2 Samuel 3:22-39 – Justice Vs. Revenge

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 30 Jan. 2022

vs. 21-25 Introduction

vs. 26-30 Joab’s Murderous Revenge Against Abner

vs.31-35 David’s Mourning Over Abner

vs. 36-39 Conclusion & Debrief

REVIEW

2 Samuel 3:22-39 - Side-by side comparison of versionsA

LXX

Brenton

DRB

KJV

NAW

MT

21 καὶ εἶπεν Αβεννηρ πρὸς Δαυιδ Ἀναστή­σομαι δὴ καὶ πορεύσομαι καὶ συναθροίσω πρὸς κύριόν μου τὸν βασιλέα πάντα Ισραηλ καὶ διαθή­σομαι μετὰ σοῦ διαθήκην, καὶ βασιλεύσεις ἐπὶ πᾶσιν, οἷς ἐπι­θυμεῖ ἡ ψυχή σου. καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Δαυιδ τὸν Αβεν­νηρ, καὶ ἐπορεύθη ἐν εἰρήνῃ. --

21 And Abenner said to David, I will arise now, and go, and gather to my lord the king all Israel; and I will make with him a covenant, and thou shalt reign over all whom thy soul desires. And David sent away Abenner, and he departed in peace.

21 And Abner said to David: I will rise X X X, that I may gather all Israel unto [thee] my lord the king, and may enter into a league with thee, and that thou mayst reign over all as thy soul desireth. Now when David had brought Abner on his way, and he was gone in peace,

21 And Abner said unto David, I will arise X and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a league with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

21 Then Abner said to David, “Please let me get up and go and assemble all Israel to my master the king, so that they will contract a covenant with you and you will reign in every respect that your soul desires.” So David commissioned Abner, and he went in peace.

21 וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְנֵר אֶל-דָּוִד אָקוּמָה וְאֵלֵכָה וְאֶקְבְּצָה אֶל-אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת-כָּל-יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִכְרְתוּ אִתְּךָ בְּרִית וּמָלַכְתָּ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר-תְּאַוֶּה נַפְשֶׁךָ וַיְּשַׁלַּח דָּוִד אֶת-אַבְנֵר וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּשָׁלוֹם:

22 καὶ ἰδοὺ οἱ παῖδες Δαυιδ καὶ Ιωαβ παρεγίνοντο ἐκ τῆς ἐξοδίας καὶ σκῦλα πολλὰ ἔφερον μετ᾿ αὐτῶν· καὶ Αβεννηρ οὐκ ἦν μετὰ Δαυιδ εἰς Χεβρων, ὅτι ἀπεστάλκει αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπεληλύθει ἐν εἰρήνῃ.

22 And, behold, the servants of David and Joab arrived from [their] expedition, and they brought much spoil with them: and Abenner was not with David in Chebron, because he had sent him away, and he had departed in peace.

22 Immediately, David's servants and Joab came, after having slain the robbers, with an exceeding great booty. And Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had [now] sent him away, and he was gone in peace.

22 And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a troop, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.

22 Then, see, David’s servicemen with Joab came from the fray, and they were bringing a bunch of loot with them. Now, Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, because he had commissioned him and he had gone in peace.

22 וְהִנֵּה עַבְדֵי דָוִד וְיוֹאָב בָּאB מֵהַגְּדוּדC וְשָׁלָל רָב עִמָּם הֵבִיאוּ וְאַבְנֵר אֵינֶנּוּ עִם-דָּוִד בְּחֶבְרוֹן כִּי שִׁלְּחוֹ וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּשָׁלוֹם:

23 καὶ Ιωαβ καὶ πᾶσα ἡ στρατιὰ αὐτοῦ ἤχθησαν, καὶ ἀπηγγέλη τῷ Ιωαβ λέγοντες Ἥκει Αβεννηρ υἱὸς Νηρ πρὸς Δαυιδ, καὶ ἀπέσταλκεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἐν εἰρήνῃ.

23 And Joab and all his army came, and it was reported to Joab, saying, Abenner the son of Ner is come to David, and [DavidD] has let him go, and he has departed in peace.

