2 Samuel 20:13-26 – Wisdom From The Woman Of Abel

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

Introduction

vs. 13-15 The setting and Joab’s Zeal

vs. 16-15 The Woman’s Wise Words

v. 22 The Peaceful Results of Wisdom


APPLICATION


Comparison of David’s Officials Across the Historical Accounts

POSITION

David’s Early Officials
2 Sam. 8/1 Chron. 18

David’s Later Officials
2 Sam. 20

General
over the Army

Joab

Joab

מזכיר
Librarian/Recorder/Historian

J[eh]osaphat

Jehosaphat

כהנים
[High] Priests

Zadok &
Ahimelek2Sa /Abimelek1Ch
son of Abiathar16

Zadok &

Abiathar

סופר
Secretary

Seriah2SaHebrew,1ChSyriac
a.k.a. SousaGreek,Latin
a.k.a. Shavsha1ChHebrew

SeriahSyriac

a.k.a. SousaGreek, Latin
a.k.a. Sheia/ShevaHebrew, Latin,

Captain over the
Cerethites & Pelethites

Benaiah

Benaiah

רשניםChron/כהנSam
chief/minister

David’s sons

Ira the Jairite

מס
corvée official/labor dept.

n/a

Adoram2Sam20,1Ki.12:18
a.k.a. HAdoram2Chron10:18
a.k.a. AdoNIram1Ki.4:6,5:14



2 Samuel 20:13-26Side-by side comparison of versionsA

LXX

Brenton

DRB

KJV

NAW

MT

13 ἡνίκα δὲ ἔφθασεν ἐκ τῆς τρίβου, παρ­ῆλθεν πᾶς ἀνὴρ [Ισραηλ] ὀπίσω Ιωαβ τοῦ διῶξαι ὀπίσω Σαβεε υἱοῦ Βοχορι. --

13 And when he was quickly removed from the road, every man [of IsraelB] passed after Joab to pursue after Sabee the son of Bochori.

13 And when he was removed out of the way, all the peopleC went on following Joab to pursue after Seba the son of Bochri.

13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

13 As soon as he had him dragged off the highway, each man passed on, following Joab, to pursue after Sheba, son of Bikri,

(יג) כַּאֲשֶׁר הֹגָהD מִן הַמְסִלָּה עָבַר כָּל Eאִישׁ אַחֲרֵי יוֹאָב לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵי שֶׁבַע בֶּן בִּכְרִי.

14 καὶ διῆλθεν ἐν πάσαις φυλαῖς Ισραηλ εἰς Αβελ καὶ [εἰς] Βαιθ­μαχα καὶ πάντες ἐν Χαρρι, καὶ ἐξεκκλησιά­σθησαν καὶ ἦλθον X κατό­πισθεν αὐτοῦ.

14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and [to] Bethmacha; and all in Charri too were assembled, and followed X after him.

14 Now he had passed through all the tribes of Israel unto Abela and Bethmaacha: and all the chosen menF X were gathered together X X X unto him.

14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and [to] Bethmaachah, and all the Berites: and they were ga­thered togeth­er, and went also after him.

14 who had passed by all the tribes of Israel in the direction of Abel (that is, Beth Ma’acah), along with all the Berites, and they were formed into a company as they came in addition­ally after him.

(יד) וַיַּעֲבֹרG בְּכָל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָבֵלָה וּבֵית מַעֲכָה וְכָל Hהַבֵּרִים וַיִּקָּהֲלוּI וַיָּבֹאוּ Jאַף אַחֲרָיו.

15 καὶ παρε­γενήθησαν καὶ ἐπολιόρκουν ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν τὴν Αβελ [καὶ] τὴν Βαιθ­μαχα καὶ ἐξέχεαν πρόσ­χωμα πρὸς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ ἔστη ἐν τῷ προτειχίσ­ματι, καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ὁ μετὰ Ιωαβ ἐνοοῦσαν καταβαλεῖν τὸ τεῖχος.

15 And they came and besieged X him in Abel [and] KPhermacha: and they raised a mound against the city and it stood close to the wall; and all the people with Joab proposed to throw down the wall.

15 And they came, and besieged X him in Abela, [and] in Bethmaacha, and they cast up works round the city, and the city was besieged: and all the people that were with Joab, laboured to throw down the wall[s].

