2 Sam. 19:16-30 Lessons from Shimei & Mephibosheth on Resolving Conflict

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 23 Oct. 2022

Omitting greyed-out text should bring delivery time down to 40 minutes.

Introduction

vs. 16-20 Shimei’s Example Of Conflict-Resolution (With Man)

vs. 21-23 David Absolves Shimei

vs. 24-28 Mephibosheth’s Example Of Reconciliation With The Messiah

vs. 29-30 David’s Response to Mephibosheth

APPLICATION

2 Samuel 19:16-30Side-by side comparison of versionsA

LXX

Brenton

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KJV

NAW

MT

16) καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ ἦλθεν ἕως τοῦ Ιορδάνου, καὶ [ἄνδρες] Ιουδα ἦλθαν εἰς Γαλγαλα τοῦ πορεύεσθαι εἰς ἀπαντὴν τοῦ βασιλέως διαβιβάσαι τὸν βασιλέα τὸν Ιορδάνην. --

15 And the king returned, and came as far as X Jordan. And [the men of] Juda came to Galgala on their way to meet the king, to cause the king to pass over Jordan.

15 And the king returned and came as far as the Jordan, and [all] Juda came as far as Galgal to X meet the king, [and] to bring him over the Jordan.

15 So the king returned, and came to X Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over X Jordan.

15 Then the king began the return and came up to the Jordan, and Judah went toward Gilgal to go call on the king in order to bring the king over the Jordan.

16 וַיָּשָׁב הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיָּבֹא עַד-הַיַּרְדֵּן וִBיהוּדָה בָּא הַגִּלְגָּלָה לָלֶכֶת לִקְרַאת הַמֶּלֶךְ לְהַעֲבִיר אֶת-הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת-הַיַּרְדֵּן:

17) καὶ ἐτάχυνεν Σεμεϊ υἱὸς Γηρα υἱοῦ τοῦ Ιεμενι X ἐκ Βαουριμ καὶ κατέβη μετὰ ἀνδρὸς Ιουδα εἰς ἀπαντὴν τοῦ βασιλέως Δαυιδ

16 And Semei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, X of Baurim, hasted and went down with the men of Juda to meet king David.

16 And Semei the son of Gera the son of Jemini X of Bahurim, made haste and went down with the men of Juda to meet king David,

16 And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.

16 And Shimei, the son of Gera the Benjamite {} from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to call upon David the King.

17 וַיְמַהֵרC שִׁמְעִי בֶן-גֵּרָא בֶּן-הַיְמִינִי אֲשֶׁרD מִבַּחוּרִים וַיֵּרֶד עִם-אִישׁ יְהוּדָה לִקְרַאת הַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד:

18) καὶ χίλιοι ἄνδρες μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐκ τοῦ Βενιαμιν καὶ Σιβα τὸ παιδάριον τοῦ οἴκου Σαουλ καὶ δέκα πέντε υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ [μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ] καὶ εἴκοσι δοῦλοι αὐτοῦ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ κατεύθυναν τὸν Ιορδάνην ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ βασιλέως

17 And a thousand men of Benjamin were with him, and Siba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons [with him], and his twenty servants with him: and they went directly down to Jordan before the king,

17 X With X a thousand men of Benjamin, and Siba the servant of the house of Saul: and his fifteen sons, and X twenty servants were with him: and going over the Jordan, 18 ... before the king,

17 And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king.

17 And a thousand men from Benjamin were with him, including Tsiba the man-servant of the house of Saul (with his 15 sons and his 20 servants with him), and they advanced across the Jordan in front of the King.

18 וְאֶלֶף אִישׁ עִמּוֹ מִבִּנְיָמִן וְצִיבָא נַעַר בֵּית שָׁאוּל וַחֲמֵשֶׁת עָשָׂר בָּנָיו וְעֶשְׂרִים עֲבָדָיו אִתּוֹ וְצָלְחוּE הַיַּרְדֵּן לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ:

19) [καὶ ἐλειτούργησαν τὴν λειτουργίαν τοῦ διαβιβάσαι τὸν βασιλέα,] καὶ διέβη ἡ διάβασις ἐξεγεῖραι τὸν οἶκον τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ εὐθὲς ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ. καὶ Σεμεϊ υἱὸς Γηρα ἔπεσεν [ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ] ἐνώπιον τοῦ βασιλέως διαβαίνοντος αὐτοῦ X τὸν Ιορδάνην

