sole of his feet to the top of his head he was perfect in appearance. 492 14:26 When he would shave his head – at the end of every year he used to shave his head, for it grew too long 493 and he would shave it – he used to weigh the hair of his head at three pounds 494 according to the king’s weight. 14:27 Absalom had 495 three sons and one daughter, whose name was Tamar. She was a very attractive woman. 496
14:28 Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years without seeing the king’s face. 14:29 Then Absalom sent a message to Joab asking him to send him to the king, but Joab was not willing to come to him. So he sent a second message to him, but he still was not willing to come. 14:30 So he said to his servants, “Look, Joab has a portion of field adjacent to mine and he has some barley there. Go and set it on fire.” 497 So Absalom’s servants set Joab’s 498 portion of the field on fire.
14:31 Then Joab got up and came to Absalom’s house. He said to him, “Why did your servants set my portion of field on fire?” 14:32 Absalom said to Joab, “Look, I sent a message to you saying, ‘Come here so that I can send you to the king with this message: 499 “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there.”’ Let me now see the face of the king. If I am at fault, let him put me to death!”
14:33 So Joab went to the king and informed him. The king 500 summoned Absalom, and he came to the king. Absalom 501 bowed down before the king with his face toward the ground and the king kissed him. 502
15:1 Some time later Absalom managed to acquire 503 a chariot and horses, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard. 504 15:2 Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a complaint to bring to the king for arbitration, Absalom would call out to him, “What city are you from?” The person would answer, “I, your servant, 505 am from one of the tribes of Israel.” 15:3 Absalom would then say to him, “Look, your claims are legitimate and appropriate. 506 But there is no representative of the king who will listen to you.” 15:4 Absalom would then say, “If only they would make me 507 a judge in the land! Then everyone who had a judicial complaint 508 could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement.”
15:5 When someone approached to bow before him, Absalom 509 would extend his hand and embrace him and kiss him. 15:6 Absalom acted this way toward everyone in Israel who came to the king for justice. In this way Absalom won the loyalty 510 of the citizens 511 of Israel.
15:7 After four 512 years Absalom said to the king, “Let me go and repay my vow that I made to the Lord while I was in Hebron. 15:8 For I made this vow 513 when I was living in Geshur in Aram: ‘If the Lord really does allow me to return to Jerusalem, 514 I will serve the Lord.’” 15:9 The king replied to him, “Go in peace.” So Absalom 515 got up and went to Hebron.
15:10 Then Absalom sent spies through all the tribes of Israel who said, “When you hear the sound of the horn, you may assume 516 that Absalom rules in Hebron.” 15:11 Now two hundred men had gone with Absalom from Jerusalem. Since they were invited, they went naively and were unaware of what Absalom was planning. 517 15:12 While he was offering sacrifices, Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s adviser, 518 to come from his city, Giloh. 519 The conspiracy was gaining momentum, and the people were starting to side with Absalom.
15:13 Then a messenger came to David and reported, “The men of Israel are loyal to Absalom!” 520 15:14 So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, 521 “Come on! 522 Let’s escape! 523 Otherwise no one will be delivered from Absalom! Go immediately, or else he will quickly overtake us and bring 524 disaster on us and kill the city’s residents with the sword.” 525 15:15 The king’s servants replied to the king, “We will do whatever our lord the king decides.” 526
15:16 So the king and all the members of his royal court 527 set out on foot, though the king left behind ten concubines 528 to attend to the palace. 15:17 The king and all the people set out on foot, pausing 529 at a spot 530 some distance away. 15:18 All his servants were leaving with him, 531 along with all the Kerethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites – some six hundred men who had come on foot from Gath. They were leaving with 532 the king.
15:19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you come with us? Go back and stay with the new 533 king, for you are a foreigner and an exile from your own country. 534 15:20 It seems like you arrived just yesterday. Today should I make you wander around by going with us? I go where I must go. But as for you, go back and take your men 535 with you. May genuine loyal love 536 protect 537 you!”
15:21 But Ittai replied to the king, “As surely as the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether dead or alive, 538 there I 539 will be as well!” 15:22 So David said to Ittai, “Come along then.” 540 So Ittai the Gittite went along, 541 accompanied by all his men and all the dependents 542 who were with him.
15:23 All the land was weeping loudly 543 as all these people were leaving. 544 As the king was crossing over the Kidron Valley, all the people were leaving 545 on the road that leads to the desert. 15:24 Zadok and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. When they positioned the ark of God, Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving 546 the city.
15:25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back to the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s sight he will bring me back and enable me to see both it and his dwelling place again. 15:26 However, if he should say, ‘I do not take pleasure in you,’ then he will deal with me in a way that he considers appropriate.” 547
15:27 The king said to Zadok the priest, “Are you a seer? 548 Go back to the city in peace! Your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan may go with you and Abiathar. 549 15:28 Look, I will be waiting at the fords of the desert until word from you 550 reaches me.” 15:29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there.
15:30 As David was going up the Mount of Olives, he was weeping as he went; his head was covered and his feet were bare. All the people who were with him also had their heads covered and were weeping as they went up. 15:31 Now David 551 had been told, “Ahithophel has sided with the conspirators who are with Absalom. So David prayed, 552 “Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish, O Lord!”
15:32 When David reached the summit, where he used to worship God, Hushai the Arkite met him with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. 15:33 David said to him, “If you leave 553 with me you will be a burden to me. 15:34 But you will be able to counter the advice of Ahithophel if you go back to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king! Previously I was your father’s servant, and now I will be your servant.’ 15:35 Zadok and Abiathar the priests will be there with you. 554 Everything you hear in the king’s palace 555 you must tell Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 15:36 Furthermore, their two sons are there with them, Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. You must send them to me with any information you hear.” 556
15:37 So David’s friend Hushai arrived in the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.
1 sn This chapter is closely linked to 1 Sam 31. It should be kept in mind that 1 and 2 Samuel were originally a single book, not separate volumes. Whereas in English Bible tradition the books of Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, and Ezra-Nehemiah are each regarded as two separate books, this was not the practice in ancient Hebrew tradition. Early canonical records, for example, counted them as single books respectively. The division into two books goes back to the Greek translation of the OT and was probably initiated because of the cumbersome length of copies due to the Greek practice (unlike that of Hebrew) of writing vowels. The present division into two books can be a little misleading in terms of perceiving the progression of the argument of the book; in some ways it is preferable to treat the books of 1-2 Samuel in a unified fashion.
2 sn The Amalekites were a nomadic people who inhabited Judah and the Transjordan. They are mentioned in Gen 36:15-16 as descendants of Amalek who in turn descended from Esau. In Exod 17:8-16 they are described as having acted in a hostile fashion toward Israel as the Israelites traveled to Canaan from Egypt. In David’s time the Amalekites were viewed as dangerous enemies who raided, looted, and burned Israelite cities (see 1 Sam 30).
3 sn Ziklag was a city in the Negev which had been given to David by Achish king of Gath. For more than a year David used it as a base from which he conducted military expeditions (see 1 Sam 27:5-12). According to 1 Sam 30:1-19, Ziklag was destroyed by the Amalekites while Saul fought the Philistines.
4 sn Tearing one’s clothing and throwing dirt on one’s head were outward expressions of grief in the ancient Near East, where such demonstrable reactions were a common response to tragic news.
5 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man mentioned at the beginning of v. 2) has been specified in the translation to avoid confusion as to who fell to the ground.
6 tn Heb “he fell to the ground and did obeisance.”
