2 Samuel 1:5-6

1:5 David said to the young man ¹  who was telling him this, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” ²  1:6 The young man who was telling him this ³  said, “I just happened to be on Mount Gilboa and came across Saul leaning on his spear for support. The chariots and leaders of the horsemen were in hot pursuit of him.

2 Samuel 1:9

1:9 He said to me, ‘Stand over me and finish me off! ⁴  I’m very dizzy, ⁵  even though I’m still alive.’ ⁶ 

2 Samuel 1:16

1:16 David said to him, “Your blood be on your own head! Your own mouth has testified against you, saying ‘I have put the Lord’s anointed to death.’”

2 Samuel 2:27

2:27 Joab replied, “As surely as God lives, if you had not said this, it would have been morning before the people would have abandoned pursuit ⁷  of their brothers!”

2 Samuel 3:7

3:7 Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. Ish-bosheth ⁸  said to Abner, “Why did you have sexual relations with ⁹  my father’s concubine?” ¹⁰ 

2 Samuel 3:16

3:16 Her husband went along behind her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Finally Abner said to him, “Go back!” ¹¹  So he returned home.

2 Samuel 3:24

3:24 So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Abner ¹²  has come to you! Why would you send him away? Now he’s gone on his way! ¹³ 

2 Samuel 3:28

3:28 When David later heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord of the shed blood of Abner son of Ner!

2 Samuel 3:38

3:38 Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not realize that a great leader ¹⁴  has fallen this day in Israel?

2 Samuel 5:23

5:23 So David asked the Lord what he should do. ¹⁵  This time ¹⁶  the Lord ¹⁷  said to him, “Don’t march straight up. Instead, circle around behind them and come against them opposite the trees. ¹⁸ 

2 Samuel 7:2

7:2 The king said to Nathan the prophet, “Look! I am living in a palace made from cedar, while the ark of God sits in the middle of a tent.”

2 Samuel 7:18

David Offers a Prayer to God

7:18 King David went in, sat before the Lord, and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, ¹⁹  that you should have brought me to this point?

2 Samuel 9:1

David Finds Mephibosheth

9:1 ²⁰ Then David asked, “Is anyone still left from the family ²¹  of Saul, so that I may extend kindness to him for the sake of Jonathan?”

2 Samuel 9:9

9:9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s attendant, and said to him, “Everything that belonged to Saul and to his entire house I hereby give to your master’s grandson.

2 Samuel 10:5

10:5 Messengers ²²  told David what had happened, ²³  so he summoned them, for the men were thoroughly humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho ²⁴  until your beards have grown again; then you may come back.”

2 Samuel 10:11

10:11 Joab ²⁵  said, “If the Arameans start to overpower me, ²⁶  you come to my rescue. If the Ammonites start to overpower you, ²⁷  I will come to your rescue.

2 Samuel 11:3

11:3 So David sent someone to inquire about the woman. The messenger ²⁸  said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”

2 Samuel 11:8

11:8 Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your home and relax.” ²⁹  When Uriah left the palace, the king sent a gift to him. ³⁰ 

2 Samuel 11:12

11:12 So David said to Uriah, “Stay here another day. Tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem both that day and the following one. ³¹ 

2 Samuel 11:23

11:23 The messenger said to David, “The men overpowered us and attacked us ³²  in the field. But we forced them to retreat all the way ³³  to the door of the city gate.

2 Samuel 12:5

12:5 Then David became very angry at this man. He said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die! ³⁴ 

2 Samuel 12:19

12:19 When David saw that his servants were whispering to one another, he ³⁵  realized that the child was dead. So David asked his servants, “Is the child dead?” They replied, “Yes, he’s dead.”

2 Samuel 12:22

12:22 He replied, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept because I thought, ³⁶  ‘Perhaps ³⁷  the Lord will show pity and the child will live.

2 Samuel 12:27

12:27 Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, “I have fought against Rabbah and have captured the water supply of the city. ³⁸ 

2 Samuel 13:9

13:9 But when she took the pan and set it before him, he refused to eat. Instead Amnon said, “Get everyone out of here!” ³⁹  So everyone left. ⁴⁰ 

2 Samuel 13:15

13:15 Then Amnon greatly despised her. ⁴¹  His disdain toward her surpassed the love he had previously felt toward her. ⁴²  Amnon said to her, “Get up and leave!”

2 Samuel 13:17

13:17 He called his personal attendant and said to him, “Take this woman out of my sight ⁴³  and lock the door behind her!”

2 Samuel 13:24

13:24 Then Absalom went to the king and said, “My shearers have begun their work. ⁴⁴  Let the king and his servants go with me.”

