2 Samuel 19:40-20:12 – Seeds Of Division (And How To Weed Them Out)

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 06 Nov. 2022

Introduction

19:40-43 Rivalry (Israel & Judah)

20:1-2 Rebellion (Sheba)

20:3 Lust (Concubines)

20:4-7 Unfaithfulness (Amasa)

20:8-12 Hatred (Joab)

Conclusion


2 Samuel 19:40 – 20:12Side-by side comparison of versionsB

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41) καὶ διέβη ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς Γαλγαλα, καὶ Χαμααμ διέβη μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς Ιουδα X διαβαίνοντες μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως καί γε τὸ ἥμισυ τοῦ λαοῦ Ισραηλ. --

40 And the king went over to Galgala, and Chamaam went over with him: and all the men of Juda X went over with the king, and also half the people of Israel.

40 So the king went on to Galgal, and Cham­aam X with him. Now all the people of Juda X had brought the king over, and only half of the people of Israel [were there].

40 Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him: and all the people of Judah X conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel.

40 and the king went on toward Gilgal (and Kimha{m} went on with him). Thus all the people of Judah and also half of the people of Israel {} brought the king over.

41 וַיַּעֲבֹר הַמֶּלֶךְ הַגִּלְגָּלָה וְכִמְהָןC עָבַר עִמּוֹ וְכָל-עַם יְהוּדָה וַיְעֱבִרוּD אֶת-הַמֶּלֶךְ וְגַם חֲצִיE עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל:

42) καὶ ἰδοὺ πᾶς ἀνὴρ Ισραηλ παρεγένοντο πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ εἶπον πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Τί ὅτι ἔκλεψάν σε οἱ ἀδελφοὶ ἡμῶν ἀνὴρ Ιουδα καὶ διεβίβασαν τὸν βασιλέα καὶ τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ τὸν Ιορδάνην καὶ πάντες ἄνδρες Δαυιδ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ;

41 And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, Why have our brethren the men of Juda stolen thee away, and caused the king and all his house to pass over Jordan, and all the men of David with him?

41 Therefore all the men of Israel running together to the king, X said to him X: Why have our breth­ren the men of Juda stolen thee away, and have brought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all the men of David with him?

41 And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David's men with him, over Jordan?

41 But all the men of Israel were there, coming to the king, and they said to the king, “Why did our brothers – each of Judah – steal you away and bring the king and his household over the Jordan, along with all the men of David with him?”

42 וְהִנֵּה כָּל-אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּאִים אֶל-הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל-הַמֶּלֶךְ מַדּוּעַ גְּנָבוּךָ אַחֵינוּ אִישׁ יְהוּדָה וַיַּעֲבִרוּ אֶת-הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאֶת- בֵּיתוֹ אֶת-הַיַּרְדֵּן וְכָל-אַנְשֵׁי דָוִד עִמּוֹ: ס

43) καὶ ἀπεκρίθη πᾶς ἀνὴρ Ιουδα πρὸς ἄνδρα Ισραηλ καὶ εἶπαν Διότι ἐγγίζει πρός με ὁ βασιλεύς· καὶ ἵνα τί οὕτως ἐθυμώθης περὶ τοῦ λόγου τούτου; μὴ βρώσει ἐφάγαμεν ἐκ τοῦ βασιλέως, [ἢ δόμα ἔδωκεν]ἄρσιν ἦρεν ἡμῖν;

42 And all the men of Juda answered the men of Israel, and said, Because the king is near [of kin] to us: and why were X X you thus angry concerning this matter? have we indeed eaten of the king['s food? or has he given us a gift], or has he X sent us a portion?

42 And all the men of Juda answered the men of Israel: Because the king is nearer to me: why art X X thou angry for this matter? have we eaten any thing of the king's, or have any gift[s] been given us?

42 And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near [of kin] to us: wherefore then be X X ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all of the king['s] cost? or hath he X given us any gift?

42 And each man of Judah answered to a man of Israel, “Because the king is near to me! And why is this that there is friction for you over this thing? Have we eaten gluttonously off of the king? Or has something been carried off thievishly for ourselves?”