18 [Fand they performed the service of bringing the king over;] and there went over a ferry-boat to remove the household of the king, and to do that which was right in his eyes. And Semei the son of Gera fell [on his face] before the king, as he went over X X Jordan;

18 X They passed the ford[s before the king], that they might help over the king's household, and do X X according to his commandment. And Semei the son of Gera falling down before the king, when he was come over X the Jordan,

18 And there went over a ferry [boat] to carry over the king's household, and to do what X he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over X X Jordan;

18 And when the ferry began crossing over to bring the King’s household over (and to do whatever was good in his eyes), Shimei, son of Gera, dropped down in front of the king while he was crossing over in the Jordan,

19 וְעָבְרָהG הָעֲבָרָהH לַעֲבִיר אֶת-בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ וְלַעֲשׂוֹת הַטּוֹב בְּעַיְנוֹI וְשִׁמְעִי בֶן-גֵּרָא נָפַל לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּעָבְרוֹ בַּיַּרְדֵּן:

20) καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Μὴ διαλογισάσθω ὁ κύριός μου ἀνομίαν καὶ μὴ μνησθῇς ὅσα ἠδίκησεν ὁ παῖς σου ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, ᾗ ὁ κύριός μου ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐξεπορεύετο ἐξ Ιερουσαλημ, τοῦ θέσθαι τὸν βασιλέα εἰς τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ,

19 and said to the king, Let not my lord [nowJ] impute iniquity, and remember not allK the iniquity of thy servant in the day in which my lord X XL went out from Jerusalem, so that the king should mind it X X XM.

19 Said to him X: Impute not to me, my lord, [the] iniquity, nor remember X the injuries of thy servant on the day that thou, my lord, the king, wentest out of Jerusalem, nor lay it up in thy heart, O king.

19 And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely X the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusa­lem, that the king should take it to his heart.

19 and he said to the king, “Don’t reckon iniquity to me, my master, and don’t remember how your servant produced iniquity on that day when my master the King went out from Jerusalem, for the king to harbor in his heart,

20 וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל-הַמֶּלֶךְ אַל- יַחֲשָׁב-לִי אֲדֹנִי עָוֹן וְאַל-תִּזְכֹּר אֵת אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱוָה עַבְדְּךָ בַּיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר-יָצָא אֲדֹנִי-הַמֶּלֶךְ מִירוּשָׁלִָם לָשׂוּם הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל-לִבּוֹ:

21) ὅτι ἔγνω ὁ δοῦλός σου ὅτι ἐγὼ ἥμαρτον, καὶ ἰδοὺ [ἐγὼ] ἦλθον σήμερον πρότερος παντὸς οἴκου Ιωσηφ τοῦ καταβῆναι εἰς ἀπαντὴν τοῦ κυρίου μου τοῦ βασιλέως.

20 For thy servant knows that I have sinned: and, behold, I am come to-day before all [Israel andN] the house of Joseph, to go down and meet my lord the king.

20 For I thy servant acknowledge X my sin: and therefore I am come this day the first of all the house of Joseph, and am come down to meet my lord the king.

20 For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.

20 for I, your servant, know that I have sinned. Now see, today I have come, the first of all the household of Joseph, to come down in order to call upon my master the king.”

21 כִּי יָדַע עַבְדְּךָ כִּי אֲנִי חָטָאתִי וְהִנֵּה- בָאתִי הַיּוֹם רִאשׁוֹן לְכָל-בֵּית יוֹסֵףO לָרֶדֶת לִקְרַאת אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ: ס

22) καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Αβεσσα υἱὸς Σαρουιας καὶ εἶπεν Μὴ ἀντὶ τούτου οὐ θανατωθήσεται Σεμεϊ, ὅτι κατηράσατο τὸν χριστὸν κυρίου;

21 And Abessai the son of Saruia answered and said, Shall not Semei therefore be put to death, because he cursed the Lord's anointed?

21 But Abisai the son of Sarvia answering, X said: Shall Semei for these [words] not be put to death, because he cursed the Lord's anointed?

21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD'S anointed?

21 Then Abishai, son of Tseruiah responded and said, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death over this? For he made light of Yahweh’s anointed one!”

