Discovery Box2 Samuel 5:1-25
Context5:1 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron saying, “Look, we are your very flesh and blood! 1 5:2 In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the real leader in Israel. 2 The Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel; you will rule over Israel.’”
5:3 When all the leaders 3 of Israel came to the king at Hebron, King David made an agreement with them 4 in Hebron before the Lord. They designated 5 David as king over Israel. 5:4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign and he reigned for forty years. 5:5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem 6 he reigned for thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
5:6 Then the king and his men advanced to Jerusalem 7 against the Jebusites who lived in the land. The Jebusites 8 said to David, “You cannot invade this place! Even the blind and the lame will turn you back, saying, ‘David cannot invade this place!’”
5:7 But David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the city of David). 5:8 David said on that day, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites must approach the ‘lame’ and the ‘blind’ who are David’s enemies 9 by going through the water tunnel.” 10 For this reason it is said, “The blind and the lame cannot enter the palace.” 11
5:9 So David lived in the fortress and called it the City of David. David built all around it, from the terrace inwards. 5:10 David’s power grew steadily, for the Lord God 12 who commands armies 13 was with him. 14
5:11 King Hiram of Tyre 15 sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons. They built a palace 16 for David. 5:12 David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that he had elevated his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. 5:13 David married more concubines and wives from Jerusalem after he arrived from Hebron. Even more sons and daughters were born to David. 5:14 These are the names of children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5:15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 5:16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
5:17 When the Philistines heard that David had been designated 17 king over Israel, they all 18 went up to search for David. When David heard about it, he went down to the fortress. 5:18 Now the Philistines had arrived and spread out in the valley of Rephaim. 5:19 So David asked the Lord, “Should I march up against the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord said to David, “March up, for I will indeed 19 hand the Philistines over to you.”
5:20 So David marched against Baal Perazim and defeated them there. Then he said, “The Lord has burst out against my enemies like water bursts out.” So he called the name of that place Baal Perazim. 20 5:21 The Philistines 21 abandoned their idols 22 there, and David and his men picked them up.
5:22 The Philistines again came up and spread out in the valley of Rephaim. 5:23 So David asked the Lord what he should do. 23 This time 24 the Lord 25 said to him, “Don’t march straight up. Instead, circle around behind them and come against them opposite the trees. 26 5:24 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, act decisively. For at that moment the Lord is going before you to strike down the army 27 of the Philistines.” 5:25 David did just as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines from Gibeon all the way to Gezer. 28
2 Samuel 8:1-18
Context8:1 Later David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. David took Metheg Ammah 29 from the Philistines. 30 8:2 He defeated the Moabites. He made them lie on the ground and then used a rope to measure them off. He put two-thirds of them to death and spared the other third. 31 The Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute. 32 8:3 David defeated King Hadadezer son of Rehob of Zobah when he came to reestablish 33 his authority 34 over the Euphrates 35 River. 8:4 David seized from him 1,700 charioteers 36 and 20,000 infantrymen. David cut the hamstrings of all but a hundred of the chariot horses. 37 8:5 The Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, but David killed 22,000 of the Arameans. 8:6 David placed garrisons in the territory of the Arameans of Damascus; the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought tribute. The Lord protected 38 David wherever he campaigned. 39 8:7 David took the golden shields that belonged to Hadadezer’s servants and brought them to Jerusalem. 40 8:8 From Tebah 41 and Berothai, Hadadezer’s cities, King David took a great deal of bronze.
8:9 When King Toi 42 of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 8:10 he 43 sent his son Joram 44 to King David to extend his best wishes 45 and to pronounce a blessing on him for his victory over Hadadezer, for Toi had been at war with Hadadezer. 46 He brought with him various items made of silver, gold, and bronze. 47 8:11 King David dedicated these things to the Lord, 48 along with the dedicated silver and gold that he had taken from 49 all the nations that he had subdued, 8:12 including 50 Aram, 51 Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amelek. This also included some of the plunder taken from 52 King Hadadezer son of Rehob of Zobah.