43 וַיַּעַןF כָּל-אִישׁ יְהוּדָה עַל-אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי-קָרוֹב הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵלַי וְלָמָּה זֶּה חָרָהG לְךָ עַל-הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה הֶאָכוֹל אָכַלְנוּ מִן-הַמֶּלֶךְ אִם-נִשֵּׂאת נִשָּׂא לָנוּ: ס

44) καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ἀνὴρ Ισραηλ τῷ ἀνδρὶ Ιουδα καὶ εἶπεν Δέκα χεῖρές μοι ἐν τῷ βασιλεῖ, [καὶ πρωτότοκος ἐγὼ ἢ σύ,] καί γε ἐν τῷ Δαυιδ εἰμὶ ὑπὲρ σέ· καὶ ἵνα τί [τοῦτο] ὕβρισάς με καὶ οὐκ ἐλογίσθη ὁ λόγος μου πρῶτός μοι τοῦ ἐπιστρέψαι τὸν βασιλέα ἐμοί; καὶ ἐσκληρύνθη ὁ λόγος ἀνδρὸς Ιουδα ὑπὲρ τὸν λόγον ἀνδρὸς Ισραηλ.

43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Juda, and said, We have ten parts in the king, [and we are older than youH,] we have also [an interest] in David above you: and why have ye [thus] insulted us, and why was not our advice taken before [that of Juda], to bring back our king? And the speech of the men of Juda was sharper than the speech of the men of Israel.

43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Juda, and said: I have ten parts in the king [more than thou,] and X David belongeth to me more than to thee: why hast thou done me a wrong, and why was it not told me first, that I might bring back my king? And the X X men of Juda answered more harshly than the X X men of Israel.

43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had X in bringing back our king? And the word[s] of the men of Judah were fiercer than the word[s] of the men of Israel.

43 Then the man of Israel answered the man of Judah and said, “Ten votes for the king belong to me, and so I have more for David than you, so why did you make light of me? And didn’t I say it first that I should bring back my king?” Then the statement of each man from Judah became harsher than the statement of each man from Israel.

44 וַיַּעַן אִישׁ- יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת-אִישׁ יְהוּדָה וַיֹּאמֶר עֶשֶׂר-יָדוֹת לִי בַמֶּלֶךְ וְגַם-בְּדָוִד אֲנִי מִמְּךָ וּמַדּוּעַ הֱקִלֹּתַנִי וְלֹא-הָיָה דְבָרִי רִאשׁוֹן לִי לְהָשִׁיב אֶת-מַלְכִּי וַיִּקֶשׁ דְּבַר-אִישׁ יְהוּדָה מִדְּבַר אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל: ס

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1 Καὶ ἐκεῖ ἐπικαλούμενος υἱὸς παράνομος καὶ ὄνομα αὐτῷ Σαβεε υἱὸς Βοχορι ἀνὴρ ὁ Ιεμενι καὶ ἐσάλπισεν ἐν τῇ κερατίνῃ καὶ εἶπεν Οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν μερὶς ἐν Δαυιδ οὐδὲ κληρονομία ἡμῖν ἐν τῷ υἱῷ Ιεσσαι· ἀνὴρ εἰς τὰ σκηνώματά σου, Ισραηλ.

1 And there was a transgressor so called there, and his name was Sabee, a Benjamite, the son of Bochori: and he blew X the trumpet, and said, We have no portion in David, neither have we [any] inheritance in the son of Jessae: to thy tents, O Israel, [every] one.

1 And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Seba, the son of Bochri, a man of Jemini: and he sounded X the trumpet, and said: We have no part in David, nor inheritance X X in the son of Isai: return to thy dwellings, O Israel.

1 And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew X a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: [every] man to his tents, O Israel.

1 And it was there that he was called upon by an ungodly man whose name was Sheba, son of Bikri, a man of Benjamin. And he blew into his horn and said, “We do not have a share in David; indeed there is no inheritance for us in the son of Jesse! Each Israelite to his own tents!”

1 וְשָׁם נִקְרָא אִישׁI בְּלִיַּעַל וּשְׁמוֹ שֶׁבַע בֶּן־בִּכְרִי אִישׁ יְמִינִי וַיִּתְקַע בַּשֹּׁפָר וַיֹּאמֶר אֵין־לָנוּ חֵלֶקJ בְּדָוִד וְלֹא נַחֲלָה־לָנוּK בְּבֶן־יִשַׁי אִישׁ לְאֹהָלָיו יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

2 καὶ ἀνέβη πᾶς ἀνὴρ Ισραηλ ἀπὸ ὄπισθεν Δαυιδ ὀπίσω Σαβεε υἱοῦ Βοχορι, καὶ ἀνὴρ Ιουδα ἐκολλήθη τῷ βασιλεῖ αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ Ιορδάνου καὶ ἕως Ιερουσαλημ.

2 And all the men of Israel went up from following David after Sabee the son of Bochori: but the men of Juda adhered to their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.

2 And all X Israel departed from X David, [and] followed Seba the son of Bochri: but the men of Juda stuck to their king from the Jordan X unto Jerusalem.