23 And Joab and all the army that was with him, came [afterwards]: and it was told Joab X, that Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.

23 When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, X they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.

23 But when Joab and all the army that was with him came, {it was} communicated to Joab saying, “Abner son of Ner came to {David}, and he commissioned him, so he went in peace.”

23 וְיוֹאָב וְכָל- הַצָּבָא אֲשֶׁר-אִתּוֹ בָּאוּ וַיַּגִּדוּE לְיוֹאָב לֵאמֹר בָּא-אַבְנֵר בֶּן-נֵר אֶל-הַמֶּלֶךְF וַיְשַׁלְּחֵהוּ וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּשָׁלוֹם:

24 καὶ [εἰσ]ῆλθεν Ιωαβ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ εἶπεν Τί [τοῦτο] ἐποίησας; ἰδοὺ ἦλθεν Αβεννηρ πρὸς σέ, [καὶ] ἵνα τί X ἐξαπέσταλ­κας αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπελήλυθεν ἐν εἰρήνῃ;

24 And Joab went [in] to the king, and said, What is [this] that thou hast done? behold, Abenner came to thee; [and] why X hast thou let him go, and he has departed in peace?

24 And Joab went in to the king, and said: What hast thou done? Behold Abner came to thee: Why X didst thou send him away, and he is gone [and] departed?

24 Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone?

24 Then Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done?! See, Abner came to you; why is this, that you commissioned him and he went [and] got away?

24 וַיָּבֹא יוֹאָב אֶל-הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר מֶה עָשִׂיתָה הִנֵּהG-בָא אַבְנֵר אֵלֶיךָ לָמָּה-זֶּה שִׁלַּחְתּוֹ וַיֵּלֶךְ הָלוֹךְ:

25[οὐκ] οἶδας [τὴν κακίαν] Αβεννηρ υἱοῦ Νηρ, ὅτι ἀπατῆ­σαί σε παρεγέν­ετο καὶ γνῶναι τὴν ἔξοδόν σου καὶ τὴν εἴσοδόνX σου καὶ γνῶναι ἅπαντα, ὅσα σὺ ποιεῖς;

25 Knowest thou [not the mischief of] Abenner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy comingX in, and to know all things that thou doest?

25 Knowest thou [not] Abner the son of Ner, that [to this end] he came [to thee], that he might deceive thee, and to know thy going out, and thy com­ingX in, and to know all thou dost?

25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy comingX in, and to know all that thou doest.

25 {Don’t} you know Abner son of Ner? Really, it was in order to infiltrate you that he came, and to know your deployment and your movements and to know all that you are doing!”

25 Hיָדַעְתָּ אֶת- אַבְנֵר בֶּן-נֵרI כִּי Jלְפַתֹּתְךָ בָּא וְלָדַעַת אֶת- מוֹצָאֲךָ וְאֶת- מִבוֹאֶךָK וְלָדַעַת אֵת כָּל-אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עֹשֶׂה:

26 καὶ ἀνέστρεψεν Ιωαβ ἀπὸ τοῦ Δαυιδ καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἀγγέλους ὀπίσω Αβεννηρ, καὶ ἐπιστρέφουσιν αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ φρέατος τοῦ Σεϊραμ· καὶ Δαυιδ οὐκ ᾔδει.

26 And Joab returned from David, and sent messengers [toL] Abenner after him; and they bring him back from the well of Seiram: but David knew it not.

26 Then Joab going out from David, X sent messengers after Abner, and brought him back from the cistern of Sira, X David knowing no[thing] of it.

26 And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not.

26 Then Joab went out from being with David and sent messengers after Abner, and they got him to come back from the well of Sirah, but David wasn’t aware.

26 וַיֵּצֵא יוֹאָב מֵעִם דָּוִד וַיִּשְׁלַח מַלְאָכִים אַחֲרֵי אַבְנֵר וַיָּשִׁבוּ אֹתוֹ מִבּוֹר הַסִּרָה וְדָוִד לֹא יָדָע:

27 καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν Αβεννηρ [εἰς] Χεβρων, καὶ ἐξέκλινεν αὐτὸν Ιωαβ ἐκ πλαγίων τῆς πύλης λαλῆσαι πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐνεδρεύων καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ [ἐπὶ] τὴν ψόαν, καὶ ἀπέθανεν ἐν τῷ αἵματι Ασαηλ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ Ιωαβ.