22 וַיַּעַן אֲבִישַׁי בֶּן-צְרוּיָה וַיֹּאמֶר הֲתַחַת זֹאת לֹא יוּמַת שִׁמְעִי כִּי קִלֵּל אֶת-מְשִׁיחַ יְהוָה: ס

23) καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ Τί ἐμοὶ καὶ ὑμῖν, υἱοὶ Σαρουιας, ὅτι γίνεσθέ μοι σήμερον εἰς ἐπίβουλον; σήμερον [οὐ] θανατωθήσεταί [τιςP] ἀνὴρ ἐξ Ισραηλ, ὅτι οὐκ οἶδα εἰ σήμερον βασιλεύω ἐγὼ ἐπὶ τὸν Ισραηλ.

22 And David said, What have I to do with you, [ye] sons of Saruia, that ye as it were lie in wait against me this day? to-day [no] man in Israel shall be put to death, for I know not if I this day reign over Israel.

22 And David said: What have I to do with you, [ye] sons of Sarvia? why are you X a satanQ this day to me? shall there [any] man be killed this day in Israel? X do not I know that this day I am [made] king over Israel?

22 And David said, What have I to do with you, [ye] sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be X adversaries unto me? shall there [any] man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?

22 But David said, “What do I have in common with y’all, sons of Tseruiah, that y’all should become prosecutorial for me today? Shall a man be put to death in Israel today? Indeed, don’t I know that I am King over Israel today?”

23 וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד מַה-לִּי וְלָכֶם בְּנֵי צְרוּיָהR כִּי- תִהְיוּ-לִי הַיּוֹם לְשָׂטָן הַיּוֹםS יוּמַת אִישׁ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי הֲלוֹא יָדַעְתִּי כִּי הַיּוֹם אֲנִי-מֶלֶךְ עַל-יִשְׂרָאֵל:

24) καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς Σεμεϊ Οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃς· καὶ ὤμοσεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεύς. --

23 And the king said to Semei, Thou shalt not die: and the king swore to him.

23 And the king said to Semei: Thou shalt not die. And he swore unto him.

23 Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.

23 Then the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die,” thus the king swore to him.

24 וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל-שִׁמְעִי לֹא תָמוּת וַיִּשָּׁבַע לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ: ס

25) καὶ Μεμφιβοσθε υἱὸς [Ιωναθαν υἱοῦ] Σαουλ κατέβη εἰς ἀπαντὴν τοῦ βασιλέως· καὶ οὐκ ἐθεράπευσεν τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ [οὐδὲ ὠνυχίσατο] οὐδὲ ἐποίησεν τὸν μύστακα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔπλυνεν ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμέρας, ἧς [ἀπ]ῆλθεν ὁ βασιλεύς, ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας, ἧς αὐτὸς παρεγένετο ἐν εἰρήνῃ.

24 And Memphibosthe the son of Saul['s sonT] went down to meet the king, and had not dressed his feet, [nor pared his nails,] nor shaved himselfU, neither had he washed his garments, from the day that the king departed, until the day when he arrived in peace.

24 And Miphiboseth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and he had neither washed his feet, nor trimmed his beard: nor washed his garments from the day that the king went [out], until the day of his return in peace.

24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day X he came again in peace.

24 Mephibo­sheth, {grand-}son of Saul also came down to call upon the king. Now he had not tended to his feet nor had he tended to his facial hair, and he had not washed his clothes from the day of the king’s going until the day when he arrived in peace.

25 וּמְפִבֹשֶׁת בֶּן-שָׁאוּל יָרַד לִקְרַאת הַמֶּלֶךְ וְלֹא-עָשָׂה רַגְלָיו וְלֹא-עָשָׂה שְׂפָמוֹV וְאֶת-בְּגָדָיו לֹא כִבֵּס לְמִן-הַיּוֹם לֶכֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ עַד-הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר-בָּא בְשָׁלוֹם:

26) καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε εἰσῆλθεν εἰς Ιερουσαλημ εἰς ἀπάντησιν τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεύς Τί ὅτι οὐκ ἐπορεύθης μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ, Μεμφιβοσθε;

25 And it came to pass when he went into Jerusa­lem to meet the king, that the king said to him, Why didst thou not go with me, Memphibosthe?

25 And when he X X met the king at Jerusalem, the king said to him: Why camest thou not with me, Miphiboseth?

25 And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?

25 And it happened when Jerusalem went to call upon the king, that the king said to him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?”