2 So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.

2 Then every Israelite man went up after Sheba son of Bikri after following David, but each of Judah stuck with their king from the Jordan all the way to Jerusalem.

2 וַיַּעַל כָּל־אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאַחֲרֵי דָוִד אַחֲרֵי שֶׁבַע בֶּן־בִּכְרִי וְאִישׁ יְהוּדָה דָּבְקוּ בְמַלְכָּם מִן־ הַיַּרְדֵּן וְעַד־ יְרוּשָׁלִָם׃

3 καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Δαυιδ εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ εἰς Ιερουσαλημ, καὶ ἔλαβεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὰς δέκα γυναῖκας τὰς παλλακὰς αὐτοῦ, ἃς ἀφῆκεν φυλάσσειν τὸν οἶκον, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὰς ἐν οἴκῳ φυλακῆς καὶ διέθρεψεν αὐτὰς καὶ πρὸς αὐτὰς οὐκ εἰσῆλθεν, καὶ ἦσαν συνεχόμε­ναι ἕως ἡμέρας θανάτου αὐτῶν, χῆραι ζῶσαι. --

3 And David went into his house at Jerusalem: and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and he put them in a place of custody, and maintained them, and went not in to them; and they were kept living as widows, till the day of their death.

3 And when the king was come into his house at Jerusalem, he took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them inward, X allowing them provisions: and he went not in unto them, but they were shut up unto the day of their death living in widowhoodX.

3 And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhoodX.

3 Presently, David entered into his palace at Jerusalem. Then the king took his 10 concubine-wives, whom he had retired to the keeping of the palace, and he gave them a secure house and provided for them, but he did not go in to them, and they were off-limits until the day of their death, living as widows.

3 וַיָּבֹא דָוִד אֶל־ בֵּיתוֹ יְרוּשָׁלִַם וַיִּקַּח הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵת עֶשֶׂר־נָשִׁים פִּלַגְשִׁים אֲשֶׁר הִנִּיחַ לִשְׁמֹר הַבַּיִת וַיִּתְּנֵם בֵּית־מִשְׁמֶרֶתL וַיְכַלְכְּלֵם וַאֲלֵיהֶםM לֹא־ בָא וַתִּהְיֶינָה צְרֻרוֹתN עַד־ יוֹם מֻתָן אַלְמְנוּת חַיּוּתO׃ ס

4 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς Αμεσσαϊ Βόησόν μοι τὸν ἄνδρα Ιουδα τρεῖς ἡμέρας, σὺ δὲ αὐτοῦ στῆθι.

4 And the king said to Amessai, Call to me the men of Juda [for] three days, and do thou be present here.

4 And the king said to Amasa: Assemble to me all the men of Juda [against the] third dayX, and be thou here present.

4 Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah [within] three days, and be thou here present.

4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Put the call out for me to each in Judah for three days, then assume your position here.’”

4 וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל־עֲמָשָׂאP הַזְעֶק־לִי אֶת־ אִישׁ־יְהוּדָה שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים וְאַתָּה פֹּה עֲמֹדQ׃

5 καὶ ἐπορεύθη Αμεσσαϊ τοῦ βοῆσαι τὸν Ιου­δαν καὶ ἐχρόνισεν ἀπὸ τοῦ καιροῦ, οὗ ἐτάξατο αὐτῷ [Δαυιδ].

5 And Amessai went to call Juda, and delayed beyond the time which [David] appoin­ted him.

5 So Amasa went to assem­ble the men of Juda, but he tarried beyond the set time which [the kingR] had appointed him.

5 So Amasa went to assem­ble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

5 So Amasa went to put the call out in Judah, but he was too late after the meeting-time upon which he had agreed with him.

5 וַיֵּלֶךְ עֲמָשָׂא לְהַזְעִיק אֶת־ יְהוּדָה וַיֵּיחַרS מִן־הַמּוֹעֵד אֲשֶׁר יְעָדוֹ׃ ס

6 καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ πρὸς Αβεσσα Νῦν κακοποιήσει ἡμᾶς Σαβεε υἱὸς Βοχορι ὑπὲρ Αβεσσαλωμ, [καὶ νῦν] σὺ λαβὲ [μετὰ σεαυτοῦ] τοὺς παῖδας τοῦ κυρίου σου καὶ καταδίωξον ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ, μήποτε ἑαυτῷ εὕρῃ πόλεις ὀχυρὰς καὶ σκιάσει τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἡμῶν.

6 And David said to Amessai, Now shall Sabee the son of Bochori do us more harm than Abessalom: [now then] take thou [with thee] the servants of thy lord, and follow after him, lest he find for himself strong cities, so will he blind our eye[s].