8:13 David became famous 53 when he returned from defeating the Arameans 54 in the Valley of Salt, he defeated 55 18,000 in all. 8:14 He placed garrisons throughout Edom, 56 and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. The Lord protected David wherever he campaigned. 8:15 David reigned over all Israel; he guaranteed justice for all his people. 57
8:16 Joab son of Zeruiah was general in command of 58 the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was secretary; 8:17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar 59 were priests; Seraiah was scribe; 8:18 Benaiah son of Jehoida supervised 60 the Kerithites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests. 61
2 Samuel 10:1-19
Context10:1 Later the king of the Ammonites died and his son Hanun succeeded him. 62 10:2 David said, “I will express my loyalty 63 to Hanun son of Nahash just as his father was loyal 64 to me.” So David sent his servants with a message expressing sympathy over his father’s death. 65 When David’s servants entered the land of the Ammonites, 10:3 the Ammonite officials said to their lord Hanun, “Do you really think David is trying to honor your father by sending these messengers to express his sympathy? 66 No, David has sent his servants to you to get information about the city and spy on it so they can overthrow it!” 67
10:4 So Hanun seized David’s servants and shaved off half of each one’s beard. He cut the lower part of their robes off so that their buttocks were exposed, 68 and then sent them away. 10:5 Messengers 69 told David what had happened, 70 so he summoned them, for the men were thoroughly humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho 71 until your beards have grown again; then you may come back.”
10:6 When the Ammonites realized that David was disgusted with them, 72 they 73 sent and hired 20,000 foot soldiers from Aram Beth Rehob and Aram Zobah, 74 in addition to 1,000 men from the king of Maacah and 12,000 men from Ish-tob. 75
10:7 When David heard the news, he sent Joab and the entire army to meet them. 76 10:8 The Ammonites marched out and were deployed for battle at the entrance of the city gate, while the men from Aram Zobah, Rehob, Ish-tob, and Maacah were by themselves in the field.
10:9 When Joab saw that the battle would be fought on two fronts, he chose some of Israel’s best men and deployed them against the Arameans. 77 10:10 He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the army 78 and they were deployed 79 against the Ammonites. 10:11 Joab 80 said, “If the Arameans start to overpower me, 81 you come to my rescue. If the Ammonites start to overpower you, 82 I will come to your rescue. 10:12 Be strong! Let’s fight bravely for the sake of our people and the cities of our God! The Lord will do what he decides is best!” 83
10:13 So Joab and his men 84 marched out to do battle with the Arameans, and they fled before him. 10:14 When the Ammonites saw the Arameans flee, they fled before his brother Abishai and went into the city. Joab withdrew from fighting the Ammonites and returned to 85 Jerusalem. 86
10:15 When the Arameans realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they consolidated their forces. 87 10:16 Then Hadadezer sent for Arameans from 88 beyond the Euphrates River, 89 and they came to Helam. Shobach, the general in command of Hadadezer’s army, led them. 90
10:17 When David was informed, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, 91 and came to Helam. The Arameans deployed their forces against David and fought with him. 10:18 The Arameans fled before Israel. David killed 700 Aramean charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers. 92 He also struck down Shobach, the general in command of the army, who died there. 10:19 When all the kings who were subject to Hadadezer 93 saw they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subjects of Israel. 94 The Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.
Zechariah 12:3
Context12:3 Moreover, on that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy burden 95 for all the nations, and all who try to carry it will be seriously injured; 96 yet all the peoples of the earth will be assembled against it.
Zechariah 14:1-3
Context14:1 A day of the Lord 97 is about to come when your possessions 98 will be divided as plunder in your midst. 14:2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem 99 to wage war; the city will be taken, its houses plundered, and the women raped. Then half of the city will go into exile, but the remainder of the people will not be taken away. 100
14:3 Then the Lord will go to battle 101 and fight against those nations, just as he fought battles in ancient days. 102
Revelation 19:19-21
Context19:19 Then 103 I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to do battle with the one who rode the horse and with his army. 19:20 Now 104 the beast was seized, and along with him the false prophet who had performed the signs on his behalf 105 – signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur. 106 19:21 The 107 others were killed by the sword that extended from the mouth of the one who rode the horse, and all the birds gorged 108 themselves with their flesh.
