Jashobeam, a Hacmonite, was head of the officers. 2 He killed three hundred men with his spear in a single battle. 3
11:20 Abishai the brother of Joab was head of the three 4 elite warriors. He killed three hundred men with his spear 5 and gained fame along with the three elite warriors. 6
29:6 The leaders of the families, the leaders of the Israelite tribes, the commanders of units of a thousand and a hundred, and the supervisors of the king’s work contributed willingly.
1 tn Heb “and these are the number of the warriors who were David’s.”
2 tc The marginal reading (Qere) has “officers;” the consonantal text (Kethib) has “the Thirty” (see v. 15).
3 tn Heb “he was wielding his spear against 300, [who were] slain at one time.”
4 tc The Syriac reads “thirty” here and at the beginning of v. 21; this reading is followed by some English translations (cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV, NLT).
5 tn Heb “he was wielding his spear against three hundred, [who were] slain.”
6 tn Heb “and to him [reading with the Qere] there was a name among the three.”
7 tn Or “horsemen.”
8 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Hadadezer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
9 tn Heb “and David cut the hamstrings of all the chariot horses, and he left from them one hundred chariot horses.”
10 tn Or “people.”
11 tn Heb “Why should it become guilt for Israel?” David’s decision betrays an underlying trust in his own strength rather than in divine provision. See also 1 Chr 27:23-24.
12 tc The MT reads “Shelomoth”; the name is spelled “Shelomith” in the marginal reading (Qere) of v. 25.