26 וַיְהִי כִּי-בָא Wיְרוּשָׁלִַם לִקְרַאת הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ לָמָּה לֹא-הָלַכְתָּ עִמִּי מְפִיבֹשֶׁת:

27) καὶ εἶπεν [πρὸς αὐτὸν Μεμφιβοσθε] Κύριέ μου βασιλεῦ, ὁ δοῦλός μου παρελογίσατό με, ὅτι εἶπεν ὁ παῖς σου [αὐτῷ] Ἐπίσαξόν μοι τὴν ὄνον καὶ ἐπιβῶ ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν καὶ πορεύσομαι μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως, ὅτι χωλὸς ὁ δοῦλός σου·

26 And [Memphibosthe] said [to him], My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for thy servant said [to him], X Saddle me the ass, and I will ride upon it, and go with the king; for thy servant is lame.

26 And he [answering,] said: My lord, O king, my servant despised me: for I thy servant spoke [to him] to saddle me an ass, that I might get on X and go with the king: for [I] thy servant am lame.

26 And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy servant is lame.

26 And he said, “My master the king, my own servant deceived me, for your servant said {to him}, ‘Let me saddle the donkey for myself, then I will ride on it and go with the king,’ (for your servant is crippled).

27 וַיֹּאמַרX אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ עַבְדִּי רִמָּנִי כִּי-אָמַר עַבְדְּךָY אֶחְבְּשָׁהZ-לִּי הַחֲמוֹר וְאֶרְכַּב עָלֶיהָ וְאֵלֵךְ AAאֶת-ABהַמֶּלֶךְ כִּי פִסֵּחַ עַבְדֶּךָ:

28) καὶ μεθώδευσεν ἐν τῷ δούλῳ σου πρὸς τὸν κύριόν μου τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ ὁ κύριός μου ὁ βασιλεὺς ὡς ἄγγελος τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ ποίησον τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς σου·

27 And he has dealt deceitfully with thy servant to my lord the king: but my lord the king is as an angel of God, and do thou that which is good in thine eyes.

27 Moreover he hath [also] accused [me] thy servant to [thee], my lord the king: but thou my lord the king art as an angel of God, do what pleaseth X X thee.

27 And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes.

27 So, he went under false pretenses against your servant to my master the king. Nevertheless, my master the king is like an angel of God, so do what is good in your eyes.

28 וַיְרַגֵּל בְּעַבְדְּךָ אֶל-אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ וַאדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ כְּמַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים וַעֲשֵׂה הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינֶיךָAC:

29) ὅτι οὐκ ἦν πᾶς ὁ οἶκος τοῦ πατρός μου ἀλλ᾿ ἢ ὅτι ἄνδρες θανάτου τῷ κυρίῳ μου τῷ βασιλεῖ, καὶ ἔθηκας τὸν δοῦλόν σου ἐν τοῖς ἐσθίουσιν τὴν τράπεζάν σου· καὶ τί ἐστίν μοι ἔτι δικαίωμα καὶ τοῦ κεκραγέναι με ἔτι πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα;

28 For all the house of my father were X X but as dead men before my lord the king; yet thou hast set thy servant among them that eat at thy table: and what right have I any longer even to cry X to the king?

28 For all of my father's house were no better than worthy of death before my lord the king; and thou hast set [me] thy servant among the guests of thy table: what just complaint therefore have I? or [what right] to cry any more to the king?

28 For all of my father's house were X X but dead men before my lord the king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine [own] table. What right there­fore have I yet X to cry any more unto the king?

28 For the entire household of my father would not exist except as dead men before my master the king, yet you placed your servant with those who ate at your table! And so, why should there be for me any more of a right to cry out any more to the king?”

29 כִּי לֹא הָיָה כָּל-בֵּית אָבִי כִּי אִם-אַנְשֵׁי-מָוֶת לַאדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ וַתָּשֶׁת אֶת-עַבְדְּךָ בְּאֹכְלֵי שֻׁלְחָנֶךָ וּמַה-יֶּשׁ-לִי עוֹד צְדָקָה וְלִזְעֹקAD עוֹד אֶל-הַמֶּלֶךְ: פ

30) καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεύς Ἵνα τί λαλεῖς ἔτι τοὺς λόγους σου; εἶπον Σὺ καὶ Σιβα διελεῖσθε τὸν ἀγρόν.

29 And the king said to him, Why speakest thou any longer of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Siba shall divide the land.