6 And David said to Abisai: Now will Seba the son of Bochri do us more harm than [did] Absalom: take thou [thereforeT] the servants of thy lord, and pursue after him, lest he find X X fenced cities, and escape X us.

6 And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape X us.

6 So David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba son of Bikri will be worse for us than Absalom! You, take your master’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he find for himself fortified cities and escape our surveillance.”

6 וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל־אֲבִישַׁי עַתָּה יֵרַע לָנוּ שֶׁבַע בֶּן־בִּכְרִי מִן־אַבְשָׁלוֹם אַתָּהU קַח אֶת־ עַבְדֵי אֲדֹנֶיךָ וּרְדֹף אַחֲרָיו פֶּן־מָצָאV לוֹ עָרִים בְּצֻרוֹת וְהִצִּילW עֵינֵנוּX׃

7 καὶ ἐξῆλθον ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ οἱ ἄνδρες Ιωαβ καὶ ὁ χερεθθι καὶ ὁ φελεθθι καὶ πάντες οἱ δυνα­τοὶ καὶ ἐξῆλθαν ἐξ Ιερουσαλημ διῶξαι ὀπίσω Σαβεε υἱοῦ Βοχορι. --

7 And there went out after him [Amessai andY] the men of Joab, and the Chereth­ites, and the Phelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out from Jerusalem to pur­sue after Sabee the son of Bochori.

7 So Joab's men went out with him, and the Cerethi and the Phelethi: and all the valiant men X went out of Jerusalem to pursue after Seba the son of Bochri.

7 And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites, and the Peleth­ites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusa­lem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

7 So Joab’s men went out, following him, along with the Kerethites and the Pelethites and all the mighty men, and they went out from Jerusalem to pursue after Sheba, son of Bikri.

7 וַיֵּצְאוּ אַחֲרָיו אַנְשֵׁי יוֹאָב וְהַכְּרֵתִי וְהַפְּלֵתִי וְכָל־ הַגִּבֹּרִים וַיֵּצְאוּ מִירוּשָׁלִַם לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵי שֶׁבַע בֶּן־בִּכְרִי׃

8 [καὶ] αὐτοὶ παρὰ τῷ λίθῳ τῷ μεγά­λῳ τῷ ἐν Γαβαων, καὶ Αμεσσαϊ εἰσ­ῆλθεν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν. καὶ Ιωαβ περιεζω­σμένος μανδύανZ τὸ ἔν­δυμα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ περιεζω­σμένοςAA μάχαι­ραν ἐζευγ­μένην ἐπὶ τῆς ὀσφύος αὐτοῦ ἐν κολεῷ αὐτῆς, καὶ [ μάχαιρα] ἐξῆλθεν καὶ ἔπεσεν.

8 [And] they were by the great stone that is in Gabaon: and Amessai went in before them: and Joab had upon him a military cloak over his apparel, and over it he was girded with a dagger fastened upon his loins in its scabbard: and [the dagger came outAB,] it even came out and fell.

8 [And] when they were at the great stone which is in Gabaon, Amasa coming met them. And Joab had on a close coat [of equal length] with his habit, and over it was girded with a sword hanging down to his flank, in a scab­bard, [made in such manner] as to come out [with the least motion] and strike.

8 When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab's garment [that he had] put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.

8 While they were at the big rock that is in Gibeon, Amasa came into their presence. Now Joab was dressed in his uniform as his clothing, and over that was a belt with a sword in its sheath attached to his thigh. And as he went forth, {the sword} fell out.

8 הֵם עִם־ הָאֶבֶן הַגְּדוֹלָה אֲשֶׁר בְּגִבְעוֹןAC וַעֲמָשָׂא בָּא לִפְנֵיהֶם וְיוֹאָב חָגוּר ADמִדּוֹ לְבֻשׁוּ וְעָלָוAE חֲגוֹר חֶרֶב מְצֻמֶּדֶתAF עַל־מָתְנָיו בְּתַעְרָהּ AGוְהוּא יָצָא וַתִּפֹּל׃ ס

9 καὶ εἶπεν Ιωαβ τῷ Αμεσσαϊ Εἰ ὑγιαίνεις σύ, ἀδελ­φέ; καὶ ἐκράτησεν ἡ χεὶρ ἡ δεξιὰ Ιωαβ τοῦ πώγωνος Αμεσσαϊ τοῦ κατα­φιλῆσαι αὐτόν·

9 And Joab said to Amessai, Art thou in health, my brother? and the right hand of Joab took hold of the beard of Amessai to kiss him.