2 Samuel 14:21

14:21 Then the king said to Joab, “All right! I ⁴⁵  will do this thing! Go and bring back the young man Absalom!

2 Samuel 14:24

14:24 But the king said, “Let him go over ⁴⁶  to his own house. He may not see my face.” So Absalom went over ⁴⁷  to his own house; he did not see the king’s face.

2 Samuel 14:31

14:31 Then Joab got up and came to Absalom’s house. He said to him, “Why did your servants set my portion of field on fire?”

2 Samuel 15:4

15:4 Absalom would then say, “If only they would make me ⁴⁸  a judge in the land! Then everyone who had a judicial complaint ⁴⁹  could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement.”

2 Samuel 15:7

15:7 After four ⁵⁰  years Absalom said to the king, “Let me go and repay my vow that I made to the Lord while I was in Hebron.

2 Samuel 15:22

15:22 So David said to Ittai, “Come along then.” ⁵¹  So Ittai the Gittite went along, ⁵²  accompanied by all his men and all the dependents ⁵³  who were with him.

2 Samuel 15:25

15:25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back to the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s sight he will bring me back and enable me to see both it and his dwelling place again.

2 Samuel 15:27

15:27 The king said to Zadok the priest, “Are you a seer? ⁵⁴  Go back to the city in peace! Your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan may go with you and Abiathar. ⁵⁵ 

2 Samuel 15:31

15:31 Now David ⁵⁶  had been told, “Ahithophel has sided with the conspirators who are with Absalom. So David prayed, ⁵⁷  “Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish, O Lord!”

2 Samuel 16:16-18

16:16 When David’s friend Hushai the Arkite came to Absalom, Hushai said to him, ⁵⁸  “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

16:17 Absalom said to Hushai, “Do you call this loyalty to your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?” 16:18 Hushai replied to Absalom, “No, I will be loyal to the one whom the Lord, these people, and all the men of Israel have chosen. ⁵⁹ 

2 Samuel 17:1

The Death of Ahithophel

17:1 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me pick out twelve thousand men. Then I will go and pursue David this very night.

2 Samuel 18:4

18:4 Then the king said to them, “I will do whatever seems best to you.”

So the king stayed beside the city gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands.

2 Samuel 18:14

18:14 Joab replied, “I will not wait around like this for you!” He took three spears in his hand and thrust them into the middle of Absalom while he was still alive in the middle of the oak tree. ⁶⁰ 

2 Samuel 18:23

18:23 But he said, ⁶¹  “Whatever happens, I want to go!” So Joab ⁶²  said to him, “Then go!” So Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Jordan plain, and he passed the Cushite.

2 Samuel 18:25

18:25 So the watchman called out and informed the king. The king said, “If he is by himself, he brings good news.” ⁶³  The runner ⁶⁴  came ever closer.

2 Samuel 18:31

18:31 Then the Cushite arrived and said, ⁶⁵  “May my lord the king now receive the good news! The Lord has vindicated you today and delivered you from the hand of all who have rebelled against you!” ⁶⁶ 

2 Samuel 19:21

19:21 Abishai son of Zeruiah replied, “For this should not Shimei be put to death? After all, he cursed the Lord’s anointed!”

2 Samuel 19:25

19:25 When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?”

2 Samuel 19:29-30

19:29 Then the king replied to him, “Why should you continue speaking like this? You and Ziba will inherit the field together.” 19:30 Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him have ⁶⁷  the whole thing! My lord the king has returned safely ⁶⁸  to his house!”

2 Samuel 19:34

19:34 Barzillai replied to the king, “How many days do I have left to my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

2 Samuel 19:38

19:38 The king replied, “Kimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever I deem appropriate. And whatever you choose, I will do for you.”

2 Samuel 20:4

20:4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together for me in three days, ⁶⁹  and you be present here with them too.”

2 Samuel 20:9

20:9 Joab said to Amasa, “How are you, my brother?” With his right hand Joab took hold of Amasa’s beard as if to greet him with a kiss.

2 Samuel 20:11

20:11 One of Joab’s soldiers who stood over Amasa said, “Whoever is for ⁷⁰  Joab and whoever is for David, follow Joab!”

2 Samuel 21:3

21:3 David said to the Gibeonites, “What can I do for you, and how can I make amends so that you will bless ⁷¹  the Lord’s inheritance?”

2 Samuel 21:6

21:6 let seven of his male descendants be turned over to us, and we will execute ⁷²  them before the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, who was the Lord’s chosen one.” ⁷³  The king replied, “I will turn them over.”

