2 Samuel 18:2

18:2 David then sent out the army – a third under the leadership of Joab, a third under the leadership of Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under the leadership of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the troops, “I too will indeed march out with you.”

2 Samuel 3:3

3:3 His second son ¹  was Kileab, born to Abigail the widow ²  of Nabal the Carmelite. His third son was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur.

2 Samuel 1:2

1:2 On the third day a man arrived from the camp of Saul with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. ³  When he approached David, the man ⁴  threw himself to the ground. ⁵ 

2 Samuel 23:18

23:18 Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was head of the three. ⁶  He killed three hundred men with his spear and gained fame among the three. ⁷ 

[3:3]  ¹ tn The Hebrew text does not have the word “son.” So also in vv. 3-5.

[3:3]  ² tn Heb “wife.”

[1:2]  ¹ sn Tearing one’s clothing and throwing dirt on one’s head were outward expressions of grief in the ancient Near East, where such demonstrable reactions were a common response to tragic news.

[1:2]  ² tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man mentioned at the beginning of v. 2) has been specified in the translation to avoid confusion as to who fell to the ground.

[1:2]  ³ tn Heb “he fell to the ground and did obeisance.”

[23:18]  ¹ tc The translation follows the Qere, many medieval Hebrew mss, the LXX, and Vulgate in reading הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה (hashÿlosa, “the three”) rather than the Kethib of the MT הַשָּׁלִשִׁי (hashalisi, “the third,” or “adjutant”). Two medieval Hebrew mss and the Syriac Peshitta have “thirty.”

[23:18]  ² tn Heb “and he was wielding his spear against three hundred, [who were] slain, and to him there was a name among the three.”