9 And Joab said to Amasa: [God] save thee, my brother. And he took Amasa by the chin [with his] right hand to kiss him.

9 And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my bro­ther? And X X X Joab took Ama­sa by the beard [with the right hand] to kiss him.

9 Then Joab said to Amasa, “Is peace with you, my brother?” and the right hand of Joab grabbed onto the beard of Amasa as though to kiss him.

9 וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹאָב לַעֲמָשָׂא הֲשָׁלוֹם אַתָּה אָחִי וַתֹּחֶזAH יַד־יְמִיןAI יוֹאָב בִּזְקַן עֲמָשָׂא לִנְשָׁק־לוֹ׃

10 καὶ Αμεσσαϊ οὐκ ἐφυλάξατο τὴν μάχαιραν τὴν ἐν τῇ χειρὶ Ιωαβ, καὶ ἔπαισεν αὐτὸν ἐν αὐτῇ [Ιωαβ] εἰς τὴν ψόαν, καὶ ἐξεχύθη ἡ κοιλία αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν γῆν, καὶ οὐκ ἐδευτέρωσεν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀπέθανεν. καὶ Ιωαβ καὶ Αβεσσα ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ ἐδίωξεν ὀπίσω Σαβεε υἱοῦ Βοχορι·

10 And Amessai observed not X the dagger that was in the hand of Joab: and [Joab] smote him with it on the loins, and his bowels were shed out upon the ground, and he did not repeat [the blow], and he died: and Joab and Abessai his brother pursued after Sabee the son of Bochori.

10 But Amasa did not take notice of the sword, which Joab [had] X X X, and he struck him X X in the side, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and gave him not a second [wound], and he died. And Joab, and Abisai his brother pursued after Seba the son of Bochri.

10 But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and [struck him] not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

10 And Amasa was not on-guard against the sword which was in the hand of Joab, so he stabbed him with it through the abdomen such that his internal organs poured out to the ground, and he did not follow-up on it, and so he died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued after Sheba, son of Bikri.

10 וַעֲמָשָׂא לֹא־נִשְׁמַר בַּחֶרֶב אֲשֶׁר בְּיַד־יוֹאָב וַיַּכֵּהוּ בָהּ AJאֶל־הַחֹמֶשׁ וַיִּשְׁפֹּךְ מֵעָיו אַרְצָה וְלֹא־שָׁנָה לוֹAK וַיָּמֹת ס וְיוֹאָב וַאֲבִישַׁי אָחִיו רָדַףAL אַחֲרֵי שֶׁבַע בֶּן־בִּכְרִי׃

11 καὶ ἀνὴρ ἔστη ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν τῶν παιδαρίων Ιωαβ καὶ εἶπεν Τίς ὁ βουλόμενος Ιωαβ καὶ τίς τοῦ Δαυιδ, ὀπίσω Ιωαβ·

11 And there stood over him one of the servants of Joab, and said, Who is he that is for Joab, and who is [on the side] of David following Joab?

11 In the mean time some men of Joab's com­pany stopping at [the dead body of] Amasa, X said: Behold he that would [have been] in Joab's [stead] X X the [companion] of David X X.

11 And one of Joab's men stood by him, and said, He that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab.

11 But, one of Joab’s guys stood over {Amasa} and said, “Whoever has liked Joab, and whoever is for David, follow Joab!”

11 וְאִישׁ עָמַד עָלָיוAM מִנַּעֲרֵי יוֹאָב וַיֹּאמֶר מִי אֲשֶׁר חָפֵץ בְּיוֹאָב וּמִי ANאֲשֶׁר־לְדָוִד אַחֲרֵי יוֹאָב׃

12 καὶ Αμεσσαϊ πεφυρμένος ἐν τῷ αἵματι ἐν μέσῳ τῆς τρίβου, καὶ εἶδεν ὁ ἀνὴρ ὅτι εἱστήκει πᾶς ὁ λαός, καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν τὸν Αμεσσαϊ ἐκ τῆς τρίβου εἰς X ἀγρὸν καὶ ἐπέρριψεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν ἱμάτιον, καθότι εἶδεν πάντα τὸν ἐρχόμενον ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν X ἑστηκότα·

12 And Amessai was weltering in X blood in the midst of the way. And a man saw that all the people stood still; and he removed Amessai out of the path into a field, and he cast a garment upon him, because he saw every one that came to him X standing still.

12 And Amasa imbrued with X blood, [lay] in the midst of the way. X A certain man saw [this] that all the people stood still [to look upon him], so he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and covered X him [with] a garment, that X X X they who passed might, not stop on his account.