7 tn Heb “What was the word?”
8 tn Heb “from the people.”
9 tn Heb “fell and died.”
10 tn In v. 2 he is called simply a “man.” The word used here in v. 5 (so also in vv. 6, 13, 15), though usually referring to a young man or servant, may in this context designate a “fighting” man, i.e., a soldier.
11 tc Instead of the MT “who was recounting this to him, ‘How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?’” the Syriac Peshitta reads “declare to me how Saul and his son Jonathan died.”
12 tc The Syriac Peshitta and one
13 tc The present translation reads with the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
14 tn As P. K. McCarter (II Samuel [AB], 59) points out, the Polel of the verb מוּת (mut, “to die”) “refers to dispatching or ‘finishing off’ someone already wounded and near death.” Cf. NLT “put me out of my misery.”
15 tn Heb “the dizziness has seized me.” On the meaning of the Hebrew noun translated “dizziness,” see P. K. McCarter, II Samuel (AB), 59-60. The point seems to be that he is unable to kill himself because he is weak and disoriented.
16 tn The Hebrew text here is grammatically very awkward (Heb “because all still my life in me”). Whether the broken construct phrase is due to the fact that the alleged speaker is in a confused state of mind as he is on the verge of dying, or whether the MT has sustained corruption in the transmission process, is not entirely clear. The former seems likely, although P. K. McCarter understands the MT to be the result of conflation of two shorter forms of text (P. K. McCarter, II Samuel [AB], 57, n. 9). Early translators also struggled with the verse, apparently choosing to leave part of the Hebrew text untranslated. For example, the Lucianic recension of the LXX lacks “all,” while other witnesses (namely, one medieval Hebrew
17 tn Heb “after his falling”; NAB “could not survive his wound”; CEV “was too badly wounded to live much longer.”
18 tc The MT lacks the definite article, but this is likely due to textual corruption. It is preferable to read the alef (א) of אֶצְעָדָה (’ets’adah) as a ה (he) giving הַצְּעָדָה (hatsÿ’adah). There is no reason to think that the soldier confiscated from Saul’s dead body only one of two or more bracelets that he was wearing (cf. NLT “one of his bracelets”).
19 sn The claims that the soldier is making here seem to contradict the story of Saul’s death as presented in 1 Sam 31:3-5. In that passage it appears that Saul took his own life, not that he was slain by a passerby who happened on the scene. Some scholars account for the discrepancy by supposing that conflicting accounts have been brought together in the MT. However, it is likely that the young man is here fabricating the account in a self-serving way so as to gain favor with David, or so he supposes. He probably had come across Saul’s corpse, stolen the crown and bracelet from the body, and now hopes to curry favor with David by handing over to him these emblems of Saul’s royalty. But in so doing the Amalekite greatly miscalculated David’s response to this alleged participation in Saul’s death. The consequence of his lies will instead be his own death.
20 tc The present translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
21 tn The Hebrew word used here refers to a foreigner whose social standing was something less than that of native residents of the land, but something more than that of a nonresident alien who was merely passing through.
22 tn Heb “young men.”
23 tn Heb “be taught the bow.” The reference to “the bow” is very difficult here. Some interpreters (e.g., S. R. Driver, P. K. McCarter, Jr.) suggest deleting the word from the text (cf. NAB, TEV), but there does not seem to be sufficient evidence for doing so. Others (cf. KJV) understand the reference to be elliptical, meaning “the use of the bow.” The verse would then imply that with the deaths of Saul and Jonathan having occurred, a period of trying warfare is about to begin, requiring adequate preparation for war on the part of the younger generation. Various other views may also be found in the secondary literature. However, it seems best to understand the word here to be a reference to the name of a song (i.e., “The Bow”), most likely the poem that follows in vv. 19-27 (cf. ASV, NASB, NRSV, CEV, NLT); NIV “this lament of the bow.” To make this clear the words “the song of” are supplied in the translation.
24 sn The Book of Yashar is a noncanonical writing no longer in existence. It is referred to here and in Josh 10:12-13 and 1 Kgs 8:12-13. It apparently was “a collection of ancient national poetry” (so BDB 449 s.v. יָשָׁר).
25 sn The word beauty is used figuratively here to refer to Saul and Jonathan.
26 sn The cities of Gath and Ashkelon are mentioned here by synecdoche of part for the whole. As major Philistine cities they in fact represent all of Philistia. The point is that when the sad news of fallen Israelite leadership reaches the Philistines, it will be for these enemies of Israel the occasion of great joy rather than grief.
27 tc Instead of the MT’s “fields of grain offerings” the Lucianic recension of the LXX reads “your high places are mountains of death.” Cf. the Old Latin montes mortis (“mountains of death”).
28 tn This is the only biblical occurrence of the Niphal of the verb גָּעַל (ga’al). This verb usually has the sense of “to abhor” or “loathe.” But here it seems to refer to the now dirty and unprotected condition of a previously well-maintained instrument of battle.
29 tc It is preferable to read here Hebrew מָשׁוּחַ (mashuakh) with many Hebrew
30 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form is used here to indicate repeated past action.
31 tn Heb “beloved and dear.”
32 sn Clothing of scarlet was expensive and beyond the financial reach of most people.
33 sn The expression weapons of war may here be a figurative way of referring to Saul and Jonathan.
34 tn Heb “he said.” The referent (the
35 tc The expression “the cities of Hebron” is odd; we would expect the noun to be in the singular, if used at all. Although the Syriac Peshitta has the expected reading “in Hebron,” the MT is clearly the more difficult reading and should probably be retained here.
36 tn Heb “house.”
37 tn Heb “and they told David.” The subject appears to be indefinite, allowing one to translate the verb as passive with David as subject.
38 tn Heb “men.”
39 tn Or “loyalty.”
40 tn Or “loyalty and devotion.”
41 tn Heb “will do with you this good.”
42 tn Heb “let your hands be strong.”
43 sn The name Ish-bosheth means in Hebrew “man of shame.” It presupposes an earlier form such as Ish-baal (“man of the Lord”), with the word “baal” being used of Israel’s God. But because the Canaanite storm god was named “Baal,” that part of the name was later replaced with the word “shame.”
44 tc The MT here reads “the Ashurite,” but this is problematic if it is taken to mean “the Assyrian.” Ish-bosheth’s kingdom obviously was not of such proportions as to extend to Assyria. The Syriac Peshitta renders the word as “the Geshurite,” while the Targum has “of the house of Ashur.” We should probably emend the Hebrew text to read “the Geshurite.” The Geshurites lived in the northeastern part of the land of Palestine.
45 tn Heb “house.”
46 tn Heb “And the number of the days in which David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.”
47 tn Heb “play.” What is in view here is a gladiatorial contest in which representative groups of soldiers engage in mortal combat before the watching armies. Cf. NAB “perform for us”; NASB “hold (have NRSV) a contest before us”; NLT “put on an exhibition of hand-to-hand combat.”
48 tn Heb “let them arise.”
49 tn Heb “and they grabbed each one the head of his neighbor with his sword in the side of his neighbor and they fell together.”
50 tn The meaning of the name “Helkath Hazzurim” (so NIV; KJV, NASB, NRSV similar) is not clear. BHK relates the name to the Hebrew term for “side,” and this is reflected in NAB “the Field of the Sides”; the Greek OT revocalizes the Hebrew to mean something like “Field of Adversaries.” Cf. also TEV, NLT “Field of Swords”; CEV “Field of Daggers.”