15 And they came and besieged X him in Abel of Bethmaachah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.

15 Meanwhile, all the people that was with Joab came up and laid siege upon him in Abel/Beth Ma’acah, and they dumped a siege-mound against the city, and it was located by the rampart, and they began destroying the wall to make it fall down.

(טו) וַיָּבֹאוּ וַיָּצֻרוּ עָלָיו בְּאָבֵלָה Lבֵּית הַמַּעֲכָה וַיִּשְׁפְּכוּ סֹלְלָהM אֶל הָעִיר וַתַּעֲמֹדN בַּחֵל וְכָל הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אֶת יוֹאָב מַשְׁחִיתִםO לְהַפִּיל הַחוֹמָה.

16 καὶ ἐβόησεν γυνὴ σοφὴ ἐκ τοῦ τείχους καὶ εἶπεν Ἀκούσατε ἀκούσατε, εἴπατε δὴ πρὸς Ιωαβ Ἔγγισον ἕως ὧδε, καὶ λαλήσω πρὸς αὐτόν.

16 And a wise woman cried from the wall, and said, Hear, hear; say, I pray ye, to Joab, Draw near hither, and I will speak to him.

16 And a wise woman cried out from the city: Hear, hear, and say to Joab: Come near hither, and I will speak with thee.

16 Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.

16 But a wise woman from the city called out, “Y’all Listen! Listen! Please tell this to Joab, ‘Come near – up to here, and let me speak with you.’”

(טז) וַתִּקְרָא אִשָּׁה חֲכָמָה מִן הָעִירP שִׁמְעוּ שִׁמְעוּ אִמְרוּ נָא אֶל יוֹאָב קְרַב עַד הֵנָּה וַאֲדַבְּרָה אֵלֶיךָ.

17 καὶ προσήγ­γισεν πρὸς αὐτήν, καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνή Εἰ σὺ εἶ Ιωαβ; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν Ἐγώ. εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ Ἄκουσον τοὺς λόγους τῆς δούλης σου. καὶ εἶπεν [Ιωαβ] Ἀκούω ἐγώ εἰμι.

17 And he drew nigh to her, and the woman said [to himQ], Art thou Joab? and he said, I am. And she said to him, Hear the words of thy handmaid; and [Joab] said, I do hear.

17 And when he was come near to her, she X said [to himR]: Art thou Joab? And he answered: I am. And she spoke [thus] to him: Hear the words of thy hand­maid. X He answered: I do hear.

17 And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.

17 So he came near to her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” And he said, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your maidservant.” And he said, “I am listening.”

(יז) וַיִּקְרַב אֵלֶיהָ וַתֹּאמֶר הָאִשָּׁה הַאַתָּה יוֹאָב וַיֹּאמֶר אָנִי וַתֹּאמֶר לוֹ שְׁמַע דִּבְרֵי אֲמָתֶךָ וַיֹּאמֶר שֹׁמֵעַ אָנֹכִי.

18 καὶ εἶπεν λέγο­υσα ΛόγονS ἐλάλ­ησαν ἐν πρώτοις λέγοντες [Ἠρωτη­μένος ἠρωτήθη ἐν τῇ Αβελ καὶ ἐν Δαν εἰ ἐξέλιπον ἃ ἔθεν­το οἱ πιστοὶ τοῦ Ισραηλ,] ἐρωτῶν­τες ἐπερωτήσουσιν ἐν Αβελ καὶ οὕτως [εἰ] ἐξέλιπον.

18 And she spoke, say­ing, Of old time they X said thus, [Sure­ly one was asked in Abel, and Dan, whether the faith­ful in Israel failed in what they pur­posed;] they will surely ask in Abel, even in like man­ner, [whether] they have failed.

18 And she again said: A saying was used in the old proverb: They that inquire, let them inquire in Abela: and so they made an end.

18 Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, say­ing, They shall surely ask coun­sel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.

18 Then she really began speaking, “At the outset, they would emphatically assert, saying, ‘Let them diligently inquire in Abel, and thus they shall bring resolution.

(יח) וַתֹּאמֶר לֵאמֹר דַּבֵּר יְדַבְּרוּ בָרִאשֹׁנָה לֵאמֹרT שָׁאֹל יְשָׁאֲלוּ בְּאָבֵל וְכֵן הֵתַמּוּ.

