2 Samuel 16:2

16:2 The king asked Ziba, “Why did you bring these things?” ¹  Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s family to ride on, the loaves of bread ²  and the summer fruit are for the attendants to eat, and the wine is for those who get exhausted in the desert.” ³ 

2 Samuel 17:14

17:14 Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite sounds better than the advice of Ahithophel.” Now the Lord had decided ⁴  to frustrate the sound advice of Ahithophel, so that the Lord could bring disaster on Absalom.

2 Samuel 20:22

20:22 Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice and they cut off Sheba’s head and threw it out to Joab. Joab ⁵  blew the trumpet, and his men ⁶  dispersed from the city, each going to his own home. ⁷  Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.

[16:2]  ¹ tn Heb “What are these to you?”

[16:2]  ² tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading וְהַלֶּחֶם (vÿhallekhem, “and the bread”) rather than וּלְהַלֶּחֶם (ulÿhallekhem, “and to the bread”) of the Kethib. The syntax of the MT is confused here by the needless repetition of the preposition, probably taken from the preceding word.

[16:2]  ³ tn The Hebrew text adds “to drink.”

[17:14]  ⁴ tn Heb “commanded.”

[20:22]  ⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:22]  ⁶ tn Heb “they”; the referent (Joab’s men) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:22]  ⁷ tn Heb “his tents.”