51 tn Heb “servants.” So also elsewhere.
52 tn Heb “young men.” So also elsewhere.
53 tn Heb “Why should I strike you to the ground?”
54 tn Heb “lift.”
55 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Asahel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
56 tn Heb “the.” The article functions here as a possessive pronoun.
57 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Asahel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
58 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abner) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
59 tn Heb “and they stand.”
60 tn Heb “were gathered together.”
61 tn The Hebrew verb נַעֲלָה (na’alah) used here is the Niphal perfect 3rd person masculine singular of עָלָה (’alah, “to go up”). In the Niphal this verb “is used idiomatically, of getting away from so as to abandon…especially of an army raising a siege…” (see S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 244).
62 tn Heb “stood.”
63 tn Heb “they no longer chased after Israel and they no longer fought.”
64 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
65 tn Heb “and they went, all the Bitron.” The meaning of the Hebrew word “Bitron,” which is used only here in the OT, is disputed. The translation above follows BDB 144 s.v. בִּתְרוֹן in taking the word to be a proper name of an area east of the Jordan. A different understanding was advocated by W. R. Arnold, who took the word to refer to the forenoon or morning; a number of modern scholars and translations have adopted this view (cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV, CEV, NLT). See W. R. Arnold, “The Meaning of בתרון,” AJSL 28 (1911-1912): 274-83. In this case one could translate “and they traveled all morning long.”
66 map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.
67 tn The Hebrew text does not have the word “son.” So also in vv. 3-5.
68 tn Heb “wife.”
69 tn The Hebrew text does not have “sons.”
70 tn Heb “was strengthening himself.” The statement may have a negative sense here, perhaps suggesting that Abner was overstepping the bounds of political propriety in a self-serving way.
71 tc The Hebrew of the MT reads simply “and he said,” with no expressed subject for the verb. It is not likely that the text originally had no expressed subject for this verb, since the antecedent is not immediately clear from the context. We should probably restore to the Hebrew text the name “Ish-bosheth.” See a few medieval Hebrew
72 tn Heb “come to”; KJV, NRSV “gone in to”; NAB “been intimate with”; NIV “sleep with.”
73 sn This accusation against Abner is a very serious one, since an act of sexual infringement on the king’s harem would probably have been understood as a blatant declaration of aspirations to kingship. As such it was not merely a matter of ethical impropriety but an act of grave political significance as well.
74 tn Heb “I do.”
75 tn Heb “brothers.”
76 tn Heb “and you have laid upon me the guilt of the woman today.”
77 tn Heb “So will God do to Abner and so he will add to him.”
78 tc Heb “has sworn to David.” The LXX, with the exception of the recension of Origen, adds “in this day.”
79 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ish-bosheth) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
80 tn The Hebrew text adds here, “on his behalf.”
81 tn Heb “cut a covenant.” So also in vv. 13, 21.
82 tn Heb “and behold, my hand is with you.”
83 tn The words “when you come to see my face,” though found in the Hebrew text, are somewhat redundant given the similar expression in the earlier part of the verse. The words are absent from the Syriac Peshitta.
84 tn Heb “to Ish-bosheth son of Saul saying.” To avoid excessive sibilance (especially when read aloud) the translation renders “saying” as “with this demand.”
85 tn Heb “whom I betrothed to myself.”
86 tn Heb “sent and took her.”
87 tn In 1 Sam 25:44 this name appears as “Palti.”
88 tn Heb “Go, return.”
89 tn Heb “the word of Abner was with.”
90 tn Heb “you were seeking David to be king over you.”
91 tc The present translation follows the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate in reading “I will save,” rather than the MT “he saved.” The context calls for the 1st person common singular imperfect of the verb rather than the 3rd person masculine singular perfect.
92 tn Heb “from the hand of.”
93 tn Heb “into the ears of.”
94 tn Heb “also Abner went to speak into the ears of David in Hebron.”
95 tn Heb “all which was good in the eyes of Israel and in the eyes of all the house of Benjamin.”
96 tn After the cohortatives, the prefixed verbal form with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.
97 tn Heb “And look, the servants of David.”
98 tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
99 tn Heb “Look, Abner.”
100 tc The LXX adds “in peace.”
101 tn Heb “your going out and your coming in.” The expression is a merism. It specifically mentions the polar extremities of the actions but includes all activity in between the extremities as well, thus encompassing the entirety of one’s activities.
102 tn Heb “and he struck him down there [in] the stomach.”
103 tn Heb “and he [i.e., Abner] died on account of the blood of Asahel his [i.e., Joab’s] brother.”
104 tn Heb “and may they whirl over.” In the Hebrew text the subject of the plural verb is unexpressed. The most likely subject is Abner’s “shed blood” (v. 28), which is a masculine plural form in Hebrew. The verb חוּל (khul, “whirl”) is used with the preposition עַל (’al) only here and in Jer 23:19; 30:23.
105 tc 4QSama has “of Joab” rather than “of his father” read by the MT.
106 tn Heb “the house of Joab.” However, it is necessary to specify that David’s curse is aimed at Joab’s male descendants; otherwise it would not be clear that “one who works at the spindle” refers to a man doing woman’s work rather than a woman.
107 tn Heb “and may there not be cut off from the house of Joab.”
108 tn The expression used here is difficult. The translation “one who works at the spindle” follows a suggestion of S. R. Driver that the expression pejoratively describes an effeminate man who, rather than being a mighty warrior, is occupied with tasks that are normally fulfilled by women (S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 250-51; cf. NAB “one unmanly”; TEV “fit only to do a woman’s work”; CEV “cowards”). But P. K. McCarter, following an alleged Phoenician usage of the noun to refer to “crutches,” adopts a different view. He translates the phrase “clings to a crutch,” seeing here a further description of physical lameness (II Samuel [AB], 118). Such an idea fits the present context well and is followed by NIV, NCV, and NLT, although the evidence for this meaning is questionable. According to DNWSI 2:915-16, the noun consistently refers to a spindle in Phoenician, as it does in Ugaritic (see UT 468).
109 tn Heb “was walking.”
110 tn Heb “lifted up his voice and wept.” The expression is a verbal hendiadys.
111 tc The translation follows many medieval Hebrew manuscripts and several ancient versions in reading “your hands,” rather than “your hand.”
112 tc 4QSama lacks the words “all the people.”
113 tn Heb “Thus God will do to me and thus he will add.”
114 tn Heb “it was good in their eyes.”
115 tn Heb “from the king.”
116 tn Heb “a leader and a great one.” The expression is a hendiadys.
117 tn Heb “are hard from me.”
118 tn Heb “May the
119 tn The MT does not specify the subject of the verb here, but the reference is to Ish-bosheth, so the name has been supplied in the translation for clarity. 4QSama and the LXX mistakenly read “Mephibosheth.”
120 tn Heb “his hands went slack.”
121 tc The present translation, “Saul’s son had two men,” is based on the reading “to the son of Saul,” rather than the MT’s “the son of Saul.” The context requires the preposition to indicate the family relationship.
122 tn Heb “until this day.”
123 tn Heb “and was lame.”
124 tc For the MT’s וְהֵנָּה (vÿhennah, “and they,” feminine) read וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh, “and behold”). See the LXX, Syriac Peshitta, and Targum.
125 tn Heb “and they struck him down.”
126 tn After the concluding disjunctive clause at the end of v. 6, the author now begins a more detailed account of the murder and its aftermath.
127 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ish-bosheth) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
128 tn Heb “they struck him down and killed him.” The expression is a verbal hendiadys.