19 ἐγώ εἰμι εἰρηνικὰ τῶν στηριγμάτων Ισραηλ, σὺ [δὲ] ζητεῖς θανατῶ­σαι πόλιν καὶ μητρό[πολιν] ἐν Ισραηλ· ἵνα τί καταποντίζεις κληρονομίαν κυρίου;

19 I am a peace­able oneX of the strong ones in Israel; [but] thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother [city] in Israel: why dost thou [seek to] ruin the inherit­ance of the Lord?

19 Am [not] I she that answer truthX in Israel, [and] thou seek­est to destroy the city, and [to ov­er­throw] a mo­ther in Israel? Why wilt thou throw down the inherit­ance of the Lord?

19 I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inherit­ance of the LORD?

19 I am of the loyal ones of Israel who are at peace. You are seeking to put to death a city that is a ‘mother’ in Israel. Why are you swallowing up the inheritance of Yahweh?”

(יט) אָנֹכִי שְׁלֻמֵי Uאֱמוּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ לְהָמִית עִיר וְאֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לָמָּה תְבַלַּע נַחֲלַת יְהוָהV.

20 καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Ιωαβ καὶ εἶπεν Ἵλεώς [μοι] ἵλεώς μοι, εἰ καταποντιῶ καὶ εἰ διαφθερῶ·

20 And Joab answered and said, Far be it [X XW], far be it from me, that I should ruin or X destroy.

20 And Joab answering said: God forbid, God forbid that I should, I do not throw down, nor destroy.

20 And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or X destroy.

20 Joab then answered and said, “Disgrace! It is a disgrace to me if I swallow up or if I destroy!

(כ) וַיַּעַן יוֹאָב וַיֹּאמַר חָלִילָה חָלִילָהX לִי אִםY אֲבַלַּע וְאִם אַשְׁחִית.

21 οὐχ οὗτος ὁ λόγος, ὅτι ἀνὴρ ἐξ ὄρους Εφ­ραιμ, Σαβεε υἱὸς Βοχορι ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπ­ῆρεν τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸν βασιλέα X Δαυ­ιδ· δότε αὐτόν [μοι] μόνον, καὶ ἀπελεύσομαι ἀπάνωθεν τῆς πόλεως. καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνὴ πρὸς Ιωαβ Ἰδοὺ ἡ κεφαλὴ αὐτοῦ ῥιφήσεται πρὸς σὲ διὰ τοῦ τείχους.

21 Is not the case thus, that a man of mount Ephraim, Sabee, son of Bochori by name, has even lifted up his hand against X king X David? Give him only [to me], and I will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.

21 The matter is not so, but a man of mount Ephraim, Seba the son of Bochri by name, hath lifted up his hand against X king X David: deliver him only, and we will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab: Behold his head shall be thrown to thee from X the wall.

21 The matter is not so: but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bich­ri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.

21 Such is not the case! Rather, a man from the mountain of Ephraim (Sheba son of Bikri is his name) has lifted up his hand against David the King. Y’all just give him up, and I will walk away from your city.” So the woman said to Joab, “OK, his head is about to be thrown to you over the wall!”

(כא) לֹא כֵן הַדָּבָר כִּי אִישׁ מֵהַר אֶפְרַיִם שֶׁבַע בֶּן בִּכְרִי שְׁמוֹ נָשָׂא יָדוֹ בַּמֶּלֶךְ Zבְּדָוִד תְּנוּ אֹתוֹ לְבַדּוֹ וְאֵלְכָה מֵעַל הָעִיר וַתֹּאמֶר הָאִשָּׁה אֶל יוֹאָב הִנֵּה רֹאשׁוֹ מֻשְׁלָךְ אֵלֶיךָ בְּעַד הַחוֹמָה.

22 καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ἡ γυνὴ πρὸς πάντα τὸν λαὸν [καὶ ἐλάλησεν πρὸς πᾶσαν τὴν πόλιν] ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ αὐ­τῆς· καὶ ἀφεῖλεν τὴν κεφαλὴν Σα­βεε υἱοῦ Βοχορι καὶ ἔβαλεν πρὸς Ιωαβ. καὶ ἐσάλπι­σεν ἐν κερατίνῃ, καὶ διεσπάρησαν ἀπὸ τῆς πόλεως ἀνὴρ εἰς τὰ σκηνώματα αὐτοῦ· καὶ Ιωαβ ἀπέστρεψεν εἰς Ιερουσαλημ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα.

