11:16 So as Joab kept watch on the city, he stationed Uriah at the place where he knew the best enemy soldiers 3 were. 11:17 When the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, some of David’s soldiers 4 fell in battle. Uriah the Hittite also died.
11:18 Then Joab sent a full battle report to David. 5 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 6 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.’”
20:9 Joab said to Amasa, “How are you, my brother?” With his right hand Joab took hold of Amasa’s beard as if to greet him with a kiss. 20:10 Amasa did not protect himself from the knife in Joab’s other hand, and Joab 7 stabbed him in the abdomen, causing Amasa’s 8 intestines to spill out on the ground. There was no need to stab him again; the first blow was fatal. 9 Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bicri.
1 tn Heb “and he struck him down there [in] the stomach.”
2 tn Heb “and he [i.e., Abner] died on account of the blood of Asahel his [i.e., Joab’s] brother.”
3 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.
4 tn Heb “some of the people from the servants of David.”
5 tn Heb “Joab sent and related to David all the matters of the battle.”
6 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.
7 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
8 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Amasa) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
9 tn Heb “and he did not repeat concerning him, and he died.”