2 Samuel 3:12-16

3:12 Then Abner sent messengers ¹  to David saying, “To whom does the land belong? Make an agreement ²  with me, and I will do whatever I can ³  to cause all Israel to turn to you.” 3:13 So David said, “Good! I will make an agreement with you. I ask only one thing from you. You will not see my face unless you bring Saul’s daughter Michal when you come to visit me.” ⁴ 

3:14 David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth son of Saul with this demand: ⁵  “Give me my wife Michal whom I acquired ⁶  for a hundred Philistine foreskins.” 3:15 So Ish-bosheth took her ⁷  from her husband Paltiel ⁸  son of Laish. 3:16 Her husband went along behind her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Finally Abner said to him, “Go back!” ⁹  So he returned home.

[3:12]  ¹ tn The Hebrew text adds here, “on his behalf.”

[3:12]  ² tn Heb “cut a covenant.” So also in vv. 13, 21.

[3:12]  ³ tn Heb “and behold, my hand is with you.”

[3:13]  ⁴ tn The words “when you come to see my face,” though found in the Hebrew text, are somewhat redundant given the similar expression in the earlier part of the verse. The words are absent from the Syriac Peshitta.

[3:14]  ⁵ tn Heb “to Ish-bosheth son of Saul saying.” To avoid excessive sibilance (especially when read aloud) the translation renders “saying” as “with this demand.”

[3:14]  ⁶ tn Heb “whom I betrothed to myself.”

[3:15]  ⁷ tn Heb “sent and took her.”

[3:15]  ⁸ tn In 1 Sam 25:44 this name appears as “Palti.”

[3:16]  ⁹ tn Heb “Go, return.”