2 Samuel 2:25

2:25 The Benjaminites formed their ranks ¹  behind Abner and were like a single army, standing at the top of a certain hill.

2 Samuel 5:14

5:14 These are the names of children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

2 Samuel 10:10

10:10 He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the army ²  and they were deployed ³  against the Ammonites.

2 Samuel 11:22

11:22 So the messenger departed. When he arrived, he informed David of all the news that Joab had sent with him.

2 Samuel 13:39

13:39 The king longed ⁴  to go to Absalom, for he had since been consoled over the death of Amnon. ⁵ 

2 Samuel 22:45

22:45 Foreigners are powerless before me; ⁶ 

when they hear of my exploits, they submit to me. ⁷ 

¹ tn Heb “were gathered together.”

² tn Heb “people.”

³ tn Heb “he arranged.”

³ tc The translation follows 4QSam^a 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.

⁴ tn Heb “was consoled over Amnon, because he was dead.”

⁴ tn For the meaning “to be weak; to be powerless” for the verb כָּחַשׁ (kakhash), see Ps 109:24. Verse 46, which also mentions foreigners, favors this interpretation. Another option is to translate “cower in fear” (see Deut 33:29; Pss 66:3; 81:15).

⁵ tn Heb “at a report of an ear they submit to me.” The report of David’s exploits is so impressive that those who hear it submit to his rulership without putting up a fight.