2 Samuel 8:13

8:13 David became famous ¹  when he returned from defeating the Arameans ²  in the Valley of Salt, he defeated ³  18,000 in all.

2 Samuel 23:8

David’s Warriors

23:8 These are the names of David’s warriors:

Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was head of the officers. ⁴  He killed eight hundred men with his spear in one battle. ⁵ 

2 Samuel 24:9

24:9 Joab reported the number of warriors ⁶  to the king. In Israel there were 800,000 sword-wielding warriors, and in Judah there were 500,000 soldiers.

[8:13]  ¹ tn Heb “made a name.”

[8:13]  ² tn So NASB, NCV; NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT “Edomites” (see the note on “Aram” in v. 12).

[8:13]  ³ tn The words “he defeated” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[23:8]  ⁴ tn The Hebrew word is sometimes rendered as “the three,” but BDB is probably correct in taking it to refer to military officers (BDB 1026 s.v. שְׁלִישִׁי). In that case the etymological connection of this word to the Hebrew numerical adjective for “three” can be explained as originating with a designation for the third warrior in a chariot.

[23:8]  ⁵ tc The translation follows some LXX mss (see 1 Chr 11:11 as well) in reading הוּא עוֹרֵר אֶת־חֲנִיתוֹ (hu’ ’orer ’et khanito, “he raised up his spear”) rather than the MT’s הוּא עֲדִינוֹ הָעֶצְנִי (hu’ ’adino ha’etsni [Kethib = הָעֶצְנוֹ, ha’etsno]; “Adino the Ezenite”). The emended text reads literally “he was wielding his spear against eight hundred, [who were] slain at one time.”

[24:9]  ⁷ tn Heb “and Joab gave the number of the numbering of the people.”