27 And he brought back Abenner [to] Chebron, and Joab caused him to turn aside from the {X XM} gate to speak to him, laying wait for him: and he smote him there [in] the loins, and he died for the blood of Asael the brother of Joab.

27 And when Abner was returned [to] Hebron, Joab took him aside to the middle of the gate, to speak to him treacherously: and he stabbed him there [in] the groin, and he died, in [revenge of] the blood of Asael his brother.

27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the X X gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there [under] the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

27 And when Abner returned {to} Hebron, Joab took him aside to the middle of the gateway to speak with him casually, then struck him here {through} the abdomen so that he died for murdering his brother Asahel.

27 וַיָּשָׁב אַבְנֵר חֶבְרוֹןN וַיַּטֵּהוּ יוֹאָב אֶל-תּוֹךְ הַשַּׁעַר לְדַּבֵּר אִתּוֹ בַּשֶּׁלִיO וַיַּכֵּהוּ שָׁםP הַחֹמֶשׁQ וַיָּמָת בְּדַם עֲשָׂה-אֵל אָחִיוR:

28 Καὶ ἤκουσεν Δαυιδ μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ εἶπεν Ἀθῷός εἰμι ἐγὼ καὶ ἡ βασιλεία μου ἀπὸ κυρίου ἕως αἰῶνος ἀπὸ τῶν αἱμάτων Αβεννηρ υἱοῦ Νηρ·

28 And David heard of it afterwards, and said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord even for ever of the blood of Abenner the son of Ner.

28 And when David heard of it, after [the thing was now done], he said: I, and my kingdom are innocent before the Lord for ever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner:

28 And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner:

28 Now, when David heard about it afterward he said, “I and my administration are innocent before Yahweh for ever of the murder of Abner son of Ner,

28 וַיִּשְׁמַע דָּוִד מֵאַחֲרֵי כֵן וַיֹּאמֶר נָקִי אָנֹכִי וּמַמְלַכְתִּי מֵעִם יְהוָה עַד-עוֹלָם מִדְּמֵיS אַבְנֵר בֶּן-נֵר:

29 καταντησάτω­σαν ἐπὶ κεφαλὴν Ιωαβ καὶ ἐπὶ πάντα τὸν οἶκον τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ ἐκλίποι ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου Ιωαβ γονορρυὴς καὶ λεπρὸς καὶ κρατῶν σκυτάλης καὶ πίπτων ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ καὶ ἐλασσούμενος ἄρτοις.

29 Let it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon all the house of his father; and let there not be wanting of the house of Joab one that has an issue, or a leper, or that leans on a staff, or that falls by the sword, or that wants bread.

29 And may it come upon the head of Joab, and upon all his father's house: and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue [of seed], or that is a leper, or that holdeth the distaff, or that falleth by the sword, or that wanteth bread.

29 Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let there not X fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread.

29 it shall boom­erang {onto} the head of Joab and upon everyone in his father’s house, such that there will never be severed from the house of Joab someone with a discharge and with leprosy and who has to keep a firm grip on his staff and who falls by the sword and who is short on food.”

29 יָחֻלוּ עַל- רֹאשׁT יוֹאָב וְאֶלU כָּל-בֵּית אָבִיוV וְאַלW-יִכָּרֵת מִבֵּית יוֹאָב זָבX וּמְצֹרָע וּמַחֲזִיק בַּפֶּלֶךְY וְנֹפֵל בַּחֶרֶב וַחֲסַר- לָחֶם:

30 Ιωαβ δὲ καὶ Αβεσσα ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ διεπαρετηρ­οῦντο τὸν Αβεν­νηρ ἀνθ᾿ ὧν ἐθαν­άτωσεν τὸν Ασαηλ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτῶν ἐν Γαβαων ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ. --

30 For Joab and Abessa his brother laid wait continually for Abenner, because he slew Asael their bro­ther at Gabaon in the battle.

