2 Samuel 1:19

1:19 The beauty of Israel lies slain on your high places!

How the mighty have fallen!

2 Samuel 22:33

22:33 The one true God is my mighty refuge;

he removes the obstacles in my way.


sn The word beauty is used figuratively here to refer to Saul and Jonathan.

tn Heb “the God.” See the note at v. 31.

tc 4QSama has מְאַזְּרֵנִי (mÿazzÿreni, “the one girding me with strength”) rather than the MT מָעוּזִּי (mauzzi, “my refuge”). See as well Ps 18:32.

tn The prefixed verbal form with vav consecutive here carries along the generalizing tone of the preceding line.

tn Heb “and he sets free (from the verb נָתַר, natar) [the] blameless, his [Kethib; “my” (Qere)] way.” The translation follows Ps 18:32 in reading “he made my path smooth.” The term תָּמִים (tamim, “smooth”) usually carries a moral or ethical connotation, “blameless, innocent.” However, in Ps 18:33 it refers to a pathway free of obstacles. The reality underlying the metaphor is the psalmist’s ability to charge into battle without tripping (see vv. 33, 36).