29 Then the king said to him: Why speakest thou any more? what I have said is determined: thou and Siba divide the possession[s].

29 And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land.

29 Then the king said to him, “Why should you speak of your matters any more? Y’all – you and Tsiba – shall share the estate. I have spoken.”

30 וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ לָמָּה תְּדַבֵּר עוֹד דְּבָרֶיךָ אָמַרְתִּי אַתָּה וְצִיבָא תַּחְלְקוּAE אֶת-הַשָּׂדֶה:

31) καὶ εἶπεν Μεμφιβοσθε πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Καί γε τὰ πάντα λαβέτω μετὰ τὸ παραγενέσθαι τὸν κύριόν μου τὸν βασιλέα ἐν εἰρήνῃ εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ. --

30 And Memphibosthe said to the king, Yea, let him take X all, since X my lord the king has come in peace to his house.

30 And Miphiboseth answered X the king: Yea, let him take X all, forasmuch as my lord the king is returned peaceably into his house.

30 And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take X all, for­asmuch as my lord the king is come [again] in peace unto his [own] house.

30 So Mephibosheth said to the king, “Better yet, let him take the entirety, after such time as my master the king has come in peace to his palace.

31 וַיֹּאמֶר מְפִיבֹשֶׁת אֶל- הַמֶּלֶךְ גַּם אֶת- הַכֹּל יִקָּח אַחֲרֵי אֲשֶׁר-בָּא אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּשָׁלוֹם אֶל-בֵּיתוֹ: ס


1By Tsiba, I mean the same person traditionally spelled Ziba. In Hebrew, his name starts with the letter tsade (pronounced “ts”), not with the letter zayin (pronounced “z”). The Greek Septuagint also does not start Tsiba’s name with a zeta (equivalent to our “z”), but rather with the letter sigma, pronounced “s,” since the Greek alphabet does not have a letter for “ts.”

2This is another parallel with Abigail, who brought food to back up her words of support for David and his troops.

3נָפַל לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּעָבְרוֹ בַּיַּרְדֵּן literally: "he fell before the face of the king in his crossing-over in the Jordan”

41 Samuel 24:6, 10; 26:9, 11, 16, 23; 2 Samuel 1:14, 16

5Note the emphasis on the word “day” in v.22 (Eng.) with threefold repitition.

6Keil & Delitzsch commented with their usual dogmatism, “[T]he rendering... ‘when Mephibosheth came to Jerusalem to meet the king,’ is altogether wrong, and has been very properly given up by modern expositors...”

7cumque Hierusalem occurrisset regi

8The New International Commentary on the Old Testament supports this position, but commentator David Tsumura attempts to prove it with the dubious claim that the noun “Jerusalem” is “used adverbially.”

9cf. Matthew Henry, “When the king came to Jerusalem (since he could not sooner have an opportunity) he made his appearance before him…” (Willett’s attempt to reconcile the problem by making David the subject of “came to Jerusalem to meet the king” makes no sense.) Or perhaps it could be reconciled if Mephobosheth had relocated from Jerusalem to a higher altitude (such as Gibeah of Saul) to escape Absalom, although that seems to require more conjecture to maintain (cf. John Gill “Not down to Jordan, but Jerusalem… Perhaps from the place where his estate was... he departed from Jerusalem, being obliged to flee from thence because of Absalom…” This was also Goldman’s position).

10This was the position of the Soncino commentary by Goldman.

11cf. Leviticus 14:8 Then the one who is being purified shall wash his clothes and shave all his hair and bathe in the water, and he will be purified. Then afterward he shall go into the camp...” (NAW)

12The vocative use of a proper name like this seems unusual in court dialogue, which is usually more indirect.

13The Hebrew word that opens v.27 (in the English verse numbering) is the same verb that is translated “spy” in Joshua 2, 2 Sam 10:3, and 15:10.

142 Sam. 16:3 Then the king said, "And where is your master's son?" And Tsiba said to the king, "Indeed he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said,`Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.'" (NAW)

15Matthew Henry, John Gill, Robert Jamieson, Keil & Delitzsch, and McCarter sided with Mephibosheth, but Goldman agreed with me that neither Mephibosheth nor Tsiba could be trusted, and Tsumura seemed to lean that direction. Jamieson, Keil & Delitzsch, and Tsumura agreed, at least, that David didn’t trust either of them.