129 tn Heb “and they removed his head.” The Syriac Peshitta and Vulgate lack these words.
130 tc The Lucianic Greek recension lacks the words “his head.”
131 tn Heb “from.”
132 tn Heb “and he was like a bearer of good news in his eyes.”
133 tn Heb “on his bed.”
134 tn See HALOT 146 s.v. II בער. Some derive the verb from a homonym meaning “to burn; to consume.”
135 tn The antecedent of the pronoun “them” (which is not present in the Hebrew text, but implied) is not entirely clear. Presumably it is the corpses that were hung and not merely the detached hands and feet; cf. NIV “hung the (their NRSV, NLT) bodies”; the alternative is represented by TEV “cut off their hands and feet, which they hung up.”
136 tc 4QSama mistakenly reads “Mephibosheth” here.
137 tc The LXX adds “the son of Ner” by conformity with common phraseology elsewhere.
138 tc Some
139 tn Heb “look we are your bone and your flesh.”
140 tn Heb “you were the one leading out and the one leading in Israel.”
141 tn Heb “elders.”
142 tn Heb “and the king, David, cut for them a covenant.”
143 tn Heb “anointed.”
144 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
145 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
146 tn The Hebrew text has “he” rather than “the Jebusites.” The referent has been specified in the translation for clarity. In the Syriac Peshitta and some
147 tc There is some confusion among the witnesses concerning this word. The Kethib is the Qal perfect 3cp שָׂנְאוּ (sanÿ’u, “they hated”), referring to the Jebusites’ attitude toward David. The Qere is the Qal passive participle construct plural שְׂנֻאֵי (sÿnu’e, “hated”), referring to David’s attitude toward the Jebusites. 4QSama has the Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular שָׂנְאָה (sanÿ’ah, “hated”), the subject of which would be “the soul of David.” The difference is minor and the translation adopted above works for either the Kethib or the Qere.
148 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term has been debated. For a survey of various views, see P. K. McCarter, II Samuel (AB), 139-40.
149 tn Heb “the house.” TEV takes this as a reference to the temple (“the Lord’s house”).
150 tc 4QSama and the LXX lack the word “God,” probably due to harmonization with the more common biblical phrase “the
151 tn Traditionally, “the
152 tn The translation assumes that the disjunctive clause is circumstantial-causal, giving the reason for David’s success.
153 map For location see Map1-A2; Map2-G2; Map4-A1; JP3-F3; JP4-F3.
154 tn Heb “a house.”
155 tn Heb “anointed.”
156 tn Heb “all the Philistines.”
157 tn The infinitive absolute lends emphasis to the following verb.
158 tn The name means “Lord of the outbursts.”
159 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Philistines) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
160 tc For “idols” the LXX and Vulgate have “gods.”
161 tn The words “what to do” are not in the Hebrew text.
162 tn The words “this time” are not in the Hebrew text.
163 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
164 tn Some translate as “balsam trees” (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV, NJB, NLT); cf. KJV, NKJV, ASV “mulberry trees”; NAB “mastic trees”; NEB, REB “aspens.” The exact identification of the type of tree or plant is uncertain.
165 tn Heb “camp” (so NAB).
166 tn Heb “from Gibeon until you enter Gezer.”
167 tn The translation understands the verb to be a defective spelling of וַיְּאֱסֹף (vayyÿ’esof) due to quiescence of the letter א (alef). The root therefore is אסף (’sf, “to gather”). The Masoretes, however, pointed the verb as וַיֹּסֶף (vayyosef), understanding it to be a form of יָסַף (yasaf, “to add”). This does not fit the context, which calls for a verb of gathering.
168 tn Or “chosen.”
169 tn Heb “arose and went.”
170 tn Heb “from,” but the following context indicates they traveled to this location.
171 tn This is another name for Kiriath-jearim (see 1 Chr 13:6).
172 tc The MT has here a double reference to the name (שֵׁם שֵׁם, shem shem). Many medieval Hebrew
173 tn Heb “lifted.”
174 tn Heb “all the house of Israel.”
175 tc Heb “were celebrating before the
176 tn Heb “with zithers [?] and with harps.”
177 tn That is, “sistrums” (so NAB, NIV); ASV, NASB, NRSV, CEV, NLT “castanets.”
178 tn 1 Chr 13:9 has “Kidon.”
179 tn Or “steadied.”
180 tn Heb “and Uzzah reached out toward the ark of God and grabbed it.”
181 tn Heb “and the anger of the
182 tn Heb “God.”
183 tc Heb “there.” Since this same term occurs later in the verse it is translated “on the spot” here for stylistic reasons.
184 tc The phrase “his negligence” is absent from the LXX.
185 tn Heb “because the
186 sn The name Perez Uzzah means in Hebrew “the outburst [against] Uzzah.”
187 tn Heb “house,” both here and in v. 12.
188 tn Heb “and it was told to David, saying.”
189 tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
190 tn Heb “and David was dancing with all his strength before the
191 tc Heb “all the house of Israel.” A few medieval Hebrew
192 tn Heb “the shophar” (the ram’s horn trumpet).
193 tn The Hebrew text adds “in her heart.” Cf. CEV “she was disgusted (+ with him TEV)”; NLT “was filled with contempt for him”; NCV “she hated him.”
194 tc The Syriac Peshitta lacks “in its place.”
195 tn Heb “to all the people, to all the throng of Israel.”
196 tn The Hebrew word used here אֶשְׁפָּר (’espar) is found in the OT only here and in the parallel passage found in 1 Chr 16:3. Its exact meaning is uncertain, although the context indicates that it was a food of some sort (cf. KJV “a good piece of flesh”; NRSV “a portion of meat”). The translation adopted here (“date cake”) follows the lead of the Greek translations of the LXX, Aquila, and Symmachus (cf. NASB, NIV, NLT).
197 tn Heb “and all the people went, each to his house.”
198 tn Heb “and David returned to bless his house.”
199 tn Heb “David.” The name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
200 tn Heb “honored.”
201 tn Heb “one of the foolish ones.”
202 tn Heb “all his house”; CEV “anyone else in your family.”
203 tn Heb “and I will shame myself still more than this and I will be lowly in my eyes.”
204 tn Heb “house” (also in the following verse).
205 tn Or “rest.”
206 tn The translation understands the disjunctive clause in v. 1b as circumstantial-causal.
207 tc Several medieval Hebrew
208 tn Heb “all that is in your heart.”
209 tn Heb “the word of the
210 tn Heb “in a tent and in a dwelling.” The expression is a hendiadys, using two terms to express one idea.
211 tn Heb “Did I speak a word?” In the Hebrew text the statement is phrased as a rhetorical question.
212 tn Heb “tribes” (so KJV, NASB, NCV), but the parallel passage in 1 Chr 17:6 has “judges.”
213 tn Heb “whom I commanded to shepherd” (so NIV, NRSV).
214 tn Heb “and from after the sheep.”
215 tn Heb “cut off.”
216 tn Heb “and I will make for you a great name like the name of the great ones who are in the earth.”
217 tn Heb “plant.”
218 tn Heb “shaken.”
219 tn Heb “the sons of violence.”
220 tn Or “rest.”
221 tn In the Hebrew text the verb is apparently perfect with vav consecutive, which would normally suggest a future sense (“he will declare”; so the LXX, ἀπαγγελεῖ [apangelei]). But the context seems instead to call for a present or past nuance (“he declares” or “he has declared”). The synoptic passage in 1 Chr 17:10 has וָאַגִּד (va’aggid, “and I declared”). The construction used in 2 Sam 7:11 highlights this important statement.
