2 Samuel 2:25

2:25 The Benjaminites formed their ranks ¹  behind Abner and were like a single army, standing at the top of a certain hill.

2 Samuel 22:42

22:42 They cry out, ²  but there is no one to help them; ³ 

they cry out to the Lord, ⁴  but he does not answer them.

2 Samuel 23:24

23:24 Included with the thirty were the following: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem, ⁵ 

[2:25]  ¹ tn Heb “were gathered together.”

[22:42]  ² tc The translation follows one medieval Hebrew ms and the ancient versions in reading the Piel יְשַׁוְּעוּ (yÿshavvÿ’u, “they cry for help”) rather than the Qal of the MT יִשְׁעוּ (yish’u, “they look about for help”). See Ps 18:41 as well.

[22:42]  ³ tn Heb “but there is no deliverer.”

[22:42]  ⁴ tn The words “they cry out” are not in the Hebrew text. This reference to the psalmists’ enemies crying out for help to the Lord suggests that the psalmist refers here to enemies within the covenant community, rather than foreigners. However, the militaristic context suggests foreign enemies are in view. Ancient Near Eastern literature indicates that defeated enemies would sometimes cry out for mercy to the god(s) of their conqueror. See R. B. Chisholm, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Psalm 18/2 Samuel 22” (Th.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1983), 271.

[23:24]  ³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.