2 Samuel 2:14

2:14 Abner said to Joab, “Let the soldiers get up and fight 1  before us.” Joab said, “So be it!” 2 

2 Samuel 10:13

10:13 So Joab and his men 3  marched out to do battle with the Arameans, and they fled before him.

2 Samuel 12:12

12:12 Although you have acted in secret, I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight.’” 4 

2 Samuel 15:5

15:5 When someone approached to bow before him, Absalom 5  would extend his hand and embrace him and kiss him.

2 Samuel 22:50

22:50 So I will give you thanks, O Lord, before the nations! 6 

I will sing praises to you. 7 

1 tn Heb “play.” What is in view here is a gladiatorial contest in which representative groups of soldiers engage in mortal combat before the watching armies. Cf. NAB “perform for us”; NASB “hold (have NRSV) a contest before us”; NLT “put on an exhibition of hand-to-hand combat.”

2 tn Heb “let them arise.”

3 tn Heb “and the army which was with him.”

4 tn Heb “and before the sun.”

5 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Absalom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

6 sn This probably alludes to the fact that David will praise the Lord in the presence of the defeated nations when they, as his subjects, bring their tribute payments. Ideally God’s chosen king was to testify to the nations of God’s greatness. See J. Eaton, Kingship and the Psalms (SBT), 182-85.

7 tn Heb “to your name.” God’s “name” refers metonymically to his divine characteristics as suggested by his name, in this case “Lord,” the primary name of Israel’s covenant God which suggests his active presence with his people (see Exod 3:12-15).