30 So Joab and Abisai his brother slew Abner, because he had killed their brother Asael at Gabaon in the battle.

30 So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

30 Anyway, Joab and Abishai his brother had murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon during the battle.

30 וְיוֹאָב וַאֲבִישַׁי אָחִיו הָרְגוּZ לְאַבְנֵר עַל אֲשֶׁר הֵמִית אֶת-עֲשָׂהאֵל אֲחִיהֶם בְּגִבְעוֹן בַּמִּלְחָמָה: פ

31 καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ πρὸς Ιωαβ καὶ πρὸς πάντα τὸν λαὸν τὸν μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ Διαρρήξ­ατε τὰ ἱμάτια ὑμῶν καὶ περιζώ­σασθε σάκ­κους καὶ κόπτεσθε ἔμπροσθεν Αβεννηρ· καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Δαυιδ ἐπορεύετο ὀπίσω τῆς κλίνης.

31 And David said to Joab and to all the people X with him, Rend your garments, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and lament before Abenner. And king David X followed the bier.

31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him: Rend your garments, and gird yourselves with sackcloths, and mourn before [the funeral of] Abner. And king David himself X followed the bier.

31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself X followed the bier.

31 Now, David said to Joab (and to all the people who were with him), “Tear your clothes and strap on sackcloths and mourn in front of Abner!” And David the King walked behind the casket.

31 וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל-יוֹאָב וְאֶל-כָּל-הָעָם אֲשֶׁר-אִתּוֹ קִרְעוּ בִגְדֵיכֶם וְחִגְAAרוּ שַׂקִּים וְסִפְדוּ לִפְנֵי אַבְנֵר וְהַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד הֹלֵךְ אַחֲרֵי הַמִּטָּה:

32 καὶ θάπτουσιν τὸν Αβεννηρ εἰς Χεβρων· καὶ ἦρεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔκλαυσεν ἐπὶ τοῦ τάφου αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔκλαυσεν πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἐπὶ Αβεννηρ.

32 And they bury Abenner in Chebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at his tomb, and all the people wept for Abenner.

32 And when they had buried Abner in Hebron, king [David] lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner: and all the people also wept.

32 And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.

32 Then they buried Abner in Hebron while the king raised his voice and wept {over} the grave of Abner and all the people wept.

2 ABוַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֶת- אַבְנֵר בְּחֶבְרוֹן וַיִּשָּׂא הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶתAC-קוֹלוֹ וַיֵּבְךְּ אֶלAD-קֶבֶר אַבְנֵר וַיִּבְכּוּ כָּל-הָעָם:פ

33 καὶ ἐθρήνησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ Αβεννηρ καὶ εἶπεν Εἰ κατὰ τὸν θάνα­τον Ναβαλ ἀπο­θανεῖται Αβεννηρ;

33 And the king mourned over Abenner, and said, Shall Abenner die according to the death of NabalAE?

33 And the king [mourning and] lamenting over Abner, X said: Not as coward[s] are wont to die, hath Abner died.

33 And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth?

33 And the king sang a lament {over} Abner and said, “Should Abner have died like a fool dies?

33 וַיְקֹנֵן הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶלAF-אַבְנֵר וַיֹּאמַר הַכְּמוֹת נָבָל יָמוּת אַבְנֵר:

34 αἱ χεῖρές σου οὐκ ἐδέθησαν, X οἱ πόδες σου οὐκ ἐν πέδαις· [οὐ] προσήγαγεν ὡς Ναβαλ, ἐνώπιον υἱῶν ἀδικίας ἔπεσας. καὶ συνήχθη πᾶς ὁ λαὸς τοῦ κλαῦσαι αὐτόν.

34 Thy hand[s] were not bound, {andAG} thy feet were not put in fetters: one brought thee [not] near as Nabal; thou didst fall before children of iniquity 35 And all the people assembled to weep for him.