22 And the wo­man went in to all the people[, and she spoke to all the city] in her wis­dom; and they took off the head of Sabee the son of Bochori; [and took it awayAA] and threw it to Joab: and he blew X the trumpet, and the [peopleAB] separ­ated from the city [away from himAC], every man to his tentX: and Joab returned to Jeru­salem to the king.

22 So she went to all the people, and [spoke to] them wisely: and they cut off the head of Seba the son of Bochri, and cast it out to Joab. And he sounded X the trumpet, and they depart­ed from the city, every one to their homeX: and Joab retur­ned to Jerusalem to the king.

22 Then the wo­man went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bich­ri, and cast it out to Joab. And he blew X a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tentX. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

22 Then the woman went to all her people {and spoke to all of them} with her wisdom, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bikri, and they threw it to Joab. Then he blew into his horn, and they dispersed from the city, each to his tents. Then Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.

(כב) וַתָּבוֹא הָאִשָּׁה אֶל כָּל הָעָם בְּחָכְמָתָהּAD וַיִּכְרְתוּ אֶת רֹאשׁ שֶׁבַע בֶּן בִּכְרִי וַיַּשְׁלִכוּ אֶל יוֹאָב וַיִּתְקַע בַּשּׁוֹפָר וַיָּפֻצוּ מֵעַל הָעִיר אִישׁ לְאֹהָלָיו וְיוֹאָב שָׁב יְרוּשָׁלַ‍ִם אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ.

23 Καὶ Ιωαβ πρὸς πάσῃ τῇ δυνάμει Ισραηλ, καὶ Βαναιας υἱὸς Ιωδαε ἐπὶ τοῦ χερεθθι καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ φελεθθι,

23 And Joab was over all the force[s] of Israel: and Banaias the son of Jodae was over the Cherethites and over the Phelethites.

23 So Joab was over all the army of Israel: and Banaias the son of Joiada was over the Cerethites and X X Phelethites,

23 Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of Jehoi­ada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites:

23 Now Joab was over all of the army of Israel, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kere{th}ites and over the Pelethites.

(כג) וְיוֹאָב אֶלAE כָּל הַצָּבָא יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבְנָיָה בֶּן יְהוֹיָדָע עַל ‎ הַכְּרִיAF וְעַל הַפְּלֵתִי.

24 καὶ Αδωνιραμ ἐπὶ τοῦ φόρου, καὶ Ιωσαφατ υἱὸς Αχιλουθ ἀναμιμνῄσκων,

24 And Adoniram was over the tribute: and Josaphath the son of Achiluth was recorder.

24 But Aduram over the tributes: and Josaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder.

24 And Adoram was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder:

24 Meanwhile, Adoram was over the slave-labor, and Jehoshaphat son of Akhilud was the historian,

(כד) וַאֲדֹרָםAG עַל הַמַּס וִיהוֹשָׁפָט בֶּן אֲחִילוּד הַמַּזְכִּיר.

25 καὶ Σουσα γραμματεύς, καὶ Σαδωκ καὶ Αβιαθαρ ἱερεῖς,

25 And Susa was scribe: and Sadoc and Abiathar were priests.

25 And Siva was scribe: and Sadoc and Abiathar, priests.

25 And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:

25 and Sheva was Secretary, and Tsadoq and Abiathar were priests,

(כה) ‎ וְשֵׁיָאAH סֹפֵר וְצָדוֹק וְאֶבְיָתָר כֹּהֲנִים.

26 καί γε Ιρας ὁ Ιαριν ἦν ἱερεὺς τοῦ Δαυιδ.

26 Moreover Iras the son of Iarin was priest to David.

26 And Ira the Jairite was the priest of David.

26 And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.

26 and also Ira the Jairite was ministering to David.

(כו) וְגַם עִירָא הַיָּאִרִיAI הָיָה כֹהֵןAJ לְדָוִד.


1Although Keil & Delitzsch saw them as the names of two separate places, Josephus, Willett, and Tsumura considered it to be one and the same place.

