2 Samuel 1:23

1:23 Saul and Jonathan were greatly loved ¹  during their lives,

and not even in their deaths were they separated.

They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.

2 Samuel 23:20

23:20 Benaiah son of Jehoida was a brave warrior ²  from Kabzeel who performed great exploits. He struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab. ³  He also went down and killed a lion in a cistern on a snowy day.

Genesis 49:9

49:9 You are a lion’s cub, Judah,

from the prey, my son, you have gone up.

He crouches and lies down like a lion;

like a lioness – who will rouse him?

Numbers 24:8-9

24:8 God brought them out of Egypt.

They have, as it were, the strength of a young bull;

they will devour hostile people ⁴ 

and will break their bones

and will pierce them through with arrows.

24:9 They crouch and lie down like a lion,

and as a lioness, ⁵  who can stir him?

Blessed is the one who blesses you,

and cursed is the one who curses you!’”

Proverbs 28:1

28:1 The wicked person flees when there is no one pursuing, ⁶ 

but the righteous person is as confident ⁷  as a lion.

[1:23]  ¹ tn Heb “beloved and dear.”

[23:20]  ² tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading חַיִל (khayil, “valor”) rather than the Kethib of the MT, חַי (khay, “life”).

[23:20]  ³ tc Heb “the two of Ariel, Moab.” The precise meaning of אריאל is uncertain; some read “warrior.” The present translation assumes that the word is a proper name and that בני, “sons of,” has accidentally dropped from the text by homoioarcton (note the preceding שׁני).

[24:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “they will devour nations,” their adversaries.

[24:9]  ⁵ tn On the usage of this word see HALOT 517 s.v. לָבִיא.

[28:1]  ⁶ sn The line portrays the insecurity of a guilty person – he flees because he has a guilty conscience, or because he is suspicious of others around him, or because he fears judgment.

[28:1]  ⁷ tn The verb בָּטַח (batakh) means “to trust; to be secure; to be confident.” Cf. KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT “bold.”