12 And Amasa wallowed in X blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by him X stood still.

12 Meanwhile, Amasa was rolling around in his blood in the middle of the highway. Now, the man saw that everyone of the people was standing still, so he brought Amasa around off the highway to the field, and he threw a garment over him, because he saw that everyone who was coming upon him was just standing there.

12 וַעֲמָשָׂא מִתְגֹּלֵל בַּדָּםAO בְּתוֹךְ הַמְסִּלָּה וַיַּרְא הָאִישׁ כִּי־עָמַד כָּל־הָעָם וַיַּסֵּב APאֶת־עֲמָשָׂא מִן־הַמְסִלָּה הַשָּׂדֶה וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ עָלָיו בֶּגֶד כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאָה כָּל־הַבָּא עָלָיו וְעָמָדAQ׃


1“The singular first- and second-person pronouns in vv. 42-43 suggest the acrimony of the debate.” ~David Tsumura, New International Commentary on the Old Testament, in. loc.

2and indeed it is omitted from the oldest-known manuscript (but only from that one)

3Most of the commentators I read, however, believed that this was punishment and confinement, including Andrew Willett (who cited Pellican, Borrh, and others), Matthew Henry (who pictured David as doing so reluctantly), and John Gill. On the other hand, Robert Jamieson and Keil & Delitzsch took a position close to mine.

4Willett wrote an interesting article at this point in his commentary on the conditions for forbidding a woman to remarry.

5Matthew Henry and Keil & Delitzsch were of this opinion, suggesting that the Judeans were reluctant to commit to military duty or to Amasa’s leadership. Robert Jamieson suggested that David had miscalculated the time necessary. But most of the commentators I read were ambivalent or silent on this point.

6Matthew Henry, Robert Jamieson, and Goldman (Soncino) suggested that maybe Amasa had been faithfully mustering troops in Judah and just ran them up North to catch up with Abishai’s troops in order to make up for being late. Tsumura (NICOT) suggested that the “large stone” was either the high place at Gibeon where Solomon offered sacrifices in 1 K. 3:4, or the altar set up by Saul after the battle of Michmash (1 Sam. 14:33).

7Josephus, Matthew Henry, John Gill, Robert Jamieson, and Keil & Delitzsch. The Geneva notes oddly seem to indicate that Joab had a problem with his sword often falling out. Willett seems to indicate that Joab hung his scabbard upside-down so that it would slide out surreptitiously into his hand (not onto the ground) when released.

8Most of the commentators I read agreed with this sentiment.

AAlthough Jacob had 12 sons who fathered the 12 tribes of Israel, Jacob’s son Joseph sometimes was counted as one tribe, but usually as two tribes named after Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, although sometimes those two tribes got categorized as more, counting the portion of those tribes which settled on the opposite side of the Jordan River from the rest as a separate half-tribe. Then there’s the tribe of Simeon, which could be counted as zero, one, or two tribes, seeing as they were allotted land in the north, then part of them relocated south of Judah, and then, after a while, the tribe of Simeon ceased to exist seemingly. And, of course, there was also the tribe of Levi, which was dispersed throughout the whole country, and so, at least in political speech, was not counted as a separate tribe. The tribe of Benjamin seems to sometimes be considered together with the northern tribes and sometimes seems to be considered together with Judah as southern.

BMy 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 & 20 are 4Q51 Samuela containing parts of verses 5-15, 24-26, & 38-37 of chapter 19, and verses 1-2, 4, 9-14, 19, & 21-25 of chapter 20, dated between 50-25 B.C. Dead Sea Scroll 1Q7 also contains parts of verses 6-10 of chapter 20, dated before 68AD. 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}.

CKimham’s name is spelled with a slightly different ending “Kimhan” here in the MT and Targums, but the “m” ending is preserved in the older LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate. Either way, it appears to be the same person.

DMultiple Hebrew manuscripts omit the conjunction and change the verb to perfect tense to keep same same meaning as the imperfect verb with the vav consecutive in the MT - just minus the conjunction (הֶעֱבִירוּ). The Qere notes this, and the LXX, Syriac, Targums and Latin all support this, although the Greek (with the exception of the Lucian Rescription) switches to present tense.

EMost of the commentators I read noted that the word “half” may not be intended to mean exactly 50% but rather some fraction of that approximate amount.

FIt should be noted that in the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin (and perhaps the Syriac too), the word “man” is singular, and the verb “answered” has a singular subject. Also the object of “near” is singular (“me”). It is the same in the next verse.

GThe Hebrew and Aramaic verb is 3rd singular (“it burns”), followed by a prepositional phrase, “for you,” but the Latin and Greek translate the verb 2nd singular (“you burn”) and omit the prepositional phrase which is in the Hebrew. This is just a difference in the grammatical formation of an idiom across different languages, however, not a difference in meaning.