34 Thy hand[s] were not bound, nor thy feet lad­en with fetters: but as [men] fall before the children of iniquity, so didst thou fall. And all the people repeating it wept over him.

34 Thy hand[s] were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as [a man] falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him.

34 Your hand{s} were not bound, and your feet had not been attached to metal-cuffs. You fell like one who falls in front of men who are charactarized by wrong­doing!” Then all the people wept over him some more.

34 יָדֶךָAH לֹא- אֲסֻרוֹתAI וְרַגְלֶיךָ לֹא-לִנְחֻשְׁתַּיִםAJ הֻגָּשׁוּAK כִּנְפוֹל לִפְנֵיAL בְנֵי- עַוְלָהAM נָפָלְתָּ וַיֹּסִפוּ כָל-הָעָםAN לִבְכּוֹת עָלָיו:

35 καὶ ἦλθεν πᾶς ὁ λαὸς περιδειπ­νῆσαι τὸν Δαυιδ ἄρτοις ἔτι οὔσης ἡμέρας, καὶ ὤμοσεν Δαυιδ λέγων Τάδε ποιήσαι μοι ὁ θεὸς καὶ τάδε προσθείη, ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ δύῃ ὁ ἥλιος, [οὐ μὴ] γεύσωμαι ἄρτου ἢ ἀπὸ παντός τινος.

And all the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day: and David swore, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if I eat bread or any thing else before the sun goes down.

35 And when all the people came to take meat with David, while it was yet [broad] day, David swore, saying: So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread or any thing else before X sunset.

35 And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be [down].

35 Presently, all the people came to get David to eat some food while it was still day, but David took an oath saying, “May God do thus to me and do more also if, before the going-down of the sun, I taste food or any thing-else.

35 וַיָּבֹא כָל-הָעָם לְהַבְרוֹתAO אֶת- דָּוִד לֶחֶם בְּעוֹד הַיּוֹם וַיִּשָּׁבַע דָּוִד לֵאמֹר כֹּה יַעֲשֶׂה- לִּיAP אֱלֹהִים וְכֹה יֹסִיף כִּי אִם- לִפְנֵיAQ בוֹא- הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ אֶטְעַם-לֶחֶם אוֹ כָל-מְאוּמָה:

36 καὶ ἔγνω πᾶς ὁ λαός, καὶ ἤρεσεν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν X πάντα, ὅσα ἐποίησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐνώπιον X τοῦ λαοῦ X.

36 And all the people took notice, and X all things that the king did before X the people were pleasing in their sight X.

36 And all the people heard, and they were pleased X X X, and all that the king did {seem­ed goodAR} in the sight of all the people.

36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased X X them: as whatsoever the king did pleased X X all the people.

36 So all the people took note of everything that the king did in the eyes of all the people {}, and it was good in their eyes {},

36 וְכָל-הָעָם הִכִּירוּ וַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינֵיהֶם כְּכֹלAS אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּעֵינֵי כָל-הָעָם טוֹבAT:

37 καὶ ἔγνω πᾶς ὁ λαὸς καὶ πᾶς Ισραηλ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ὅτι οὐκ ἐγένετο παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως θανατῶσαι τὸν Αβεννηρ υἱὸν Νηρ.

37 So all the people and all Israel perceived in that day, that it was not of the king to slay Abenner the son of Ner.

37 And all the people, and all Israel understood that day that it was not the king's [doing], that Abner the son of Ner was slain.

37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.

37 and all the people – that is, all of Israel – understood on that day that it was not from the king to put Abner son of Ner to death.

37 וַיֵּדְעוּ כָל- הָעָם וְכָל- יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כִּי לֹא הָיְתָהAU מֵהַמֶּלֶךְ לְהָמִית אֶת- אַבְנֵר בֶּן-נֵר: פ

38 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ Οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἡγούμενος XAV μέγας πέπτωκεν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ ἐν τῷ Ισραηλ;

38 And the king said to his servants, Know ye not that a great X prince is this day fallen in Israel?

38 The king also said to his servants: Do you not know that a prince and a great man is slain this day in Israel?

38 And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?

38 Presently, the King spoke to his servants, “Don’t y’all realize, that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?

