2 Samuel 1:18

1:18 (He gave instructions that the people of Judah should be taught “The Bow.” ¹  Indeed, it is written down in the Book of Yashar.) ² 

2 Samuel 3:10

3:10 namely, to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah all the way from Dan to Beer Sheba!”

2 Samuel 6:1

David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem

6:1 David again assembled ³  all the best ⁴  men in Israel, thirty thousand in number.

2 Samuel 7:23

7:23 Who is like your people, Israel, a unique nation ⁵  on the earth? Their God ⁶  went ⁷  to claim ⁸  a nation for himself and to make a name for himself! You did great and awesome acts for your land, ⁹  before your people whom you delivered for yourself from the Egyptian empire and its gods. ¹⁰ 

2 Samuel 14:32

14:32 Absalom said to Joab, “Look, I sent a message to you saying, ‘Come here so that I can send you to the king with this message: ¹¹  “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there.”’ Let me now see the face of the king. If I am at fault, let him put me to death!”

2 Samuel 17:5

17:5 But Absalom said, “Call for ¹²  Hushai the Arkite, and let’s hear what he has to say.” ¹³ 

2 Samuel 19:12

19:12 You are my brothers – my very own flesh and blood! ¹⁴  Why should you delay any further in bringing the king back?’

[1:18]  ¹ tn Heb “be taught the bow.” The reference to “the bow” is very difficult here. Some interpreters (e.g., S. R. Driver, P. K. McCarter, Jr.) suggest deleting the word from the text (cf. NAB, TEV), but there does not seem to be sufficient evidence for doing so. Others (cf. KJV) understand the reference to be elliptical, meaning “the use of the bow.” The verse would then imply that with the deaths of Saul and Jonathan having occurred, a period of trying warfare is about to begin, requiring adequate preparation for war on the part of the younger generation. Various other views may also be found in the secondary literature. However, it seems best to understand the word here to be a reference to the name of a song (i.e., “The Bow”), most likely the poem that follows in vv. 19-27 (cf. ASV, NASB, NRSV, CEV, NLT); NIV “this lament of the bow.” To make this clear the words “the song of” are supplied in the translation.

[1:18]  ² sn The Book of Yashar is a noncanonical writing no longer in existence. It is referred to here and in Josh 10:12-13 and 1 Kgs 8:12-13. It apparently was “a collection of ancient national poetry” (so BDB 449 s.v. יָשָׁר).

[6:1]  ³ tn The translation understands the verb to be a defective spelling of וַיְּאֱסֹף (vayyÿ’esof) due to quiescence of the letter א (alef). The root therefore is אסף (’sf, “to gather”). The Masoretes, however, pointed the verb as וַיֹּסֶף (vayyosef), understanding it to be a form of יָסַף (yasaf, “to add”). This does not fit the context, which calls for a verb of gathering.

[6:1]  ⁴ tn Or “chosen.”

[7:23]  ⁵ tn Heb “a nation, one.”

[7:23]  ⁶ tn Heb “whose God” or “because God.” In the Hebrew text this clause is subordinated to what precedes. The clauses are separated in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[7:23]  ⁷ tn The verb is plural in Hebrew, agreeing grammatically with the divine name, which is a plural of degree.

[7:23]  ⁸ tn Heb “redeem.”

[7:23]  ⁹ tn Heb “and to do for you [plural form] the great [thing] and awesome [things] for your land.”

[7:23]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “from Egypt, nations and their gods.” The LXX has “nations and tents,” which reflects a mistaken metathesis of letters in אֶלֹהָיו (e’lohav, “its gods”) and אֹהָלָיו (’ohalav, “its tents”).

[14:32]  ¹¹ tn Heb “saying.”

[17:5]  ¹² tc In the MT the verb is singular, but in the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate it is plural.

[17:5]  ¹³ tn Heb “what is in his mouth.”

[19:12]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “my bone and my flesh.”