Revelation 20:8-9
Context20:8 and will go out to deceive 109 the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, 110 to bring them together for the battle. They are as numerous as the grains of sand in the sea. 111 20:9 They 112 went up 113 on the broad plain of the earth 114 and encircled 115 the camp 116 of the saints and the beloved city, but 117 fire came down from heaven and devoured them completely. 118
[5:1] 1 tn Heb “look we are your bone and your flesh.”
[5:2] 2 tn Heb “you were the one leading out and the one leading in Israel.”
[5:3] 4 tn Heb “and the king, David, cut for them a covenant.”
[5:5] 6 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[5:6] 7 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[5:6] 8 tn The Hebrew text has “he” rather than “the Jebusites.” The referent has been specified in the translation for clarity. In the Syriac Peshitta and some
[5:8] 9 tc There is some confusion among the witnesses concerning this word. The Kethib is the Qal perfect 3cp שָׂנְאוּ (sanÿ’u, “they hated”), referring to the Jebusites’ attitude toward David. The Qere is the Qal passive participle construct plural שְׂנֻאֵי (sÿnu’e, “hated”), referring to David’s attitude toward the Jebusites. 4QSama has the Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular שָׂנְאָה (sanÿ’ah, “hated”), the subject of which would be “the soul of David.” The difference is minor and the translation adopted above works for either the Kethib or the Qere.
[5:8] 10 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term has been debated. For a survey of various views, see P. K. McCarter, II Samuel (AB), 139-40.
[5:8] 11 tn Heb “the house.” TEV takes this as a reference to the temple (“the Lord’s house”).
[5:10] 12 tc 4QSama and the LXX lack the word “God,” probably due to harmonization with the more common biblical phrase “the
[5:10] 13 tn Traditionally, “the
[5:10] 14 tn The translation assumes that the disjunctive clause is circumstantial-causal, giving the reason for David’s success.
[5:11] 15 map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[5:17] 18 tn Heb “all the Philistines.”
[5:19] 19 tn The infinitive absolute lends emphasis to the following verb.
[5:20] 20 tn The name means “Lord of the outbursts.”
[5:21] 21 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Philistines) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:21] 22 tc For “idols” the LXX and Vulgate have “gods.”
[5:23] 23 tn The words “what to do” are not in the Hebrew text.
[5:23] 24 tn The words “this time” are not in the Hebrew text.
[5:23] 25 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
[5:23] 26 tn Some translate as “balsam trees” (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV, NJB, NLT); cf. KJV, NKJV, ASV “mulberry trees”; NAB “mastic trees”; NEB, REB “aspens.” The exact identification of the type of tree or plant is uncertain.
[5:24] 27 tn Heb “camp” (so NAB).
[5:25] 28 tn Heb “from Gibeon until you enter Gezer.”
[8:1] 29 tn Heb “the bridle of one cubit.” Many English versions treat this as a place name because the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:1 reads “Gath” (which is used by NLT here). It is possible that “the bridle of one cubit” is to be understood as “the token of surrender,” referring to the Philistine’s defeat rather than a specific place (cf. TEV, CEV).
[8:1] 30 tn Heb “from the hand [i.e., control] of the Philistines.”
[8:2] 31 tn Heb “and he measured [with] two [lengths] of rope to put to death and [with] the fullness of the rope to keep alive.”
[8:2] 32 tn Heb “and the Moabites were servants of David, carriers of tribute.”
[8:3] 33 tc The LXX has ἐπιστῆσαι (episthsai, “cause to stand”). See the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:3.
[8:3] 35 tn The MT does not have the name “Euphrates” in the text. It is supplied in the margin (Qere) as one of ten places where the Masoretes believed that something was “to be read although it was not written” in the text as they had received it. The ancient versions (LXX, Syriac Peshitta, Vulgate) include the word. See also the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:3.
[8:4] 36 tc The LXX has “one thousand chariots and seven thousand charioteers,” a reading adopted in the text of the NIV. See the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:4.
[8:4] 37 tn Heb “and David cut the hamstrings of all the chariot horses, and he left from them a hundred chariot horses.”
[8:6] 39 tn Or “wherever he went.”
[8:7] 40 tc The LXX includes seventeen words (in Greek) at the end of v. 7 that are not found in the MT. The LXX addition is as follows: “And Sousakim king of Egypt took them when he came up to Jerusalem in the days of Rehoboam the son of Solomon.” This Greek reading now finds Hebrew support in 4QSama. For a reconstruction of this poorly preserved Qumran text see E. C. Ulrich, Jr., The Qumran Text of Samuel and Josephus (HSM), 45-48.
