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 2:14

2:14 Abner said to Joab, “Let the soldiers get up and fight ³  before us.” Joab said, “So be it!” ⁴ 

2 Samuel 2:31

2:31 But David’s soldiers had slaughtered the Benjaminites and Abner’s men – in all, 360 men had died!

2 Samuel 3:32

3:32 So they buried Abner in Hebron. The king cried loudly ⁵  over Abner’s grave and all the people wept too.

2 Samuel 8:13

8:13 David became famous ⁶  when he returned from defeating the Arameans ⁷  in the Valley of Salt, he defeated ⁸  18,000 in all.

2 Samuel 9:1

David Finds Mephibosheth

9:1 ⁹ Then David asked, “Is anyone still left from the family ¹⁰  of Saul, so that I may extend kindness to him for the sake of Jonathan?”

2 Samuel 13:7

13:7 So David sent Tamar to the house saying, “Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare some food for him.”

2 Samuel 13:27

13:27 But when Absalom pressed him, he sent Amnon and all the king’s sons along with him.

2 Samuel 14:10

14:10 The king said, “Bring to me whoever speaks to you, and he won’t bother you again!”

2 Samuel 15:5

15:5 When someone approached to bow before him, Absalom ¹¹  would extend his hand and embrace him and kiss him.

2 Samuel 16:14

16:14 The king and all the people who were with him arrived exhausted at their destination, where David ¹²  refreshed himself.

2 Samuel 17:7

17:7 Hushai replied to Absalom, “Ahithophel’s advice is not sound this time.” ¹³ 

2 Samuel 18:21

18:21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go and tell the king what you have seen.” After bowing to Joab, the Cushite ran off.

2 Samuel 19:23

19:23 The king said to Shimei, “You won’t die.” The king vowed an oath ¹⁴  concerning this.

2 Samuel 19:29

19:29 Then the king replied to him, “Why should you continue speaking like this? You and Ziba will inherit the field together.”

2 Samuel 22:41

22:41 You make my enemies retreat; ¹⁵ 

I destroy those who hate me.

2 Samuel 23:19

23:19 From ¹⁶  the three he was given honor and he became their officer, even though he was not one of the three.

[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.”

[2:14]  ³ tn Heb “play.” What is in view here is a gladiatorial contest in which representative groups of soldiers engage in mortal combat before the watching armies. Cf. NAB “perform for us”; NASB “hold (have NRSV) a contest before us”; NLT “put on an exhibition of hand-to-hand combat.”

[2:14]  ⁴ tn Heb “let them arise.”

[3:32]  ⁵ tn Heb “lifted up his voice and wept.” The expression is a verbal hendiadys.

[8:13]  ⁷ tn Heb “made a name.”

[8:13]  ⁸ tn So NASB, NCV; NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT “Edomites” (see the note on “Aram” in v. 12).

[8:13]  ⁹ tn The words “he defeated” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[9:1]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “house.”

[15:5]  ¹¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Absalom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:14]  ¹³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:7]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “Not good is the advice which Ahithophel has advised at this time.”

[19:23]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “swore to him.”

[22:41]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “and [as for] my enemies, you give to me [the] back [or “neck” ].” The idiom “give [the] back” means “to cause [one] to turn the back and run away.” See Exod 23:27 and HALOT 888 s.v. II ערף.

[23:19]  ²¹ tn Or “more than.”