2 Samuel 21:16

21:16 Now Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, ⁷⁴  had a spear ⁷⁵  that weighed three hundred bronze shekels, ⁷⁶  and he was armed with a new weapon. ⁷⁷  He had said that he would kill David.

2 Samuel 23:17

23:17 and said, “O Lord, I will not do this! ⁷⁸  It is equivalent to the blood of the men who risked their lives by going.” ⁷⁹  So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three elite warriors. ⁸⁰ 

2 Samuel 24:14

24:14 David said to Gad, “I am very upset! I prefer that we be attacked by the Lord, for his mercy is great; I do not want to be attacked by men!” ⁸¹ 

2 Samuel 24:18

David Acquires a Threshing Floor and Constructs an Altar There

24:18 So Gad went to David that day and told him, “Go up and build an altar for the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”

2 Samuel 24:22

24:22 Araunah told David, “My lord the king may take whatever he wishes ⁸²  and offer it. Look! Here are oxen for burnt offerings, and threshing sledges ⁸³  and harnesses ⁸⁴  for wood.

[1:5]  ¹ tn In v. 2 he is called simply a “man.” The word used here in v. 5 (so also in vv. 6, 13, 15), though usually referring to a young man or servant, may in this context designate a “fighting” man, i.e., a soldier.

[1:5]  ² tc Instead of the MT “who was recounting this to him, ‘How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?’” the Syriac Peshitta reads “declare to me how Saul and his son Jonathan died.”

[1:6]  ³ tc The Syriac Peshitta and one ms of the LXX lack the words “who was telling him this” of the MT.

[1:9]  ⁴ tn As P. K. McCarter (II Samuel [AB], 59) points out, the Polel of the verb מוּת (mut, “to die”) “refers to dispatching or ‘finishing off’ someone already wounded and near death.” Cf. NLT “put me out of my misery.”

[1:9]  ⁵ tn Heb “the dizziness has seized me.” On the meaning of the Hebrew noun translated “dizziness,” see P. K. McCarter, II Samuel (AB), 59-60. The point seems to be that he is unable to kill himself because he is weak and disoriented.

[1:9]  ⁶ tn The Hebrew text here is grammatically very awkward (Heb “because all still my life in me”). Whether the broken construct phrase is due to the fact that the alleged speaker is in a confused state of mind as he is on the verge of dying, or whether the MT has sustained corruption in the transmission process, is not entirely clear. The former seems likely, although P. K. McCarter understands the MT to be the result of conflation of two shorter forms of text (P. K. McCarter, II Samuel [AB], 57, n. 9). Early translators also struggled with the verse, apparently choosing to leave part of the Hebrew text untranslated. For example, the Lucianic recension of the LXX lacks “all,” while other witnesses (namely, one medieval Hebrew ms, codices A and B of the LXX, and the Syriac Peshitta) lack “still.”

[2:27]  ⁷ tn The Hebrew verb נַעֲלָה (na’alah) used here is the Niphal perfect 3rd person masculine singular of עָלָה (’alah, “to go up”). In the Niphal this verb “is used idiomatically, of getting away from so as to abandon…especially of an army raising a siege…” (see S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 244).

[3:7]  ⁸ tc The Hebrew of the MT reads simply “and he said,” with no expressed subject for the verb. It is not likely that the text originally had no expressed subject for this verb, since the antecedent is not immediately clear from the context. We should probably restore to the Hebrew text the name “Ish-bosheth.” See a few medieval Hebrew mss, Aquila, Symmachus, Theodotion, and Vulgate. Perhaps the name was accidentally omitted by homoioarcton. Note that both the name Ishbosheth and the following preposition אֶל (’el) begin with the letter alef.

[3:7]  ⁹ tn Heb “come to”; KJV, NRSV “gone in to”; NAB “been intimate with”; NIV “sleep with.”

[3:7]  ¹⁰ sn This accusation against Abner is a very serious one, since an act of sexual infringement on the king’s harem would probably have been understood as a blatant declaration of aspirations to kingship. As such it was not merely a matter of ethical impropriety but an act of grave political significance as well.

[3:16]  ¹¹ tn Heb “Go, return.”

[3:24]  ¹² tn Heb “Look, Abner.”

[3:24]  ¹³ tc The LXX adds “in peace.”

[3:38]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “a leader and a great one.” The expression is a hendiadys.

[5:23]  ¹⁵ tn The words “what to do” are not in the Hebrew text.

[5:23]  ¹⁶ tn The words “this time” are not in the Hebrew text.

[5:23]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:23]  ¹⁸ 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.

[7:18]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “house.”