16 2 Sam. 9:9 And the king called Tsiba the servant of Saul and said to him, "All that had belonged to Saul and to all his house, I hereby give to the son of your master. (NAW)

172 Sam. 16:4a Then the king said to Tsiba, "All that belonged to Mephibosheth now belongs to you!" (NAW)

18cf. Willett: Dauid doth not here make an equall diuision of the land as vnto two owners: but his meaning is, that Ziba should occupie the land to halues to Miphibosheth’s vse, as he had appointed at the first, c. 9.10. and therefore Dauid expressely saith, I haue said, hauing relation to his first order, which he had made. And in this sense Dauid is to be vnderstood, why speakest thou any more thy words, or of thy matters: not that hee cut him short, as Borrh. but in a manner he saith, I accept of thine excuse, thou needest say no more: Iun.” Matthew Henry & John Gill were of the same opinion, but Goldman disagreed, writing, “It is an impatient question, as if to say, ‘Why wilt thou go on talking?’ … His decision that they should divide the estate, is a compromise.” Keil & Delitzsch were of the same opinion as Goldman.

19Ex. 20:3

20Ezek. 18:4

AMy original chart includes the NASB, NIV, and ESV, but their copyright restrictions have forced me to remove them from the publicly-available edition of this chart. (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 Scrolls containing 2 Samuel 19 are 4Q51 Samuela containing parts of verses 5-15, 24-26, & 38-37, dated between 50-25 B.C. Where the DSS is legible and in agreement with the MT, the MT is colored purple. Where the DSS supports the LXX (or Vulgate) 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}.

BTargums insert “house of,” LXX inserts “men of,” and Vulgate inserts “all of,” but DSS and Syriac support the MT.

COf the 13 instances of this verb in the books of Samuel, only once does it stand alone as a verb (1 Sam. 19:12). In every other case it was followed by a vav and another verb (the one exception being 2 Sam. 15:14 where it is followed by a lamed and an infinitive verb), suggesting that is was a customary adverbial form of enacting the second verb “quickly/hurriedly” (1 Sam. 4:14; 17:48; 23:27; 25:18, 23, 34, 42; 28:20, 24; 2 Sam. 15:14-2x.)

DLXX, Vulgate, and Syriac omit this relative pronoun. DSS is too obliterated for reference. It’s in the Targums though. Syriac also omits “Bahurim.”

ECuriously, the only other uses of this verb in Samuel describe the coming of a spirit upon a person (1 Sam. 10:6, 10; 11:6; 16:13; 18:10). The intended connotation of this Hebrew verb is elusive: Hurrying? Parading? Successfulness? The LXX connotation of “leading” and the Vulgate connotation of “breaking in” (inrumpentes) only widen the possibilities. The Syriac עברו and Targums‎ גַזֻו agree on the meaning of “crossing over,” which fits this context well and suggests an interesting picture of the motion of a spirit “crossing over” into flesh.

FThe LXX might have come up with this extra phrase if the translators weren’t sure whether the root in the Hebrew manuscript was עבד (“she served the service”) or עבר (“she crossed over the crossing”), and therefore they put it down both ways, as the LXX often did with ambiguities. One can see how similar the two roots look in Hebrew.

GThe verb root in the MT and Targums is עבר (although the Vulgate and Targums, followed by all the modern English versions, change it from “she [the ferry] crossed” to “they crossed”), while the Syriac reads‎ ועבדו (“and they served”). Since the “ferrying” of the king across the river was an act of “service” by these men of Benjamin, and since every manuscript and version does use the verb “cross/pass over” later in this verse, this variant doesn’t essentially change the meaning.

HMatthew Henry advocated for “ferry-boat” (as did John Gill, Keil & Delitzsch, the AJV, Robert Jamieson – who called it a “raft”), citing unnamed others with approval who had translated it “fleet of boats” or “bridge of boats.” Goldman noted, “With the change of the last letter of the verb, modern scholars read… ‘ford…’” Abarbinel interpreted it as the company of men carrying people over on their shoulders, and Tsumura wrote of it as a man-made “crossing.”

IMasoretic scribes suggested adding a yod in the ending (בְּעֵינָיו) to make it more clear that “eyes” was plural (technically dual), but it doesn’t change the meaning.

JVaticanus adds the Greek particle of entreaty (δη), even though no particle of respectful entreaty is in the MT. It does seem odd that Shimei is not more respectful, but he has been in a hurry and just swam across the Jordan.