HOld Latin actually supports the Septuagint with et primogenitus ego sum quam tu, but it didn’t carry over into the Vulgate.

IIn the 4 instances of this word “Belial” in 1 Samuel, the were all preceded by “son of” or “daughter of,” (1 Sam. 1:16; 2:12; 10:27; 25:17), but here is is preceded by “man of,” and the only other instance in 2 Sam. (22:5) is preceded by “torrents of.”

Jcf. 1 Sam. 30:24bff “...according to the share of the one who went down into the battle so also shall be the share of the one who sat tight at the baggage; they shall share it out equally." (NAW)

KDSS is obliterated here, but spacing indicates it matches the MT. However, Lucian Rescription, Syriac, Vulgate, and some Targums (and thus the NIV) omit this prepositional phrase “for us,” but it doesn’t change the meaning, since the grammar already implies it through the earlier instance of that prepositional phrase.

LThis Hebrew word could mean “kept safe by guards” (NICOT), or it could mean “responsibility to keep charge.” Both would be important components of helping traumatized women.

MOddly, the word “them” is masculine in the three Hebrew phrases “gave them… provided them… and did not go into them.” Perhaps this could be explained by the fact that the Hebrew words for “women” and “concubines” are irregular nouns which are feminine but which take the plural suffix which is typically used for masculine plural nouns. Or perhaps it indicates that there were male attendants along with these women who together as a mixed-gender group got tagged masculine as the grammatical default. Kittel noted that several Hebrew manuscripts gave this word a feminine ending (הן-) rather than the MT’s masculine ending. But this is merely an exercise in grammar and spelling technique; there is no confusion as to the meaning.

NThis Hebrew word could denote actual “confinement” of the women, or even “distress” experienced by the women, or it could denote “boundaries” around them that other people would experience. The latter seems the most charitable.

ODSS appears to skip v.3 and go straight from v.2 to v.5. The topic of v.3 does seem out of place, but it’s in all the other manuscripts.

PJosephus wrote “Joab,” and the Syriac also reads “Joab.” Obviously both went.

QLiterally “You stand here.” This “stand” probably means assuming the position of general of the army which David had promised him. First Amasa was to spend three days causing the announcement of a muster to arms to be made throughout Judah. According to the accents, the “three days” is connected to “calling out the troops” rather than to “standing here.” The king’s command is clear: “Spend 3 days at it, then take your stand back here in the palace.”

RThe Vulgate does not insert “the king” here; this must have been an interpretive gloss by Douay.

SQere reads with the Hiphil-causative form (וַיּוֹחֶר), following several Hebrew manuscripts, instead of the MT’s simple Qal form. Kittel listed other manuscripts with the alternate spellings ויחר (“he burned”) and ויאחר (Piel form which doesn’t really have a different meaning, or perhaps a spelling confused with the Aramaic translation of this word found in the Targums:וְאוֹחַר). With the one noted exception, these are just stem variations and not essential differences in meaning. The Hiphil form of the Qere could indicate that he intentionally caused the delay whereas the Qal form of the Kethib could be interpreted as him experiencing a delay unintentionally, but either way, he delayed. “No one can deny that these spellings with the omission of aleph are for phonetic reasons rather than the result of a scribal error.” ~Tsumura, NICOT

TThis word is not in the Vulgate, so it may have been added by Douay for this English translation.

ULXX inserts “and now.” 3 Hebrew manuscripts support the added “and,” and several Hebrew manuscripts (and some Targums) support “now” (עתה, but this could easily be the result of a scribe mis-hearing the MT word אתה). The Syriac and Vulgate don’t support either addition. The LXX insertion could well be the result of uncertainty as to whether the original was אתה or עתה, so they may have put both interpretations in, as they did elsewhere with disputable words.

V“[U]sually the particle pen is followed by an imperfect verb; the only exceptions are 2 K. 2:16 and here. The imperfect of ms’ never appears after this particle.” ~Tsumura, NICOT

WThe LXX translation is based on a Hebrew verb צלל – shade, which looks similar to נצל – escape, and identical when the weak letters disappear, leaving צל for both words! The Greek Lucian Rescription went with a slightly-different verb (σκεπαζω) meaning “take cover.” The Targums appear to have gone in another direction with their translation עיק – trouble, and I wonder if the Syriac went that same direction with‎ נחטט. The Vulgate effugiat agrees with the Hebrew root being from נצל, and all the English versions follow that. The practical difference between “escaping our view” and “shading himself from us” is not significant. Keil & Delitzsch took things a little too far in a different direction, following Bottcher, who translated it “tear out the [apple of] our eye.”