222 tn Heb “the
223 tn Heb “house,” but used here in a metaphorical sense, referring to a royal dynasty. Here the
224 tn Heb, “when your days are full and you lie down with your ancestors.”
225 tn Heb “your seed after you who comes out from your insides.”
226 tn Heb “and I will establish the throne of his kingdom permanently.”
227 tc Heb “before you.” A few medieval Hebrew
228 tn Heb “throne.”
229 tn Heb “according to all these words and according to all this revelation, so Nathan said to David.”
230 tn Heb “house.”
231 tn Heb “and this was small in your eyes, O
232 tn Heb “and this [is] the law of man”; KJV “is this the manner of man, O Lord God?”; NAB “this too you have shown to man”; NRSV “May this be instruction for the people, O Lord God!” This part of the verse is very enigmatic; no completely satisfying solution has yet been suggested. The present translation tries to make sense of the MT by understanding the phrase as a question that underscores the uniqueness of God’s dealings with David as described here. The parallel passage in 1 Chr 17:17 reads differently (see the note there).
233 tn Heb “and you know your servant.” The verb here refers to recognizing another in a special way and giving them special treatment (see 1 Chr 17:18). Some English versions take this to refer to the Lord’s knowledge of David himself: CEV “you know my thoughts”; NLT “know what I am really like.”
234 tn Heb “for the sake of your word and according to your heart.”
235 tn Heb “to make known, your servant.”
236 tn Heb “in all which we heard with our ears.” The phrase translated “in all” בְּכֹל (bÿkhol) should probably be emended to “according to all” כְּכֹל (kÿkhol).
237 tn Heb “a nation, one.”
238 tn Heb “whose God” or “because God.” In the Hebrew text this clause is subordinated to what precedes. The clauses are separated in the translation for stylistic reasons.
239 tn The verb is plural in Hebrew, agreeing grammatically with the divine name, which is a plural of degree.
240 tn Heb “redeem.”
241 tn Heb “and to do for you [plural form] the great [thing] and awesome [things] for your land.”
242 tn Heb “from Egypt, nations and their gods.” The LXX has “nations and tents,” which reflects a mistaken metathesis of letters in אֶלֹהָיו (e’lohav, “its gods”) and אֹהָלָיו (’ohalav, “its tents”).
243 tn Heb “and you established for yourself your people Israel for yourself for a people permanently.”
244 tn Heb “and now, O
245 tn Heb “as you have spoken.”
246 tn Heb “and your name might be great permanently.” Following the imperative in v. 23b, the prefixed verbal form with vav conjunctive indicates purpose/result.
247 tn Heb “saying.” The words “as people” are supplied in the translation for clarification and stylistic reasons.
248 tn Heb “the house.” See the note on “dynastic house” in the following verse.
249 tn Heb “have uncovered the ear of.”
250 tn Heb “a house.” This maintains the wordplay from v. 11 (see the note on the word “house” there) and is continued in v. 29.
251 tn Heb “has found his heart.”
252 tn Heb “the God.” The article indicates uniqueness here.
253 tn The translation understands the prefixed verb form as a jussive, indicating David’s wish/prayer. Another option is to take the form as an imperfect and translate “your words are true.”
254 tn Heb “and you have spoken to your servant this good thing.”
255 tn Heb “house” (again later in this verse). See the note on “dynastic house” in v. 27.
256 tn Or “permanently”; cf. NLT “it is an eternal blessing.”
257 tn Heb “the bridle of one cubit.” Many English versions treat this as a place name because the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:1 reads “Gath” (which is used by NLT here). It is possible that “the bridle of one cubit” is to be understood as “the token of surrender,” referring to the Philistine’s defeat rather than a specific place (cf. TEV, CEV).
258 tn Heb “from the hand [i.e., control] of the Philistines.”
259 tn Heb “and he measured [with] two [lengths] of rope to put to death and [with] the fullness of the rope to keep alive.”
260 tn Heb “and the Moabites were servants of David, carriers of tribute.”
261 tc The LXX has ἐπιστῆσαι (episthsai, “cause to stand”). See the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:3.
262 tn Heb “hand.”
263 tn The MT does not have the name “Euphrates” in the text. It is supplied in the margin (Qere) as one of ten places where the Masoretes believed that something was “to be read although it was not written” in the text as they had received it. The ancient versions (LXX, Syriac Peshitta, Vulgate) include the word. See also the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:3.
264 tc The LXX has “one thousand chariots and seven thousand charioteers,” a reading adopted in the text of the NIV. See the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:4.
265 tn Heb “and David cut the hamstrings of all the chariot horses, and he left from them a hundred chariot horses.”
266 tn Or “delivered.”
267 tn Or “wherever he went.”
268 tc The LXX includes seventeen words (in Greek) at the end of v. 7 that are not found in the MT. The LXX addition is as follows: “And Sousakim king of Egypt took them when he came up to Jerusalem in the days of Rehoboam the son of Solomon.” This Greek reading now finds Hebrew support in 4QSama. For a reconstruction of this poorly preserved Qumran text see E. C. Ulrich, Jr., The Qumran Text of Samuel and Josephus (HSM), 45-48.
269 tn Heb “Betah” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV), but the name should probably be corrected to “Tebah.” See the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:8.
270 tn The name is spelled “Tou” in the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:9. NIV adopts the spelling “Tou” here.
271 tn Heb “Toi.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun in the translation for stylistic reasons.
272 tn The name appears as “Hadoram” in the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:10.
273 tn Heb “to ask concerning him for peace.”
274 tn Heb “and to bless him because he fought with Hadadezer and defeated him, for Hadadezer was a man of battles with Toi.”
275 tn Heb “and in his hand were items of silver and items of gold and items of bronze.”
276 tn Heb “also them King David made holy to the
277 tn Heb “with the silver and the gold that he had dedicated from.”
278 tn Heb “from.”
279 tc The present translation follows the MT; a few Hebrew
280 tn Heb “and from the plunder of.”
281 tn Heb “made a name.”
282 tn So NASB, NCV; NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT “Edomites” (see the note on “Aram” in v. 12).
283 tn The words “he defeated” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
284 tc The MT is repetitious here: “He placed in Edom garrisons; in all Edom he placed garrisons.” The Vulgate lacks “in all Edom”; most of the Greek tradition (with the exception of the Lucianic recension and the recension of Origen) and the Syriac Peshitta lack “he placed garrisons.” The MT reading appears here to be the result of a conflation of variant readings.
285 tn Heb “and David was doing what is just and fair for all his people.”
286 tn Heb “was over.”
287 tc Here Ahimelech is called “the son of Abiathar,” but NCV, CEV, and REB reverse this to conform with 1 Sam 22:20. Most recent English versions (e.g., NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT) retain the order found in the MT.
288 tc The translation follows the Syriac Peshitta, Targum, and Vulgate in reading “over,” rather than the simple conjunction that appears in MT. See also the parallel passage in 1 Chr 18:17.
289 sn That David’s sons could have been priests, in light of the fact that they were not of the priestly lineage, is strange. One must assume either (1) that the word “priest” (כֹּהֵן, kohen) during this period of time could be used in a broader sense of “chief ruler” (KJV); “chief minister” (ASV, NASB), or “royal adviser” (NIV), perhaps based on the parallel passage in 1 Chr 18:17 which has “the king’s leading officials”, or (2) that in David’s day members of the king’s family could function as a special category of “priests” (cf. NLT “priestly leaders”). The latter option seems to be the more straightforward way of understanding the word in 2 Sam 8:18.
