2 Samuel 15:2

15:2 Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a complaint to bring to the king for arbitration, Absalom would call out to him, “What city are you from?” The person would answer, “I, your servant, ¹  am from one of the tribes of Israel.”

2 Samuel 18:3

18:3 But the soldiers replied, ²  “You should not do this! ³  For if we should have to make a rapid retreat, they won’t be too concerned about us. ⁴  Even if half of us should die, they won’t be too concerned about us. But you ⁵  are like ten thousand of us! So it is better if you remain in the city for support.”

2 Samuel 20:21

20:21 That’s not the way things are. There is a man from the hill country of Ephraim named Sheba son of Bicri. He has rebelled ⁶  against King David. Give me just this one man, and I will leave the city.” The woman said to Joab, “This very minute ⁷  his head will be thrown over the wall to you!”

[15:2]  ¹ tn Heb “your servant.” So also in vv. 8, 15, 21.

[18:3]  ² tn Heb “the people said.”

[18:3]  ³ tn Heb “march out.”

[18:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “they will not place to us heart.”

[18:3]  ⁵ tc The translation follows the LXX (except for the Lucianic recension), Symmachus, and Vulgate in reading אָתָּה (’atta, “you”) rather than MT עָתָּה (’atta, “now”).

[20:21]  ³ tn Heb “lifted his hand.”

[20:21]  ⁴ tn Heb “Look!”