¹ tc Many Hebrew mss and ancient textual witnesses agree with the Qere in reading this as singular, “your servant.”

² tn Heb “From my master the king is this thing done, and you did not make known to your servants who will sit on the throne of my master the king after him?”

³ tn The Hebrew text reads, “and the king said.”

⁴ tn Or “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who….” In this blessing formula אֲשֶׁר (’asher, “who; because”) introduces the reason why the one being blessed deserves the honor.

⁵ tn Heb “and my eyes are seeing.”

⁶ tn This statement is introduced in the Hebrew text by the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) which draws attention to and emphasizes what follows.

⁷ tn Heb “I am doing according to your words.” The perfect tense is sometimes used of actions occurring at the same time a statement is made.

⁸ tn This statement is introduced by the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) which draws attention to and emphasizes what follows. The translation assumes that the perfect tense here indicates that the action occurs as the statement is made (i.e., “right now I give you”).

⁹ tn Heb “heart.” (The Hebrew term translated “heart” often refers to the mental faculties.)

¹⁰ tn Heb “so that there has not been one like you prior to you, and after you one will not arise like you.”

¹¹ tn The Hebrew text reads, “by his hand.”

¹² tn The Hebrew text reads, “by his mouth.”

¹³ tn Heb “and he said.”

¹⁴ tn Heb “my brother.” Kings allied through a parity treaty would sometimes address each other as “my brother.” See 1 Kgs 20:32-33.

¹⁵ tn Heb “he called them the land of Cabul to this day.” The significance of the name is unclear, though it appears to be disparaging. The name may be derived from a root, attested in Akkadian and Arabic, meaning “bound” or “restricted.” Some propose a wordplay, pointing out that the name “Cabul” sounds like a Hebrew phrase meaning, “like not,” or “as good as nothing.”

¹⁶ tn Heb “Listen.”