38 וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל-עֲבָדָיו הֲלוֹא תֵדְעוּ כִּי-שַׂר וְגָדוֹל נָפַל הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל:

39 καὶ [ὅτι] ἐγώ εἰμι σήμερον συγ­γενὴς καὶ καθε­σταμένοςAW [ὑπὸ] βασιλέως, οἱ δὲ ἄνδρες οὗτοι υἱοὶ Σαρουιας σκληρ­ότεροί μού εἰσιν· ἀνταποδῷ κύριος τῷ ποιοῦντι X πονηρὰ κατὰ τὴν κακίαν αὐτοῦ.

39 And [that] I am this day a mere kinsman of his, and [as it were] a subject; but these men the sons of Saruia are too hard for me: the Lord reward the evil-doer according to his wickedness.

39 But I as yet am tender, though anointed king. And these men the sons of Sarvia are too hard for me: the Lord reward him that doth evil according to his wickednessAX.

39 And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.

39 and that today I have been soft as the anointed king? But those men – the sons of Tseruiah are too hard for me; Yahweh will bring closure for the one who does the evil according to his evil.”

39 וְאָנֹכִי הַיּוֹם רַךְAY וּמָשׁוּחַAZ מֶלֶךְ וְהָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה בְּנֵי צְרוּיָה קָשִׁים מִמֶּנִּיBA יְשַׁלֵּם יְהוָה לְעֹשֵׂה הָרָעָה כְּרָעָתוֹ: פ


1Leviticus 15:2 "Speak to the children of Israel and tell them, 'In the case of a male person where there is a discharge from his body, his discharge itself is unclean.” (NAW)

2Lev. 22:4 “Each man from the offspring of Aaron, while he has leprosy or is discharging, may not partake in the holy things” (NAW)

3Numbers 5:2 "Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, everyone who has a discharge…” (NKJV)

4Tsumura offered the alternate interpretation that the man would have to do women’s work of spinning thread, this would match Prov. 31, the only other passage with these unique words.

5Willet agreed with me on this point.

62 Samuel 7:10; 1 Chronicles 17:9; Psalms 89:22; Hosea 10:9

AMy original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright restrictions have forced me to remove them from the publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB, or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different from all the other translations, I underline it. When a version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout. And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between the various editions and versions when there are more than two different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea Scroll containing 2 Samuel 3 is 4Q51Samuela, which contains fragments of vs. 1-39, and which has been dated between 50-25 B.C. Where the DSS is legible and where it agrees with the MT, the MT is colored purple. Where the DSS and/or Vulgate support the LXX with omissions or text not in the MT, I have highlighted with yellow the LXX and its translation into English, and where I have accepted that into my NAW translation, I have marked it with {pointed brackets}.

BIt appears that there is a minor grammatical error in the MT text with a plural subject and a singular verb, and the Septuagint, Syriac, and Latin, as well as some Targum and Hebrew texts have the more grammatically-correct plural. However, in many cases throughout Samuel, a singular verb referring to the action of the top-ranked leader is used along with the parenthetical addition of his followers.

CThis word is translated “troop” in the NKJV, “Band” in the NASB, and “Raiding party” in the NIV everywhere else in the books of Samuel that this Hebrew word occurs (1 Sam. 30:8, 15, 23; 2 Sam. 4:2, except for 2 Sam. 22:30, where they all converge on “troop.”) It is the same word used to describe the Amalekite raiders who spoiled Ziqlag (all the 1 Sam instances), and to describe the two divisions of Ishbosheth’s army in 2 Sam 4. It doesn’t occur anywhere else in the OT as a phrase “from the GDUD.”

DDavid’s name is not actually in the Vaticanus or LXX this second time; this is Brenton’s attempt at clarity where the text has multiple subjects being referred to as “he.”

EThe older Greek & Latin witnesses maintain a passive singular form “it was told” instead of the MT’s hiphil plural form.

FDSS reads דויד, which is also the way the LXX reads. The MT’s omission does not change the meaning, however, because context demands that the object is David regardless.