290 sn 2 Samuel 9–20 is known as the Succession Narrative. It is a literary unit that describes David’s efforts at consolidating his own kingdom following the demise of King Saul; it also provides the transition to subsequent leadership on the part of David’s successor Solomon.
291 tn Heb “house.”
292 tn Heb “your servant.”
293 tn Heb “house.”
294 tn Heb “sent and took him.”
295 tn Heb “from.”
296 tn Heb “he fell on his face and bowed down.”
297 tn Heb “Look, your servant.”
298 tn Heb “and you will eat food over my table continually.”
299 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Mephibosheth) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
300 tn Heb “What is your servant, that you turn to a dead dog which is like me?”
301 tn Heb “work.”
302 tn The Hebrew text implies, but does not actually contain, the words “its produce” here.
303 tc The words “it will be,” though present in the MT, are absent from the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate.
304 tn Heb “and he will eat it.”
305 tn Heb “eating.”
306 tc Heb “my table.” But the first person reference to David is awkward here since the quotation of David’s words has already been concluded in v. 10; nor does the “my” refer to Ziba, since the latter part of v. 11 does not seem to be part of Ziba’s response to the king. The ancient versions are not unanimous in the way that they render the phrase. The LXX has “the table of David” (τῆς τραπέζης Δαυιδ, th" trapezh" Dauid); the Syriac Peshitta has “the table of the king” (patureh demalka’); the Vulgate has “your table” (mensam tuam). The present translation follows the LXX.
307 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
308 tn Heb “reigned in his place.”
309 tn Heb “do loyalty.”
310 tn Heb “did loyalty.”
311 tn Heb “and David sent to console him by the hand of his servants concerning his father.”
312 tn Heb “Is David honoring your father in your eyes when he sends to you ones consoling?”
313 tn Heb “Is it not to explore the city and to spy on it and to overthrow it [that] David has sent his servants to you?”
314 tn Heb “and he cut their robes in the middle unto their buttocks.”
315 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the messengers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
316 tn The words “what had happened” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
317 map For location see Map5-B2; Map6-E1; Map7-E1; Map8-E3; Map10-A2; Map11-A1.
318 tn Heb “that they were a stench [i.e., disgusting] with David.”
319 tn Heb “the Ammonites.”
320 tn Or “Arameans of Beth Rehob and Arameans of Zobah.”
321 tn Or perhaps “the men of Tob.” The ancient versions (the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate) understand the name to be “Ish-tob.” It is possible that “Ish” is dittographic and that we should read simply “Tob,” a reading adopted by a number of recent English versions.
322 tn The words “the news” and “to meet them” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarification.
323 tn Heb “and Joab saw that the face of the battle was to him before and behind and he chose from all the best in Israel and arranged to meet Aram.”
324 tn Heb “people.”
325 tn Heb “he arranged.”
326 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
327 tn Heb “if Aram is stronger than me.”
328 tn Heb “if the sons of Ammon are stronger than you.”
329 tn Heb “and the
330 tn Heb “and the army which was with him.”
331 tn Heb “and Joab returned from against the sons of Ammon and entered.”
332 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
333 tn Heb “were gathered together.”
334 tn Heb “and Hadadezer sent and brought out Aram which is.”
335 tn Heb “from beyond the River.” The name “Euphrates” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
336 tn Heb “was before them.”
337 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
338 tn Heb “horsemen” (so KJV, NASB, NCV, NRSV, NLT) but the Lucianic recension of the LXX reads “foot soldiers,” as does the parallel text in 1 Chr 19:18. Cf. NAB, NIV.
339 tn Heb “the servants of Hadadezer.”
340 tn Heb “and they served them.”
341 tc Codex Leningrad (B19A), on which BHS is based, has here “messengers” (הַמַּלְאכִים, hammal’khim), probably as the result of contamination from the occurrence of that word in v. 4. The present translation follows most Hebrew
342 tn Heb “go out.”
343 tn Heb “and his servants with him.”
344 tn Heb “all Israel.”
345 tn The disjunctive clause contrasts David’s inactivity with the army’s activity.
346 tn Heb “on the roof of the house of the king.” So also in vv. 8, 9.
347 tn The disjunctive clause highlights this observation and builds the tension of the story.
348 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the messenger) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
349 tn Heb “and David sent messengers and he took her.”
350 tn Heb “he lay with her” (so NASB, NRSV); TEV “he made love to her”; NIV, CEV, NLT “he slept with her.”
351 tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause further heightens the tension by letting the reader know that Bathsheba, having just completed her menstrual cycle, is ripe for conception. See P. K. McCarter, II Samuel (AB), 286. Since she just had her period, it will also be obvious to those close to the scene that Uriah, who has been away fighting, cannot be the father of the child.
352 tn Heb “concerning the peace of Joab and concerning the peace of the people and concerning the peace of the battle.”
353 tn Heb “and wash your feet.”
354 tn Heb “and there went out after him the gift of the king.”
355 tc The Lucianic recension of the Old Greek translation lacks the word “all.”
356 tn Heb “and lay.”
357 tn Heb “as you live and as your soul lives.”
358 tn On the chronology involved here see P. K. McCarter, II Samuel (AB), 287.
359 tn Heb “the valiant men.” This refers in context to the strongest or most valiant defenders of the city Joab and the Israelite army were besieging, so the present translation uses “the best enemy soldiers” for clarity.
360 tn Heb “some of the people from the servants of David.”
361 tn Heb “Joab sent and related to David all the matters of the battle.”
362 sn The upper millstone (Heb “millstone of riding”) refers to the heavy circular stone that was commonly rolled over a circular base in order to crush and grind such things as olives.
363 tn Heb “and came out to us.”
364 tn Heb “but we were on them.”
365 tc The translation follows the Qere (“your servants”) rather than the Kethib (“your servant”).
366 tn Heb “let not this matter be evil in your eyes.”
367 tn Heb “according to this and according to this the sword devours.”
368 tn Heb “overthrow.”
369 tn The Hebrew text does not have “with these words.” They are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
370 tn Heb “for her lord.”
371 tn Heb “David sent and gathered her to his house.”
372 tn Heb “and the thing which David had done was evil in the eyes of the
373 tc A few medieval Hebrew
374 tn Heb “him”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
375 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Nathan) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
376 tn The Hebrew text repeats “to him.”
377 tn Heb “his sons.”
378 tn The three Hebrew imperfect verbal forms in this sentence have a customary nuance; they describe past actions that were repeated or typical.
379 tn Heb “from his morsel.”
380 tn Heb “and on his chest [or perhaps, “lap”] it would lay.”
381 tn Heb “came to the rich man.” In the translation “arrived at the rich man’s home” has been used for stylistic reasons.
382 tn Heb “and he refused to take from his flock and from his herd to prepare [a meal] for.”
383 tn Heb “who had come to him” (also a second time later in this verse). The word “visit” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarity.
384 tn Heb “and prepared.”
385 tn Heb “the man doing this [is] a son of death.” See 1 Sam 20:31 for another use of this expression, which must mean “he is as good as dead” or “he deserves to die,” as 1 Sam 20:32 makes clear.
