2 Samuel 23:20-21

23:20 Benaiah son of Jehoida was a brave warrior 1  from Kabzeel who performed great exploits. He struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab. 2  He also went down and killed a lion in a cistern on a snowy day. 23:21 He also killed an impressive-looking Egyptian. 3  The Egyptian wielded a spear, while Benaiah attacked 4  him with a club. He grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.

1 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading חַיִל (khayil, “valor”) rather than the Kethib of the MT, חַי (khay, “life”).

2 tc Heb “the two of Ariel, Moab.” The precise meaning of אריאל is uncertain; some read “warrior.” The present translation assumes that the word is a proper name and that בני, “sons of,” has accidentally dropped from the text by homoioarcton (note the preceding שׁני).

3 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading אִישׁ (’ish, “man”) rather than the Kethib of the MT, אֲשֶׁר (’asher, “who”).

4 tn Heb “and he went down to.”