2K&D interpreted this as the army of Israel being mobilized rather than Sheba’s ranks being mobilized.

3This was Goldman’s interpretation, and he said that it was also what most modern Jewish scholars propose, although he noted that Kimchi and Ralbag related them instead to the Beerothites of Benjamin in 4:3, with which M. Henry and J. Gill concurred. Willett related them to both. Tsumura related them to neither, but instead to names in northern Israel.

4Willet (citing Junius in support) wrote, “the Citizens of Abel... communed and consulted among themselues, that Ioab would first offer vnto the citie peace, to see if it would be accepted.” Henry and Jamieson agreed, but I would point out that the verb “ask” is not perfect tense, but rather imperfect tense, describing a customary, ongoing action, not a past event. R. Isaiah interpreted it like I did, that people came to Abel to settle disputes. Gill and K&D accepted both of the above positions as though they did not contradict. Lightfoot, on the other hand, came up with yet another interpretation that it was Sheba who was doing the asking, “Sheba and his rebels... had deceived them by fawning and false words, pretending only to inquire about the peace and welfare of their city,” but I would point out that the subject of the verb is plural (“they asked”), not singular, and the rest with Sheba don’t seem to be the problem; Sheba’s head alone was called for.

5Willett, Henry, and Jamieson thought so, but Goldman, Driver, and Gill did not. I am skeptical.

6Rachi and Kimchi alone to the contrary that I could find.

7“The single condition of peace is the surrender of the traitor. It is so in God's dealing with the soul, when it is besieged by conviction and distress: sin is the traitor; the beloved lust is the rebel; part with that, cast away the transgression, and all shall be well. No peace on any other terms.” ~M. Henry

8also short for Hadoram, as he is called in 2 Chronicles 10:18 (cf. 1 Ki. 12:18), when he attempted to continue serving in that capacity under King Rehoboam.

9Targums, KJV, and Gill asserted, to the contrary, that it was merely the collection of tribute money from vassals.

10So David reigned over all Israel, and it happened that David executed justice and righteousness for all his people, 16 and Joab son of Tseruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was librarian, 17 and Zadok son of Achitub and Achimelek son of Abiathar were priests, and Seraiah was secretary, 18 and Benaiah son of Jehoiada {was over} both the Cerethites and the Pelethites, and the sons of David were {chieftains}. (NAW)

11Num. 32:41; Deut. 3:14; Jos. 13:30; Jdg. 10:3, 5; 1 Ki. 4:13; 1 Chr. 2:22-23

12This was the position taken by the NASB, NIV, NLT, and Tsumura (NICOT).

13This was the position taken by the KJV, NKJV, French NEG, Gill, K&D, and Goldman (Soncino).

14cf. Goldman (Soncino): “Absalom’s rebellion may have been the reason for the change.”

151 Cor. 1:23-24 “but, as for us, we are preaching… Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God...”

16Ahimelek’s father was also called Abiathar.

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 20 are 4Q51 Samuela containing parts of verses 1-2, 4, 9-14, 19, & 21-25, 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}.

BAlthough the DSS is obliterated at this point, it is curious that the DSS has enough extra space in the previous line to insert this extra word found in the LXX, howevere, it wouldn’t fit in Hebrew grammar to put the word that early in the sentence, and there is a shorter line in this section of the DSS, so there is no certainty that there was an extra word here in the DSS.

CI don’t know where Douay got “people,” since the Vulgate reads vir = “men.” The DSS reads עמ = “people,” but it wasn’t discovered until hundreds of years after Douay.

DThis word only occurs elsewhere in the Bible in 2 Sam. 20:13; Job 19:2; Isa. 51:23; Lam. 1:4-5, 12; 3:32-33; Zeph. 3:18 – all lament literature. This is the only place that it is translated “remove;” everywhere else it is translated “sorrow, grieve, torment, torture, afflict, suffer, mourn, pain, or vex.” I would also note that it is spelled in the Hiphil-causative stem here, which is not a passive stem, but all the versions seem to give it a passive interpretation.

EThe DSS reads עמ = “people,” but the MT, LXX, Vulgate, Targums, and Aramaic are all agreed on “man.”