XLatin & Targums (followed by KJV, NIV, and ESV) omit the word “eye,” but it is in the MT, Syriac, and LXX (and thus in the NASB).

YThis insertion is in the Vaticanus, but not in Rohlfs’ edition of the Septuagint or in any other ancient manuscript.

ZThis is a transcription of the Hebrew word rather than a translation of it, so the 3ms pronoun suffix is also not translated.

AAThe Hebrew word without vowels could be translated as a noun (“belt”) or as a verb (“girded”).

ABThe Vaticanus repeats the verb “went forward,” which only occurs once in the other manuscripts.

ACDSS 1Q7 skips from here to the last word in the verse, omitting the MT’s text (and that of the LXX, Vulgate, Targums, and Syriac) about Amassa’s advance and Joab’s attire. Perhaps this was a lapse on the part of the 1Q7 copyist.

ADThis is the only occurrence in 2 Sam, but it occurred 4x in 1 Samuel (4:12; 17:38-39; and 18:4). Tsumura (NICOT) suggested that middo lebuso (which Driver called a “strange combination”) is probably a hendiadys, and that’s the way the contemporary English versions render it: “soldier’s garment.”

AEQere suggests adding a yod as the next-to-last letter (וְעָלָיו), and the BHS indicates that multiple Hebrew manuscripts spell it that way too, but this doesn’t change the meaning. The next word in Hebrew is translated as a verb by the Vulgate and Septuagint, but as a noun by the Targums and Westminster morphology.

AFThis word only occurs 4 other places in scripture, three of them also in passive stems, indicating religious membership: Num. 25:3, 5; Ps. 106:28, and Psalm 50:19, which denotes the proclivity of the tongue of the wicked towards deceit.

AGAlmost every ancient manuscript, except for the Targums and DSS1Q7, has more words than the MT, so perhaps the MT is a terse edition of the original. The Greek and Old Latin manuscripts insert the word for “sword” here, the Vulgate Latin inserts the word for “made” here and the word for “motion” later, and the Syriac adds “from its sheath” at the end of the verse.

AHSome Hebrew manuscripts (including both of the oldest-known, DSS 1Q7 and DSS 4Q51) spell this verb with the weak aleph left-in (ותאחז) to make it easier to identify the root of this verb as אחז ("grab”). Tsumura explained that this was a “phonetic spelling” rather than a grammatical spelling, and therefore not an error.

AIThe vivid detail in this account, from the dropped sword, the right-handed beard grab, the bowels spilling out, to the man standing over the body yelling, “Whoever is for David, follow Joab,” is characteristic of an eye-witness account.

AJDSS 4Q51 reads the synonym על, as does the Syriac, but DSS 1Q7 matches the the MT. The Targums read‎ בִסטַר (“beside”). These don’t change the meaning, however. The other times this phrase occurs in 2 Samuel, the MT also uses אל:
2 Samuel 2:23 “...Abner stabbed him with the back of his spear through his abdomen, such that the spear protruded from his back, and he fell down there and died under him. And when every man who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died happened upon it, they just stood there.”
2 Samuel 4:6 “...they stabbed him through the abdomen, and Rechab and his brother Baanah made their escape.
cf. 2 Samuel 3:27 (which employs שמ instead of אל or על) “Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.”(NAW)

AKThis phrase occurred in first person earlier in 1 Samuel 26:8 Then Abishai said to David, "God has closed up your enemy in your hand{s} today, so now please let me strike him with the spear – all the way into the ground – one stroke, and I will not repeat it on him." (NAW)

ALDSS reads with the addition of a final sureq, indicating a plural rather than a singular subject, and the Syriac, Targums, and Vulgate also render this verb plural. The LXX and MT, however, read singular (“he pursued”). This is not a problem, however, for, often in the books of Samuel, the Hebrew author attributes the main action to the leader, using a singular verb, then lists others who followed their leader in his action.

AMThe Vulgate appears to be the only ancient document which contains the name “Amasa” instead of the pronoun “him.” The DSS is obliterated at this point, and the nearby line break makes it hard to judge for certain based on spacing, but there is definitely space for the two extra Hebrew letters required for the name Amasa. The explicit mention of the name does make the meaning more clear, but doesn’t change the meaning.

ANDSS and Vulgate omit this relative pronoun. It doesn’t change the meaning, though.

AOcf. Isaiah 9:5 “For every boot that is muddied in the rushing and the garments that are rolled in blood will be for burning - fuel for fire.” (NAW)

APThis part of the verse in the DSS is obliterated, but there is space for a couple more letters than the MT has.

AQcf. 2 Sam. 2:23

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