17:14 Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite sounds better than the advice of Ahithophel.” Now the Lord had decided 1 to frustrate the sound advice of Ahithophel, so that the Lord could bring disaster on Absalom.
18:3 But the soldiers replied, 2 “You should not do this! 3 For if we should have to make a rapid retreat, they won’t be too concerned about us. 4 Even if half of us should die, they won’t be too concerned about us. But you 5 are like ten thousand of us! So it is better if you remain in the city for support.”
1 tn Heb “commanded.”
2 tn Heb “the people said.”
3 tn Heb “march out.”
4 tn Heb “they will not place to us heart.”
5 tc The translation follows the LXX (except for the Lucianic recension), Symmachus, and Vulgate in reading אָתָּה (’atta, “you”) rather than MT עָתָּה (’atta, “now”).