2 Samuel 2:22

2:22 So Abner spoke again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me! I do not want to strike you to the ground. ¹  How then could I show ²  my face in the presence of Joab your brother?”

2 Samuel 3:34

3:34 Your hands ³  were not bound,

and your feet were not put into irons.

You fell the way one falls before criminals.”

All the people ⁴  wept over him again.

2 Samuel 24:1

David Displeases the Lord by Taking a Census

24:1 The Lord’s anger again raged against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go count Israel and Judah.” ⁵ 

[2:22]  ¹ tn Heb “Why should I strike you to the ground?”

[2:22]  ² tn Heb “lift.”

[3:34]  ³ tc The translation follows many medieval Hebrew manuscripts and several ancient versions in reading “your hands,” rather than “your hand.”

[3:34]  ⁴ tc 4QSam^a lacks the words “all the people.”

[24:1]  ⁵ sn The parallel text in 1 Chr 21:1 says, “An adversary opposed Israel, inciting David to count how many warriors Israel had.” The Samuel version gives an underlying theological perspective, while the Chronicler simply describes what happened from a human perspective. The adversary in 1 Chr 21:1 is likely a human enemy, probably a nearby nation whose hostility against Israel pressured David into numbering the people so he could assess his military strength. See the note at 1 Chr 21:1.