1 Kings 2:5-9

2:5 “You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me – how he murdered two commanders of the Israelite armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. ¹  During peacetime he struck them down like he would in battle; ²  when he shed their blood as if in battle, he stained his own belt and the sandals on his feet. ³  2:6 Do to him what you think is appropriate, ⁴  but don’t let him live long and die a peaceful death. ⁵ 

2:7 “Treat fairly ⁶  the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and provide for their needs, ⁷  because they helped me ⁸  when I had to flee from your brother Absalom.

2:8 “Note well, you still have to contend with Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, ⁹  who tried to call down upon me a horrible judgment when I went to Mahanaim. ¹⁰  He came down and met me at the Jordan, and I solemnly promised ¹¹  him by the Lord, ‘I will not strike you down ¹²  with the sword.’ 2:9 But now ¹³  don’t treat him as if he were innocent. You are a wise man and you know how to handle him; ¹⁴  make sure he has a bloody death.” ¹⁵ 

[2:5]  ¹ tn Heb “what he did to the two commanders…and he killed them.”

[2:5]  ² tn Heb “he shed the blood of battle in peace.”

[2:5]  ³ tn Heb “and he shed the blood of battle when he killed which is on his waist and on his sandal[s] which are on his feet.” That is, he covered himself with guilt and his guilt was obvious to all who saw him.

[2:6]  ⁴ tn Heb “according to your wisdom.”

[2:6]  ⁵ tn Heb “and do not bring down his grey hair in peace [to] Sheol.”

[2:7]  ⁶ tn Heb “do loyalty with”; or “act faithfully toward.”

[2:7]  ⁷ tn Heb “and let them be among the ones who eat [at] your table.”

[2:7]  ⁸ tn Heb “drew near to.”

[2:8]  ⁹ tn Heb “Look, with you is Shimei….”

[2:8]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and he cursed me with a horrible curse on the day I went to Mahanaim.”

[2:8]  ¹¹ tn Or “swore an oath to.”

[2:8]  ¹² tn Heb “kill you.”

[2:9]  ¹³ tc The Lucianic recension of the Old Greek and the Vulgate have here “you” rather than “now.” The two words are homonyms in Hebrew.

[2:9]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “what you should do to him.”

[2:9]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “bring his grey hair down in blood [to] Sheol.”