2 Samuel 5:23

5:23 So David asked the Lord what he should do. ¹  This time ²  the Lord ³  said to him, “Don’t march straight up. Instead, circle around behind them and come against them opposite the trees. ⁴ 

2 Samuel 7:6

7:6 I have not lived in a house from the time I brought the Israelites up from Egypt to the present day. Instead, I was traveling with them and living in a tent. ⁵ 

2 Samuel 7:11

7:11 and during the time when I appointed judges to lead my people Israel. Instead, I will give you relief ⁶  from all your enemies. The Lord declares ⁷  to you that he himself ⁸  will build a dynastic house ⁹  for you.

2 Samuel 13:25

13:25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son. We shouldn’t all go. We shouldn’t burden you in that way.” Though Absalom ¹⁰  pressed ¹¹  him, the king ¹²  was not willing to go. Instead, David ¹³  blessed him.

2 Samuel 14:14

14:14 Certainly we must die, and are like water spilled on the ground that cannot be gathered up again. But God does not take away life; instead he devises ways for the banished to be restored. ¹⁴ 

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¹ tn The words “what to do” are not in the Hebrew text.

² tn The words “this time” are not in the Hebrew text.

³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁴ tn Some translate as “balsam trees” (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV, NJB, NLT); cf. KJV, NKJV, ASV “mulberry trees”; NAB “mastic trees”; NEB, REB “aspens.” The exact identification of the type of tree or plant is uncertain.

⁵ tn Heb “in a tent and in a dwelling.” The expression is a hendiadys, using two terms to express one idea.

⁶ tn Or “rest.”

⁷ tn In the Hebrew text the verb is apparently perfect with vav consecutive, which would normally suggest a future sense (“he will declare”; so the LXX, ἀπαγγελεῖ [apangelei]). But the context seems instead to call for a present or past nuance (“he declares” or “he has declared”). The synoptic passage in 1 Chr 17:10 has וָאַגִּד (va’aggid, “and I declared”). The construction used in 2 Sam 7:11 highlights this important statement.

⁸ tn Heb “the Lord.”

⁹ tn Heb “house,” but used here in a metaphorical sense, referring to a royal dynasty. Here the Lord’s use of the word plays off the literal sense that David had in mind as he contemplated building a temple for the Lord. To reflect this in the English translation the adjective “dynastic” has been supplied.

¹⁰ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Absalom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹¹ tc Here and in v. 27 the translation follows 4QSam^a ויצפר (vayyitspar, “and he pressed”) rather than the MT וַיִּפְרָץ (vayyiprats, “and he broke through”). This emended reading seems also to underlie the translations of the LXX (καὶ ἐβιάσατο, kai ebiasato), the Syriac Peshitta (we’alseh), and Vulgate (cogeret eum).

¹² tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁴ tn Heb “he devises plans for the one banished from him not to be banished.”