4:7 They had entered 1 the house while Ish-bosheth 2 was resting on his bed in his bedroom. They mortally wounded him 3 and then cut off his head. 4 Taking his head, 5 they traveled on the way of the Arabah all that night.
17:21 After the men had left, Ahimaaz and Jonathan 6 climbed out of the well. Then they left and informed King David. They advised David, “Get up and cross the stream 7 quickly, for Ahithophel has devised a plan to catch you.” 8
1 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.
2 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ish-bosheth) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
3 tn Heb “they struck him down and killed him.” The expression is a verbal hendiadys.
4 tn Heb “and they removed his head.” The Syriac Peshitta and Vulgate lack these words.
5 tc The Lucianic Greek recension lacks the words “his head.”
6 tn Heb “they”; the referents (Ahimaaz and Jonathan) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
7 tn Heb “the water.”
8 tn Heb “for thus Ahithophel has devised against you.” The expression “thus” is narrative shorthand, referring to the plan outlined by Ahithophel (see vv. 1-3). The men would surely have outlined the plan in as much detail as they had been given by the messenger.