[9:1]  ²⁰ sn 2 Samuel 9–20 is known as the Succession Narrative. It is a literary unit that describes David’s efforts at consolidating his own kingdom following the demise of King Saul; it also provides the transition to subsequent leadership on the part of David’s successor Solomon.

[9:1]  ²¹ tn Heb “house.”

[10:5]  ²² tn Heb “they”; the referent (the messengers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:5]  ²³ tn The words “what had happened” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[10:5]  ²⁴ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[10:11]  ²⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:11]  ²⁶ tn Heb “if Aram is stronger than me.”

[10:11]  ²⁷ tn Heb “if the sons of Ammon are stronger than you.”

[11:3]  ²⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the messenger) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:8]  ²⁹ tn Heb “and wash your feet.”

[11:8]  ³⁰ tn Heb “and there went out after him the gift of the king.”

[11:12]  ³¹ tn On the chronology involved here see P. K. McCarter, II Samuel (AB), 287.

[11:23]  ³² tn Heb “and came out to us.”

[11:23]  ³³ tn Heb “but we were on them.”

[12:5]  ³⁴ tn Heb “the man doing this [is] a son of death.” See 1 Sam 20:31 for another use of this expression, which must mean “he is as good as dead” or “he deserves to die,” as 1 Sam 20:32 makes clear.

[12:19]  ³⁵ tn Heb “David.” The name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“he”) for stylistic reasons.

[12:22]  ³⁶ tn Heb “said.”

[12:22]  ³⁷ tn Heb “Who knows?”

[12:27]  ³⁸ sn The expression translated the water supply of the city (Heb “the city of the waters”) apparently refers to that part of the fortified city that guarded the water supply of the entire city. Joab had already captured this part of the city, but he now defers to King David for the capture of the rest of the city. In this way the king will receive the credit for this achievement.

[13:9]  ³⁹ tn Heb “from upon me.”

[13:9]  ⁴⁰ tc A few medieval Hebrew mss have “and they removed everyone” (Hiphil preterite with vav consecutive 3cp, rather than Qal preterite with vav consecutive 3cp).

[13:15]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “and Amnon hated her with very great hatred.”

[13:15]  ⁴² tn Heb “for greater was the hatred with which he hated her than the love with which he loved her.”

[13:17]  ⁴³ tn Heb “send this [one] from upon me to the outside.”

[13:24]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “your servant has sheepshearers.” The phrase “your servant” also occurs at the end of the verse.

[14:21]  ⁴⁵ tc Many medieval Hebrew mss have “you” rather than “I.”

[14:24]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “turn aside.”

[14:24]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “turned aside.”

[15:4]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “Who will make me?”

[15:4]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “a complaint and a judgment.” The expression is a hendiadys.

[15:7]  ⁵⁰ tc The MT has here “forty,” but this is presumably a scribal error for “four.” The context will not tolerate a period of forty years prior to the rebellion of Absalom. The Lucianic Greek recension (τέσσαρα ἔτη, tessara ete), the Syriac Peshitta (’arba’ sanin), and Vulgate (post quattuor autem annos) in fact have the expected reading “four years.” Most English translations follow the versions in reading “four” here, although some (e.g. KJV, ASV, NASB, NKJV), following the MT, read “forty.”

[15:22]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “Come and cross over.”

[15:22]  ⁵² tn Heb “crossed over.”

[15:22]  ⁵³ tn Heb “all the little ones.”

[15:27]  ⁵⁴ tn The Greek tradition understands the Hebrew word as an imperative (“see”). Most Greek mss have ἴδετε (idete); the Lucianic recension has βλέπε (blepe). It could just as well be taken as a question: “Don’t you see what is happening?” The present translation takes the word as a question, with the implication that Zadok is a priest and not a prophet (i.e., “seer”) and therefore unable to know what the future holds.

[15:27]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “And Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar, two of your sons, with you.” The pronominal suffix on the last word is plural, referring to Zadok and Abiathar.

[15:31]  ⁵⁶ tc The translation follows 4QSam^a, part of the Greek tradition, the Syriac Peshitta, Targum, and Vulgate uldavid in reading “and to David,” rather than MT וְדָוִד (vÿdavid, “and David”). As Driver points out, the Hebrew verb הִגִּיד (higgid, “he related”) never uses the accusative for the person to whom something is told (S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 316).

[15:31]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “said.”

[16:16]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “to Absalom.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun “him” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[16:18]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “No for with the one whom the Lord has chosen, and this people, and all the men of Israel, I will be and with him I will stay.” The translation follows the Qere and several medieval Hebrew mss in reading לוֹ (lo, “[I will be] to him”) rather than the MT לֹא (lo’, “[I will] not be”), which makes very little sense here.