[8:8] 41 tn Heb “Betah” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV), but the name should probably be corrected to “Tebah.” See the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:8.
[8:9] 42 tn The name is spelled “Tou” in the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:9. NIV adopts the spelling “Tou” here.
[8:10] 43 tn Heb “Toi.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[8:10] 44 tn The name appears as “Hadoram” in the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:10.
[8:10] 45 tn Heb “to ask concerning him for peace.”
[8:10] 46 tn Heb “and to bless him because he fought with Hadadezer and defeated him, for Hadadezer was a man of battles with Toi.”
[8:10] 47 tn Heb “and in his hand were items of silver and items of gold and items of bronze.”
[8:11] 48 tn Heb “also them King David made holy to the
[8:11] 49 tn Heb “with the silver and the gold that he had dedicated from.”
[8:12] 51 tc The present translation follows the MT; a few Hebrew
[8:12] 52 tn Heb “and from the plunder of.”
[8:13] 53 tn Heb “made a name.”
[8:13] 54 tn So NASB, NCV; NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT “Edomites” (see the note on “Aram” in v. 12).
[8:13] 55 tn The words “he defeated” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[8:14] 56 tc The MT is repetitious here: “He placed in Edom garrisons; in all Edom he placed garrisons.” The Vulgate lacks “in all Edom”; most of the Greek tradition (with the exception of the Lucianic recension and the recension of Origen) and the Syriac Peshitta lack “he placed garrisons.” The MT reading appears here to be the result of a conflation of variant readings.
[8:15] 57 tn Heb “and David was doing what is just and fair for all his people.”
[8:17] 59 tc Here Ahimelech is called “the son of Abiathar,” but NCV, CEV, and REB reverse this to conform with 1 Sam 22:20. Most recent English versions (e.g., NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT) retain the order found in the MT.
[8:18] 60 tc The translation follows the Syriac Peshitta, Targum, and Vulgate in reading “over,” rather than the simple conjunction that appears in MT. See also the parallel passage in 1 Chr 18:17.
[8:18] 61 sn That David’s sons could have been priests, in light of the fact that they were not of the priestly lineage, is strange. One must assume either (1) that the word “priest” (כֹּהֵן, kohen) during this period of time could be used in a broader sense of “chief ruler” (KJV); “chief minister” (ASV, NASB), or “royal adviser” (NIV), perhaps based on the parallel passage in 1 Chr 18:17 which has “the king’s leading officials”, or (2) that in David’s day members of the king’s family could function as a special category of “priests” (cf. NLT “priestly leaders”). The latter option seems to be the more straightforward way of understanding the word in 2 Sam 8:18.
[10:1] 62 tn Heb “reigned in his place.”
[10:2] 63 tn Heb “do loyalty.”
[10:2] 64 tn Heb “did loyalty.”
[10:2] 65 tn Heb “and David sent to console him by the hand of his servants concerning his father.”
[10:3] 66 tn Heb “Is David honoring your father in your eyes when he sends to you ones consoling?”
[10:3] 67 tn Heb “Is it not to explore the city and to spy on it and to overthrow it [that] David has sent his servants to you?”
[10:4] 68 tn Heb “and he cut their robes in the middle unto their buttocks.”
[10:5] 69 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the messengers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[10:5] 70 tn The words “what had happened” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[10:5] 71 map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
[10:6] 72 tn Heb “that they were a stench [i.e., disgusting] with David.”
[10:6] 73 tn Heb “the Ammonites.”
[10:6] 74 tn Or “Arameans of Beth Rehob and Arameans of Zobah.”
[10:6] 75 tn Or perhaps “the men of Tob.” The ancient versions (the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate) understand the name to be “Ish-tob.” It is possible that “Ish” is dittographic and that we should read simply “Tob,” a reading adopted by a number of recent English versions.
[10:7] 76 tn The words “the news” and “to meet them” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarification.
[10:9] 77 tn Heb “and Joab saw that the face of the battle was to him before and behind and he chose from all the best in Israel and arranged to meet Aram.”