FThe Hebrew root here is בור = “well,” but the Vulgate translates it as though it were from the similar root בחר = “chosen.” The fact that the LXX reads as though the chet letter in the Vulgate translation were present (חרימ instead of the MT ברימ) is a coincidence which warrants consideration of the original being different from the MT, but doesn’t make a determination conclusive.

GNIV & ESV insert a repetition of the nearest previous noun (Sheba). This is an inference, but a warranted one. A minority of scholars have interpreted the subject as Joab instead of Sheba: Josephus, Syriac and Arabic versions, R. Isaiah, and, surprisingly, Keil & Delitzsch.

HIt is normal for proper names to experience spelling variation across languages, but the variants are curious here:
ברין = Targums & Syriac (the final ן means the same in their language as the ם in Hebrew)
הברים = Masoretic Hebrew
בחרים = Vulgate
בחרים = LXX
הבכרים = ESV (similar to the name of Sheba’s father, but no manuscript actually spells the word this way).
Additionally, the Masoretic punctuation indicates that the major break should be after this word (see https://hb.openscriptures.org/structure/OshbVerse/index.html?b=2Sam&c=20&v=14), contradicting the reading of the Greek (reflected in English by Brenton) and Latin (reflected in English by Douay).

IThe LXX, Vulgate, Targums, and Syriac all confirm the reading of the Qere “were assembled” over the reading of the original MT Kethib (“were burned/dishonored”). Likely the lamed and he letters were switched for euphonic purposes, and a contemporary who understood the language would know that and translate it as it was intended all along as “assembled.”

JThis word is omitted in the LXX, Vulgate, and Syriac, but I wonder if the reason has to do more with the difficulty of translating the nuance of meaning of the word (“adding more” – the idea that more and more supporters trickled in and were incorporated into the company) rather than the word not being in the original text.

KVaticanus, the oldest-known Septuagint manuscript, has a strange variant spelling for “Beth” which is not found in the majority of Septuagint manuscripts.

LLXX, Vulgate, Syriac, Targums, and even some Hebrew manuscripts insert a vav conjunction here, matching the spelling of the previous verse.

MThe remaining 7 instances of this verb all describe the Chaldean siege of Jerusalem (2 Ki. 19:32; Isa. 37:33; Jer. 6:6; Ezek. 4:2; 17:17; 21:27; 26:8)

NSeveral ancient versions read differently: Vulgate: obsessa est urbs (See Douay for English translation), Targums = “surrounded the camp,” Syriac = “established‎ באולצנא." The feminine singular refers, not to the army (Osiander, Gill), not to the woman (Vatabulus), not to the city (Willett), but to the feminine singular “siege-mound.”

OTargums (מִתעַשְׁתִין) and Septuagint read “considering” (perhaps seeing the root as חשב, with a euphonically-transposed sibilant and guttural letter spelling, rather than שחת) but Syriac (מגרגין) and Vulgate (moliebatur) support the MT Hebrew (“laying waste”).

PGreek and Syriac read “wall” instead of “city,” but that doesn’t change anything about the story.

QThis seems to be a gloss by Brenton; it is not in the Vaticanus or in Rohlfs’ edition of the Septuagint.

RThis seems to be a gloss by Douay. I don’t see it in the Vulgate. I do see it in the Syriac, however, but not in the MT.

SMT pointed dibber as a verb, and it seems to be a verb in Targums & Syriac, but LXX & Vulgate understood it as a noun.

TAt this point, the LXX inserts a long phrase about it being asked in Abel and Dan whether the faithful in Israel ever failed to resolve an issue. The Old Latin inserts the first part of what is added in the LXX “and in Dan they say.” The Targums instead inserts a phrase about remembering what was written in the book of the law. The piling up of three emphatic verb infinitives gives me the impression that this woman was wound up and talking a mile a minute, so maybe the MT is an abbreviated version of what she said. It’s not a problem if she said more, as long as we’ve got the gist. And the gist is that Abel has had a long tradition of being the place where folks would go to resolve disputes.

UVulgate & LXX insert “and,” but no conjunction is here in the Targums or Syriac. This portion of the DSS is obliterated.

VThe last letter of this verse is all that has survived of this verse in the DSS, and, curiously, it is the letter ם, which is not found in any of the last few words of the MT of this verse (nor is it the last letter of the verse in the Targums or Syriac). Perhaps it could be the last letter of the Hebrew word for “God” (elohim), which would easily stand as a synonym for YHWH, not changing the meaning.