[18:14]  ⁶⁰ tn There is a play on the word “heart” here that is difficult to reproduce in English. Literally the Hebrew text says “he took three spears in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the heart of the oak tree.” This figure of speech involves the use of the same word in different senses and is known as antanaclasis. It is illustrated in the familiar saying from the time of the American Revolution: “If we don’t hang together, we will all hang separately.” The present translation understands “heart” to be used somewhat figuratively for “chest” (cf. TEV, CEV), which explains why Joab’s armor bearers could still “kill” Absalom after he had been stabbed with three spears through the “heart.” Since trees do not have “chests” either, the translation uses “middle.”

[18:23]  ⁶¹ tn The words “but he said” are not in the Hebrew text. They are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[18:23]  ⁶² tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:25]  ⁶³ tn Heb “good news is in his mouth.”

[18:25]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the runner) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:31]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “And look, the Cushite came and the Cushite said.”

[18:31]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “for the Lord has vindicated you today from the hand of all those rising against you.”

[19:30]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “take.”

[19:30]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “in peace.”

[20:4]  ⁶⁹ tn The present translation follows the Masoretic accentuation, with the major mark of disjunction (i.e., the atnach) placed at the word “days.” However, some scholars have suggested moving the atnach to “Judah” a couple of words earlier. This would yield the following sense: “Three days, and you be present here with them.” The difference in meaning is slight, and the MT is acceptable as it stands.

[20:11]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “takes delight in.”

[21:3]  ⁷¹ tn After the preceding imperfect verbal form, the subordinated imperative indicates purpose/result. S. R. Driver comments, “…the imper. is used instead of the more normal voluntative, for the purpose of expressing with somewhat greater force the intention of the previous verb” (S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 350).

[21:6]  ⁷² tn The exact nature of this execution is not altogether clear. The verb יָקַע (yaqa’) basically means “to dislocate” or “alienate.” In Gen 32:26 it is used of the dislocation of Jacob’s thigh. Figuratively it can refer to the removal of an individual from a group (e.g., Jer 6:8; Ezek 23:17) or to a type of punishment the specific identity of which is uncertain (e.g., here and Num 25:4); cf. NAB “dismember them”; NIV “to be killed and exposed.”

[21:6]  ⁷³ tc The LXX reads “at Gibeon on the mountain of the Lord” (cf. 21:9). The present translation follows the MT, although a number of recent English translations follow the LXX reading here (e.g., NAB, NRSV, NLT).

[21:16]  ⁷⁴ tn This name has the definite article and may be intended to refer to a group of people rather than a single individual with this name.

[21:16]  ⁷⁵ tn This is the only occurrence of this Hebrew word in the OT. Its precise meaning is therefore somewhat uncertain. As early as the LXX the word was understood to refer to a “spear,” and this seems to be the most likely possibility. Some scholars have proposed emending the text of 2 Sam 21:16 to כוֹבַעוֹ (khova’o; “his helmet”), but in spite of the fact that the word “helmet” appears in 1 Sam 17:5, there is not much evidence for reading that word here.

[21:16]  ⁷⁶ tn Either the word “shekels” should be supplied here, or the Hebrew word מִשְׁקַל (mishqal, “weight”) right before “bronze” is a corrupted form of the word for shekel. If the latter is the case the problem probably resulted from another occurrence of the word מִשְׁקַל just four words earlier in the verse.

[21:16]  sn Three hundred bronze shekels would have weighed about 7.5 pounds (3.4 kg).

[21:16]  ⁷⁷ tn The Hebrew text reads simply “a new [thing],” prompting one to ask “A new what?” Several possibilities have been proposed to resolve the problem: perhaps a word has dropped out of the Hebrew text here; or perhaps the word “new” is the result of misreading a different, less common, word; or perhaps a word (e.g., “sword,” so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, CEV, NLT) is simply to be inferred. The translation generally follows the latter possibility, while at the same time being deliberately nonspecific (“weapon”).

[23:17]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “Far be it to me, O Lord, from doing this.”

[23:17]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “[Is it not] the blood of the men who were going with their lives?”

[23:17]  ⁸⁰ tn Heb “These things the three warriors did.”

[24:14]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “There is great distress to me. Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for great is his mercy, but into the hand of man let me not fall.”

[24:22]  ⁸² tn Heb “what is good in his eyes.”

[24:22]  ⁸³ sn Threshing sledges were heavy boards used in ancient times for loosening grain from husks. On the bottom sides of these boards sharp stones were embedded, and the boards were then dragged across the grain on a threshing floor by an ox or donkey.

[24:22]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “the equipment of the oxen.”