386 tc With the exception of the Lucianic recension, the Old Greek translation has here “sevenfold” rather than “fourfold,” a reading that S. R. Driver thought probably to be the original reading (S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 291). However, Exod 22:1 [21:37 HT] specifies fourfold repayment for a stolen sheep, which is consistent with 2 Sam 12:6. Some
387 tn Heb “anointed.”
388 tn Heb “and the wives of your lord into your chest [or “lap”].” The words “I put” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarification.
389 tc So the Qere; the Kethib has “his.”
390 tn Heb “to you for a wife.” This expression also occurs at the end of v. 10.
391 tn Heb “raise up against you disaster.”
392 tn Heb “house” (so NAB, NRSV); NCV, TEV, CEV “family.”
393 tn Or “friend.”
394 tn Heb “will lie with” (so NIV, NRSV); TEV “will have intercourse with”; CEV, NLT “will go to bed with.”
395 tn Heb “in the eyes of this sun.”
396 tn Heb “and before the sun.”
397 tn Heb “removed.”
398 tc The MT has here “because you have caused the enemies of the
399 tn Heb “and the
400 tn Heb “sought” or “searched for.”
401 tn Heb “and David fasted.”
402 tn The three Hebrew verbs that follow in this verse are perfects with prefixed vav. They may describe repeated past actions or actions which accompanied David’s praying and fasting.
403 tn Heb “to our voice.”
404 tn Heb “he will do harm.” The object is not stated in the Hebrew text. The statement may be intentionally vague, meaning that he might harm himself or them!
405 tn Heb “David.” The name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“he”) for stylistic reasons.
406 tc For the MT בַּעֲבוּר (ba’avur, “for the sake of”) we should probably read בְּעוֹד (bÿ’od, “while”). See the Lucianic Greek recension, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Targum.
407 tn Heb “said.”
408 tn Heb “Who knows?”
409 tn Heb “and he lay with her.”
410 tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity. While some translations render the pronoun as third person plural (“they”), implying that both David and Bathsheba together named the child, it is likely that the name “Solomon,” which is related to the Hebrew word for “peace” (and may be derived from it) had special significance for David, who would have regarded the birth of a second child to Bathsheba as a confirming sign that God had forgiven his sin and was at peace with him.
411 tn Heb “him,” referring to the child.
412 sn The name Jedidiah means “loved by the
413 sn Here the narrative resumes the battle story that began in 11:1 (see 11:25). The author has interrupted that story to give the related account of David’s sin with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah. He now returns to the earlier story and brings it to a conclusion.
414 sn The expression translated the water supply of the city (Heb “the city of the waters”) apparently refers to that part of the fortified city that guarded the water supply of the entire city. Joab had already captured this part of the city, but he now defers to King David for the capture of the rest of the city. In this way the king will receive the credit for this achievement.
415 tn Heb “people.” So also in vv. 29, 31.
416 tn Part of the Greek tradition wrongly understands Hebrew מַלְכָּם (malkam, “their king”) as a proper name (“Milcom”). Some English versions follow the Greek here, rendering the phrase “the crown of Milcom” (so NRSV; cf. also NAB, CEV). TEV takes this as a reference not to the Ammonite king but to “the idol of the Ammonite god Molech.”
417 tn Heb “and its weight [was] a talent of gold.” The weight of this ornamental crown was approximately 75 lbs (34 kg). See P. K. McCarter, II Samuel (AB), 313.
418 tn Heb “brought out.”
419 tn Heb “and so he would do.”
420 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
421 tn Heb “Amnon the son of David loved her.” The following verse indicates the extreme nature of his infatuation, so the translation uses “madly in love” here.
422 tn Heb “and there was distress to Amnon so that he made himself sick.”
423 tn Heb “and he said to him.”
424 tn An more idiomatic translation might be “Why are you of all people…?”
425 tn This verb is used in the Hitpael stem only in this chapter of the Hebrew Bible. With the exception of v. 2 it describes not a real sickness but one pretended in order to entrap Tamar. The Hitpael sometimes, as here, describes the subject making oneself appear to be of a certain character. On this use of the stem, see GKC 149-50 §54.e.
426 tn Heb “in his sight.”
427 tn Heb “the cakes.”
428 tn Heb “from upon me.”
429 tc A few medieval Hebrew
430 tn Heb “lie with me” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV); NCV “come and have sexual relations with me.”
431 tn Heb “and you will be like one of the fools.”
432 tn Heb “Now.”
433 tn Heb “to her voice.”
434 tn Heb “and he humiliated her and lay with her.”
435 tn Heb “and Amnon hated her with very great hatred.”
436 tn Heb “for greater was the hatred with which he hated her than the love with which he loved her.”
437 tn Heb “No, because this great evil is [worse] than the other which you did with me, by sending me away.” Perhaps the broken syntax reflects her hysteria and outrage.
438 tn Heb “send this [one] from upon me to the outside.”
439 tn The Hebrew expression used here (כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִּים, kÿtonet passim) is found only here and in Gen 37:3, 23, 32. Hebrew פַּס (pas) can refer to the palm of the hand or the sole of the foot; here the idea is probably that of a long robe reaching to the feet and having sleeves reaching to the wrists. The notion of a “coat of many colors” (KJV, ASV “garment of divers colors”), a familiar translation for the phrase in Genesis, is based primarily on the translation adopted in the LXX χιτῶνα ποικίλον (citona poikilion) and does not have a great deal of support.
440 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Amnon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
441 tn The Hebrew verb is a perfect with nonconsecutive vav, probably indicating an action (locking the door) that complements the preceding one (pushing her out the door).
442 tn Heb “Don’t set your heart to this thing!”
443 tc The LXX and part of the Old Latin tradition include the following addition to v. 21, also included in some English versions (e.g., NAB, NRSV, CEV): “But he did not grieve the spirit of Amnon his son, because he loved him, since he was his firstborn.” Note David’s attitude toward his son Adonijah in 1 Kgs 1:6.
444 map For location see Map1-D2; Map2-D3; Map3-A2; Map4-C1.
445 tn Heb “your servant has sheepshearers.” The phrase “your servant” also occurs at the end of the verse.
446 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Absalom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
447 tc Here and in v. 27 the translation follows 4QSama ויצפר (vayyitspar, “and he pressed”) rather than the MT וַיִּפְרָץ (vayyiprats, “and he broke through”). This emended reading seems also to underlie the translations of the LXX (καὶ ἐβιάσατο, kai ebiasato), the Syriac Peshitta (we’alseh), and Vulgate (cogeret eum).
448 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
449 tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
450 tn Heb “and not.”
451 tn Heb “when good is the heart of Amnon with wine.”
452 tn Heb “and become sons of valor.”
453 tn Heb “it was placed on the mouth of Absalom.”
454 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Amnon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
455 tn Heb “behind him.”
456 tn Heb “and they lifted their voice and wept.”
457 tn Heb “with a great weeping.”
458 tc The Hebrew text leaves the word “David” to be inferred. The Syriac Peshitta and Vulgate add the word “David.” Most of the Greek tradition includes the words “King David” here.
459 tc The translation follows 4QSama in reading רוּחַ הַמֶּלֶךְ (ruakh hammelekh, “the spirit of the king”) rather than the MT דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ (david hammelekh, “David the king”). The understanding reflected in the translation above is that David, though alienated during this time from his son Absalom, still had an abiding love and concern for him. He longed for reconciliation with him. A rather different interpretation of the verse supposes that David’s interest in taking military action against Absalom grew slack with the passing of time, and this in turn enabled David’s advisers to encourage him toward reconciliation with Absalom. For the latter view, see P. K. McCarter, II Samuel (AB), 344, and cf. CEV.