KThe Greek indefinite relative pronoun here in both the Vaticanus and LXX followed by a Greek verb for “commit iniquity” is closer to the MT’s asher (“that which”) followed by the Hebrew verb for “commit iniquity” than Brenton’s translation “all the iniquity.”

LVaticanus omits the phrase “the king” which is in the majority of LXX manuscripts, according to Rohlfs, but it doesn’t change the meaning at all, since Shimei has already called David “king” in his speech.

MThe Vaticanus matches Rohlfs’ edition of the LXX here; Brenton was just uncharacteristically periphrastic here.

NThese words in the Vaticanus are not in Rahlfs’ edition of the LXX or in any other manuscript I know of in any language, but it does make more clear the meaning of the phrase “house of Joseph.” (See next endnote.)

OWillett passed over Osiander’s explanation that it means the first in the nation, and over Pellican’s explanation that it means the first in Benjamin, and passed over Kimchi’s explanation that it meant the tribes of Benjamin, Ephraim and Manassah, favoring Junius’ explanation that it meant “before” rather than “first” “...though his tribe of Beniamin was situate further off from Iordan, then the tribes of Ioseph, as the king now came from Mahanaim to Iordan, yet he to expresse his dutie and ioy, came first and before them.” However, I prefer Matthew Henry’s explanation: “that is, [the Northern tribes] of Israel, who in the beginning of David's reign had distinguished themselves from Judah by their adherence to Ishbosheth…” Keil & Delitzsch agreed, and so did Tsumura (NICOT), and Goldman (Soncino), who cited Ezek 37:16 and Psalm 78:67 as proof texts of the “house of Joseph” meaning the northern tribes of Israel.

PNeither the Syriac, Targums, nor Vulgate added an extra word (“anyone”) to the MT like the LXX did.

QThis is a transliteration of the Hebrew word.

RSame as David’s words in 2 Sam. 16:10.

SThe Syriac and Septuagint insert a negative before “be put to death,” but the Targums and Vulgate follow the MT.

TThis is the reading of the Vaticanus, but the LXX reads “the son of Jonathan the son of Saul,” as does the Syriac and Arabic. Targums and Vulgate follow the shorter reading of the MT.

UThe Greek of the LXX & Vaticanus actually reads “his mustache” here.

VRare word only here and Leviticus 13:45, Ezekiel 24:17,22, and Micah 3:7.

WLXX, Syriac, and Targums add the preposition “into.” The Vulgate and MT have no preposition.

XSyriac and Septuagint insert “Mephibosheth to him” but Targums and Vulgate follow the shorter reading of the MT. The DSS is too obliterated for comparison here.

YLXX, Vulgate, and Syriac all insert “to him,” which makes more clear that “your servant” = Mephibosheth, whereas “my servant” = Tsiba.

ZLXX & Syriac spell this verb in the imperative, Vulgate in the infinitive, and Targums and MT as imperfect/cohortative.

AAKJV followed some Hebrew manuscripts which read אל (“to”). The Targums and Syriac עמ, the Vulgate cum, and the LXX meta are all closer to the MT word which means “with.”

ABMuch of the DSS is obliterated, but between legible words in this verse and the next two verses, there is enough extra space for an additional word here not in the MT, and less space in the middle of the next verse than the MT has. It seems most likely that in the MT, the phrase “my lord the king” occurs once in v.27 and twice in v.28, whereas it occurs twice in v.27 and once in v.28. This could explain the difference in spacing, and would make no difference in meaning.

ACThe DSS is unreadable at this point, but, judging from the space between legible part of this verse, it seems to have about nine letters (including spaces) less than the MT does. However, no other ancient manuscript, as far as I can tell, drops a word out of the MT at the end of this verse.

ADThese two Hebrew words for “right” and “cry out” do not occur together in any other verse in the O.T. The latter is consistently used to express outrage over an injustice and a plea for the authority to make it right. e.g. 1 Samuel 7:8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, "Don't let there be silence from us; you keep crying out to Yahweh our God so He will save us from the control of the Philistines!" (NAW)

AEOf the 5 instances of this root word in the books of Samuel, the first was used to denote the “smoothness” of the stones David launched against Goliath (1 Sam. 17:40), the next with David’s men “divvying up” the spoils of a war (1 Sam. 30:24), then David “portioning out” food to everybody at a religious celebration (2 Sam. 6:19), and finally Sheba’s shout “We have no portion/share/part in David” (2 Sam. 20:1).

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