[10:10] 79 tn Heb “he arranged.”
[10:11] 80 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[10:11] 81 tn Heb “if Aram is stronger than me.”
[10:11] 82 tn Heb “if the sons of Ammon are stronger than you.”
[10:12] 83 tn Heb “and the
[10:13] 84 tn Heb “and the army which was with him.”
[10:14] 85 tn Heb “and Joab returned from against the sons of Ammon and entered.”
[10:14] 86 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[10:15] 87 tn Heb “were gathered together.”
[10:16] 88 tn Heb “and Hadadezer sent and brought out Aram which is.”
[10:16] 89 tn Heb “from beyond the River.” The name “Euphrates” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[10:16] 90 tn Heb “was before them.”
[10:17] 91 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[10:18] 92 tn Heb “horsemen” (so KJV, NASB, NCV, NRSV, NLT) but the Lucianic recension of the LXX reads “foot soldiers,” as does the parallel text in 1 Chr 19:18. Cf. NAB, NIV.
[10:19] 93 tn Heb “the servants of Hadadezer.”
[10:19] 94 tn Heb “and they served them.”
[12:3] 95 tn Heb “heavy stone” (so NRSV, TEV, NLT); KJV “burdensome stone”; NIV “an immovable rock.”
[12:3] 96 sn In Israel’s and Judah’s past they had been uprooted by various conquerors such as the Assyrians and the Babylonians. In the eschaton, however, they will be so “heavy” with God’s glory and so rooted in his promises that no nation will be able to move them.
[14:1] 97 sn The eschatological day of the
[14:1] 98 tn Heb “your plunder.” Cf. NCV “the wealth you have taken.”
[14:2] 99 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[14:2] 100 tn Heb “not be cut off from the city” (so NRSV); NAB “not be removed.”
[14:3] 101 sn The statement the
[14:3] 102 tn Heb “as he fights on a day of battle” (similar NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[19:19] 103 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
[19:20] 104 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the introduction of an unexpected development in the account: The opposing armies do not come together in battle; rather the leader of one side is captured.
[19:20] 105 tn For this meaning see BDAG 342 s.v. ἐνώπιον 4.b, “by the authority of, on behalf of Rv 13:12, 14; 19:20.”
[19:20] 106 tn Traditionally, “brimstone.”
[19:21] 107 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[19:21] 108 tn On the translation of ἐχορτάσθησαν (ecortasqhsan) BDAG 1087 s.v. χορτάζω 1.a states, “of animals, pass. in act. sense πάντα τὰ ὄρνεα ἐχορτάσθησαν ἐκ τῶν σαρκῶν αὐτῶν all the birds gorged themselves with their flesh Rv 19:21 (cp. TestJud. 21:8).”
[20:8] 110 sn The battle with Gog and Magog is described in the OT in Ezek 38:1-39:20.
[20:8] 111 tn Grk “of whom the number of them [is] like the sand of the sea” (an allusion to Isa 10:22).
[20:9] 112 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[20:9] 113 tn The shift here to past tense reflects the Greek text.
[20:9] 114 tn On the phrase “broad plain of the earth” BDAG 823 s.v. πλάτος states, “τὸ πλάτος τῆς γῆς Rv 20:9 comes fr. the OT (Da 12:2 LXX. Cp. Hab 1:6; Sir 1:3), but the sense is not clear: breadth = the broad plain of the earth is perh. meant to provide room for the countless enemies of God vs. 8, but the ‘going up’ is better suited to Satan (vs. 7) who has recently been freed, and who comes up again fr. the abyss (vs. 3).” The referent here thus appears to be a plain large enough to accommodate the numberless hoards that have drawn up for battle against the Lord Christ and his saints.
[20:9] 115 tn Or “surrounded.”
[20:9] 116 tn On the term παρεμβολή (parembolh) BDAG 775 s.v. states, “Mostly used as a military t.t.…so always in our lit.…1. a (fortified) camp…ἡ παρεμβολὴ τῶν ἁγίων Rv 20:9 is also to be understood fr. the OT use of the word.”
[20:9] 117 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[20:9] 118 tn See L&N 20.45 for the translation of κατεσθίω (katesqiw) as “to destroy utterly, to consume completely.”