GDSS /h, but this is just a spelling variant of the same root word in the MT with no difference in meaning.

HThe LXX and Vulgate add a negative here. The DSS is obliterated here, but there is room for the extra word לא. The practical meaning in context is not really different. “Don’t you know that Abner is a snake???” “You know Abner is a snake!” This might also explain the He suffix in the ensuing word in this verse as another interrogative, creating a parallelism of two interrogative phrases in the verse.

I“Son of Ner” is not in the DSS, but it’s in all the ancient versions. Furthermore, Abner has already been introduced as “Son of Ner” in recent verses, so just referring to him as “Abner” here changes nothing. The same thing happens at the end of v.28.

JDSS adds a He prefix to this word, but this is not carried over into the ancient versions. It is puzzling whether it should be interpreted as an interogative or as a definite article or what. In either case, it wouldn’t substantially change the meaning. Also, the root meaning of PTH is “to open,” and a survey of its Piel forms throughout the OT (Exod. 22:15; Jdg. 14:15; 16:5; 2 Sam. 3:25; 1 Ki. 22:20-22; 2 Chr. 18:19-21; Ps. 78:36; Prov. 1:10; 16:29; 24:28; Jer. 20:7; Ezek. 14:9; Hos. 2:16) don’t imply so much “deception” as much as they imply infiltration in order to win over with an idea or to open up to gain entrance or gain ground in some way.

KMasoretic scribal note offers a spelling correction of‎ מוֹבָאֶךָ, which doesn’t change the meaning.

LVaticanus inserts an additional preposition προς, which is not in the LXX or the MT.

MBrenton omits the “flat/woven-part of”

NDSS adds a locative He suffix (“to/at/toward” Hebron) which doesn’t substantially change the meaning, but seems to be the reason why the LXX inserted εις and the Vulgate inserted in at this point.

OHapex Legomenon, thought to be from שׁלו / שׁלה (at rest, prosperous, quiet, at ease”)

PDSS adds a preposition du, which matches prepositions in the LXX (εις) and the Vulgate (in), as well as a couple of other Hebrew manuscripts cited by Kittel.

QThe parallelism to the account of Asahel’s death is clearly intentional:
2 Sam. 2:23 וַיַּכֵּהוּ אַבְנֵר בְּאַחֲרֵי הַחֲנִית אֶל־הַחֹמֶשׁ וַתֵּצֵא הַחֲנִית מֵאַחֲרָיו וַיִּפָּל־שָׁם וַיָּמָת
‎2 Sam. 3:27
וַיַּכֵּהוּ שָׁם הַחֹמֶשׁ וַיָּמָת ְ

RDSS whyja la?u uses a shorter form of “Asahel” and a longer form of “his brother,” but means the same thing.

SDSS instead <dw “and the blood” (singular “blood” instead of the MT and LXX plural “bloods”). Only the Lucian rescription of the LXX seems to agree with the DSS on this point. The plural form of “blood” in Hebrew seems to indicate not so much lifeblood as spilled blood through bloodshed or leakage. This “blood/bloods” is the subject of the verb which opens the next verse. The DSS (lwjy) is consistent with itself by making “fall” be singular, whereas the MT and LXX make it plural, but the meaning is no different.

Tcf. Jeremiah 23:19 "Behold, the storm of the LORD has gone forth in wrath, Even a whirling tempest; It will swirl down on the head of the wicked.” (NASB)

UDSS reads the synonymous preposition על (“upon”) also found in several Hebrew manuscripts, Seb, Syriac, Targums, and “upon” is supported by the LXX επι as well as the Latin.

VDSS reads “Joab” [bawy] instead of “his father,” but the LXX and Vulgate agree with the MT. It doesn’t really change the meaning of the curse, though.

WDSS uses a different negative which is a little more emphatic, but means basically the same thing awlw.