460 tn Heb “was consoled over Amnon, because he was dead.”
461 tn Heb “the heart of the king was upon.” The Syriac Peshitta adds the verb ’ethre’i (“was reconciled”).
462 tn The Hebrew Hitpael verbal form here indicates pretended rather than genuine action.
463 tn Heb “these many days.”
464 tn Heb “put the words in her mouth” (so NASB, NIV).
465 tc The translation follows many medieval Hebrew
466 tn The word “me” is left to be inferred in the Hebrew text; it is present in the Syriac Peshitta and Vulgate.
467 tn Heb “What to you?”
468 tn Here and elsewhere (vv. 7, 12, 15a, 17, 19) the woman uses a term which suggests a lower level female servant. She uses the term to express her humility before the king. However, she uses a different term in vv. 15b-16. See the note at v. 15 for a discussion of the rhetorical purpose of this switch in terminology.
469 tn Heb “in exchange for the life.” The Hebrew preposition בְּ (bÿ, “in”) here is the so-called bet pretii, or bet (בְּ) of price, defining the value attached to someone or something.
470 sn My remaining coal is here metaphorical language, describing the one remaining son as her only source of lingering hope for continuing the family line.
471 tn Heb “concerning you.”
472 tn The words “in that case” are not in the Hebrew text, but may be inferred from the context. They are supplied in the translation for the sake of clarification.
473 tn Heb “let the king remember.”
474 tn Heb “of your son.”
475 tn Heb “he devises plans for the one banished from him not to be banished.”
476 tc The LXX (ὄψεταί με, opsetai me) has misunderstood the Hebrew יֵרְאֻנִי (yerÿ’uni, Piel perfect, “they have made me fearful”), taking the verb to be a form of the verb רָאָה (ra’ah, “to see”) rather than the verb יָרֵא (yare’, “to fear”). The fact that the Greek translators were working with an unvocalized Hebrew text (i.e., consonants only) made them very susceptible to this type of error.
477 tn Here and in v. 16 the woman refers to herself as the king’s אָמָה (’amah), a term that refers to a higher level female servant toward whom the master might have some obligation. Like the other term, this word expresses her humility, but it also suggests that the king might have some obligation to treat her in accordance with the principles of justice.
478 tn Or “for.”
479 tn Or “will.” The imperfect verbal form can have either an indicative or modal nuance. The use of “perhaps” in v. 15b suggests the latter here.
480 tn Heb “in order to deliver his maid.”
481 tn Heb “destroy.”
482 tn Heb “from the inheritance of God.” The expression refers to the property that was granted to her family line in the division of the land authorized by God.
483 tn Heb “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?”
484 tn Heb “to know all that is in the land.”
485 tc Many medieval Hebrew
486 tn Heb “blessed.”
487 tc The present translation reads with the Qere “your” rather than the MT “his.”
488 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
489 tn Heb “turn aside.”
490 tn Heb “turned aside.”
491 tn Heb “Like Absalom there was not a handsome man in all Israel to boast exceedingly.”
492 tn Heb “there was not in him a blemish.”
493 tn Heb “for it was heavy upon him.”
494 tn Heb “two hundred shekels.” The modern equivalent would be about three pounds (1.4 kg).
495 tn Heb “and there were born.”
496 tc The LXX adds here the following words: “And she became a wife to Rehoboam the son of Solomon and bore to him Abia.”
497 tc The LXX adds here the following words: “And the servants of Absalom burned them up. And the servants of Joab came to him, rending their garments. They said….”
498 tn The word “Joab’s” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
499 tn Heb “saying.”
500 tn Heb “he.” Joab, acting on behalf of the king, may be the implied subject.
501 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Absalom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
502 tn Heb “Absalom.” For stylistic reasons the name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation.
503 tn Heb “acquired for himself.”
504 tn Heb “to run ahead of him.”
505 tn Heb “your servant.” So also in vv. 8, 15, 21.
506 tn Heb “good and straight.”
507 tn Heb “Who will make me?”
508 tn Heb “a complaint and a judgment.” The expression is a hendiadys.
509 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Absalom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
510 tn Heb “stole the heart.”
511 tn Heb “the men.”
512 tc The MT has here “forty,” but this is presumably a scribal error for “four.” The context will not tolerate a period of forty years prior to the rebellion of Absalom. The Lucianic Greek recension (τέσσαρα ἔτη, tessara ete), the Syriac Peshitta (’arba’ sanin), and Vulgate (post quattuor autem annos) in fact have the expected reading “four years.” Most English translations follow the versions in reading “four” here, although some (e.g. KJV, ASV, NASB, NKJV), following the MT, read “forty.”
513 tn Heb “for your servant vowed a vow.” The formal court style of referring to one’s self in third person (“your servant”) has been translated here as first person for clarity.
514 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
515 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Absalom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
516 tn Heb “say.”
517 tn Heb “being invited and going naively and they did not know anything.”
518 tn Traditionally, “counselor,” but this term is more often associated with psychological counseling today, so “adviser” was used in the translation instead.
519 tn Heb “Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, the adviser of David, from his city, from Giloh, while he was sacrificing.” It is not entirely clear who (Absalom or Ahithophel) was offering the sacrifices.
520 tn Heb “the heart of the men of Israel is with Absalom.”
521 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
522 tn Heb “Arise!”
523 tn Heb “let’s flee.”
524 tn Heb “thrust.”
525 tn Heb “and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”
526 tn Heb “according to all that my lord the king will choose, behold your servants!”
527 tn Heb “and all his house.”
528 tn Heb “women, concubines.”
529 tn Heb “and they stood.”
530 tn Heb “house.”
531 tn Heb “crossing over near his hand.”
532 tn Heb “crossing over near the face of.”
533 tn The word “new” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation to make it clear that David refers to Absalom, not himself.
534 tn Heb “place.”
535 tn Heb “brothers,” but see v. 22.
536 tn Heb “loyal love and truth.” The expression is a hendiadys.
537 tn Heb “be with.”
538 tn Heb “whether for death or for life.”
539 tn Heb “your servant.”
540 tn Heb “Come and cross over.”
541 tn Heb “crossed over.”
542 tn Heb “all the little ones.”
543 tn Heb “with a great voice.”
544 tn Heb “crossing over.”
545 tn Heb “crossing near the face of.”
546 tn Heb “crossing from.”
547 tn Heb “as [is] good in his eyes.”
548 tn The Greek tradition understands the Hebrew word as an imperative (“see”). Most Greek
549 tn Heb “And Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar, two of your sons, with you.” The pronominal suffix on the last word is plural, referring to Zadok and Abiathar.
550 tn The pronoun is plural, referring to Zadok and Abiathar.
551 tc The translation follows 4QSama, part of the Greek tradition, the Syriac Peshitta, Targum, and Vulgate uldavid in reading “and to David,” rather than MT וְדָוִד (vÿdavid, “and David”). As Driver points out, the Hebrew verb הִגִּיד (higgid, “he related”) never uses the accusative for the person to whom something is told (S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 316).
552 tn Heb “said.”
553 tn Heb “cross over.”
554 tn Heb “Will not Zadok and Abiathar the priests be there with you?” The rhetorical question draws attention to the fact that Hushai will not be alone.
555 tn Heb “from the house of the king.”
556 tn Heb “and you must send by their hand to me every word which you hear.” Both of the second person verb forms are plural with Zadok, Abiathar, and Hushai being the understood subjects.