WThe extra “to me” in Rahlfs’ edition of the LXX is also in the Vaticanus, but was left out in Brenton’s English translation.

XThe repeat of this exclamation is omitted in some Hebrew manuscripts, some Greek manuscripts, in the Old Latin, and in the Syriac. The entire verse is obliterated in the DSS, but there is not enough space for all the text in the MT, so the DSS seems to support the manuscripts which omit the repeated word.

YVulgate & Syriac read these as אל (“not”) instead of as אם (“if”). I suspect they must have been looking at a manuscript which had a negative, since this is not a word that is prone to get mis-read or misunderstood.

ZThe LXX, Vulgate, and Syriac all read as though they were looking at a Hebrew manuscript which omitted the beth before “David.” Indeed there are a few such Hebrew manuscripts, and, although the Targums preserve the beth, most rabbinical citations also omit it. The DSS is too obliterated for comparison. It makes no difference in meaning, however.

AAThis redundancy is in the Vaticanus, but not the standard Septuagint.

AB“people” is not in the LXX or Vaticanus. This is an insertion from Brenton in English.

ACThis insertion is in the Vaticanus, but not the standard Septuagint.

ADAlthough the Syriac and Targums support the MT here, the LXX and Vulgate agree on additional text surrounding the additional verb “she spoke.” The DSS, although too obliterated to read, nevertheless has way too much space for the text of the MT, so it supports the additional text of the LXX and Vulgate. What is added, however, does not change the story, for it is normally assumed that in “going to her people” she was talking to them.

AELXX supports the MT. Vulgate, Syriac, and Targums, and some Greek manuscripts instead read with the approximately-synonymous preposition על (which has a stronger connotation of “over” than אל). The Targums add a verb “appointed,” but this appears to be an explanatory insert for a terse original text.

AFSyriac supports the original spelling of the MT, but the LXX and Latin and Targums, as well as multiple Hebrew manuscripts, support the Qere which adds a tav as the penultimate letter to bring it into conformance with previous spellings. A couple of Greek editions, namely the Lucian Rescription and Theodotion’s omit “Kerethites” altogether, but paired with “the Pelethites,” no matter what the spelling, it is obviously speaking of that particular group of soldiers.

AGAlso known as Adoniram (which is how the LXX and Syriac spelled it). The only other mention of Adoram is his death under King Rehoboam in 1 Kings 12:18, which happened while he working in his position of conscripting labor. But Adoniram is also mentioned in 1Ki 4:6 “...Adoniram the son of Abda, over the labor force” and 1Kings 5:14 “And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month in shifts: they were one month in Lebanon and two months at home; Adoniram was in charge of the labor force.”

AHSheia = traditional MT spelling
Sheva = Vulgate, a Targums tradition, Multiple Hebrew manuscripts, & Qere (MT correction:
וּשְׁוָא),
Sousa = Old Latin, LXX, a Targums tradition, 1 Chron 18 spelling in LXX and Vulgate
Seriah = Syriac, 2 Sam 8 spelling in all manuscripts except LXX (which renders "[S]asa")
Shavsha = 1 Chron 18 spelling in MT and Targums.
Note that the Hebrew letters for "v" and "i" can be interchangeable or can disappear for phonetic reasons, and
also, before the vowel pointing was added, the same letter
ש stood for both "S" and "Sh." So it is understandable that this guy’s name was spelled in a variety of ways. This would be even more likely if he was a foreigner with letters in his name that didn’t exactly correspond to Hebrew letters. It is also a characteristic of real life that famous people have a variety of names attached to them.

AIJairite doesn’t occur anywhere else in the Bible. Jair was a son of Manasseh who settled the area of Gilead (Num. 32:41; Deut. 3:14; Jos. 13:30; Jdg. 10:3, 5; 1 Ki. 4:13; 1 Chr. 2:22-23), so perhaps he was from the TransJordan. The Syriac and a couple of Greek versions (Lucian Rescription, Symmachus) replaced א/a” with “th” to make Jetherite.

AJהַמַּס does not mean vectigal, i.e., tribute or tributary service, but tributary labourers. “ ~Keil & Delitzsch

9