Xcf. Leviticus 15:2 "Speak to the children of Israel and tell them, 'In the case of a male person where there is a discharge from his body, his discharge itself is unclean.” 22:4 Each man from the offspring of Aaron, while he has leprosy or is discharging, may not partake in the holy things” (NAW) and Numbers 5:2 "Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, everyone who has a discharge…” (NKJV)

YThis noun occurs only here and Prov. 31:19, where it is translated “spindle” and is in parallel with “distaff.” BDB says it’s root meaning is to be round, so it could indicate a walking-cane. Curiously, the only place where any root form of the verb “seize” and this noun “round” occur are in Nehemiah 3, where they are repeatedly translated “repaired” and “part/section/district.”

ZDSS reads instead wu**, which is supported by the LXX using a different word from the MT (“lurked” rather than “slew”), but the Vulgate apparently agrees with the MT.

AADSS inserts an extra vav here, but it is probably just an alternate spelling with no difference in meaning.

ABThere is an unusual amount of extra space in the DSS before this word, but the other ancient manuscripts don’t indicate extra words actually present.

ACThis Direct Object indicator is not present in the DSS, but it makes no difference in meaning. It just makes more clear in the MT that “voice” is the object of the verb “he lifted.”

ADThe Septuagint, Syriac, Targums, Vulgate, and some Hebrew manuscripts and rabinnic literature instead use the approximate synonym “upon/lu/επι/super.”

AEThe LXX translators simply transliterated the Hebrew word here (which means “fool”), rather than translating it.

AFThe DSS, LXX, rabbinic literature, and some Hebrew manuscripts all substitute the approximate synonym על (“over”).

AGBrenton inserted this conjunction which is not in the Greek but is in the Hebrew.

AHMT is singular (“hand”), but the LXX, Syriac, Latin, and several Hebrew manuscripts make it plural (“hands”).

AIThe word order is a little different in the DSS in this verse, but it doesn’t change the meaning. The DSS does, however, insert the word <yqzb (“fetters”), which is not in any other witness.

AJLiterally “copper/bronze things.”

AKDSS omits the final letter in the MT, changing the verb from the MT’s plural to singular, but the “feet” are the plural subject. The LXX has a different verb (“lead”), but it is singular too.

ALThis preposition is in the LXX and Vulgate, but not in the DSS. It is implied, though, so this doesn’t make a difference in meaning.

AMThis is the first occurrence of this word in the Bible. It denotes “wrongdoing/injustice.”

ANAlthough it is in the LXX and Vulgate, the DSS strangely omits this subject. However, the presense of the word “all” suffices for the subject in the DSS without changing the meaning, since the context already mentions the presence of “the people.”

AOThis is an unusual verb for eating, found only five other places in the Bible: 2 Sam. 12:17; 13:5-6, 10; Lam. 4:10. Holliday suggested that its meaning connoted eating (or being fed) together with other people.

APDSS omits, but it’s in all the ancient versions.

AQDSS ypl probably just a shorter spelling and not a different word.

ARAdded by Douay for smooth reading in English, but not in the Latin Vulgate.

ASDSS, Syriac, and LXX omit the comparative prefix (“like/as”) which is found in the MT, and the Vulgate replaces it with “eis.”

ATThis second “good” is not in the DSS, LXX, Syriac, or Vulgate.

AUThe DSS reads a masculine form of this verb of being whereas the MT reads the feminine form. It makes no difference in meaning, though. The feminine makes clear that “David” is not the subject, but that can already be discerned from context.

AVSyriac also omits the conjunction, but it’s in the DSS, MT, and Latin.

AWOrigen rendered this instead “sporadic”

AXConsistent with the MT, the Vulgate uses the same mal root for both of these words colored greyish-yellow.

AYThis adjective was used in the Pentateuch to describe: Abraham’s veal (Gen. 18:7), Leah’s eyes (Gen. 29:17), Jacob’s children (Gen. 33:13), the hearts of militia who are too scared to fight (Deut. 20:8), a man who is constantly indulged as a connaisseur (Deut. 28:54), and a woman who is so tenderfooted she needs shoes (Deut. 28:56).

AZThere is some variation among manuscripts concerning this word “anointed,” viz. LXX, S dhl ‘n’. whzjt ‘n’ mlk’., T הדיות ומרבא למלכו

BADSS omits “too hard for me,” but it’s in the LXX and Vulgate.

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