2 Samuel 1:5

1:5 David said to the young man ¹  who was telling him this, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” ² 

2 Samuel 1:22

1:22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of warriors,

the bow of Jonathan was not turned away.

The sword of Saul never returned ³  empty.

2 Samuel 1:26

1:26 I grieve over you, my brother Jonathan!

You were very dear to me.

Your love was more special to me than the love of women.

2 Samuel 9:1

David Finds Mephibosheth

9:1 ⁴ Then David asked, “Is anyone still left from the family ⁵  of Saul, so that I may extend kindness to him for the sake of Jonathan?”

2 Samuel 9:6

9:6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed low with his face toward the ground. ⁶  David said, “Mephibosheth?” He replied, “Yes, at your service.” ⁷ 

2 Samuel 15:27

15:27 The king said to Zadok the priest, “Are you a seer? ⁸  Go back to the city in peace! Your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan may go with you and Abiathar. ⁹ 

2 Samuel 15:36

15:36 Furthermore, their two sons are there with them, Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. You must send them to me with any information you hear.” ¹⁰ 

2 Samuel 21:13

21:13 David ¹¹  brought the bones of Saul and of Jonathan his son from there; they also gathered up the bones of those who had been executed.

[1:5]  ¹ tn In v. 2 he is called simply a “man.” The word used here in v. 5 (so also in vv. 6, 13, 15), though usually referring to a young man or servant, may in this context designate a “fighting” man, i.e., a soldier.

[1:5]  ² tc Instead of the MT “who was recounting this to him, ‘How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?’” the Syriac Peshitta reads “declare to me how Saul and his son Jonathan died.”

[1:22]  ³ tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form is used here to indicate repeated past action.

[9:1]  ⁵ sn 2 Samuel 9–20 is known as the Succession Narrative. It is a literary unit that describes David’s efforts at consolidating his own kingdom following the demise of King Saul; it also provides the transition to subsequent leadership on the part of David’s successor Solomon.

[9:1]  ⁶ tn Heb “house.”

[9:6]  ⁷ tn Heb “he fell on his face and bowed down.”

[9:6]  ⁸ tn Heb “Look, your servant.”

[15:27]  ⁹ tn The Greek tradition understands the Hebrew word as an imperative (“see”). Most Greek mss have ἴδετε (idete); the Lucianic recension has βλέπε (blepe). It could just as well be taken as a question: “Don’t you see what is happening?” The present translation takes the word as a question, with the implication that Zadok is a priest and not a prophet (i.e., “seer”) and therefore unable to know what the future holds.

[15:27]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “And Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar, two of your sons, with you.” The pronominal suffix on the last word is plural, referring to Zadok and Abiathar.

[15:36]  ¹¹ tn Heb “and you must send by their hand to me every word which you hear.” Both of the second person verb forms are plural with Zadok, Abiathar, and Hushai being the understood subjects.

[21:13]  ¹³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.