2 Samuel 5:8

5:8 David said on that day, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites must approach the ‘lame’ and the ‘blind’ who are David’s enemies 1  by going through the water tunnel.” 2  For this reason it is said, “The blind and the lame cannot enter the palace.” 3 

2 Samuel 15:20

15:20 It seems like you arrived just yesterday. Today should I make you wander around by going with us? I go where I must go. But as for you, go back and take your men 4  with you. May genuine loyal love 5  protect 6  you!”

2 Samuel 15:30

15:30 As David was going up the Mount of Olives, he was weeping as he went; his head was covered and his feet were bare. All the people who were with him also had their heads covered and were weeping as they went up.

2 Samuel 18:9

18:9 Then Absalom happened to come across David’s men. Now as Absalom was riding on his 7  mule, it 8  went under the branches of a large oak tree. His head got caught in the oak and he was suspended in midair, 9  while the mule he had been riding kept going.

2 Samuel 20:22

20:22 Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice and they cut off Sheba’s head and threw it out to Joab. Joab 10  blew the trumpet, and his men 11  dispersed from the city, each going to his own home. 12  Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.

1 tc There is some confusion among the witnesses concerning this word. The Kethib is the Qal perfect 3cp שָׂנְאוּ (sanÿ’u, “they hated”), referring to the Jebusites’ attitude toward David. The Qere is the Qal passive participle construct plural שְׂנֻאֵי (sÿnu’e, “hated”), referring to David’s attitude toward the Jebusites. 4QSama has the Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular שָׂנְאָה (sanÿ’ah, “hated”), the subject of which would be “the soul of David.” The difference is minor and the translation adopted above works for either the Kethib or the Qere.

2 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term has been debated. For a survey of various views, see P. K. McCarter, II Samuel (AB), 139-40.

sn If a water tunnel is in view here, it is probably the so-called Warren’s Shaft that extends up from Hezekiah’s tunnel. It would have provided a means for surprise attack against the occupants of the city of David. The LXX seems not to understand the reference here, translating “by the water shaft” as “with a small knife.”

3 tn Heb “the house.” TEV takes this as a reference to the temple (“the Lord’s house”).

4 tn Heb “brothers,” but see v. 22.

5 tn Heb “loyal love and truth.” The expression is a hendiadys.

6 tn Heb “be with.”

7 tn Heb “the.”

8 tn Heb “the donkey.”

9 tn Heb “between the sky and the ground.”

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

11 tn Heb “they”; the referent (Joab’s men) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

12 tn Heb “his tents.”