¹ tn The Hebrew verb נַעֲלָה (na’alah) used here is the Niphal perfect 3rd person masculine singular of עָלָה (’alah, “to go up”). In the Niphal this verb “is used idiomatically, of getting away from so as to abandon…especially of an army raising a siege…” (see S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 244).

² tn Heb “was walking.”

³ tc The translation follows many medieval Hebrew manuscripts and several ancient versions in reading “your hands,” rather than “your hand.”

⁴ tc 4QSam^a lacks the words “all the people.”

⁵ tn Heb “all the house of Israel.”

⁶ tc Heb “were celebrating before the Lord with all woods of fir” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB). If the text is retained, the last expression must be elliptical, referring to musical instruments made from fir wood. But it is preferable to emend the text in light of 1 Chr 13:8, which reads “were celebrating before the Lord with all strength and with songs.”

⁷ tn Heb “with zithers [?] and with harps.”

⁸ tn That is, “sistrums” (so NAB, NIV); ASV, NASB, NRSV, CEV, NLT “castanets.”

⁹ tn Heb “and your name might be great permanently.” Following the imperative in v. 23b, the prefixed verbal form with vav conjunctive indicates purpose/result.

¹⁰ tn Heb “saying.” The words “as people” are supplied in the translation for clarification and stylistic reasons.

¹¹ tn Heb “the house.” See the note on “dynastic house” in the following verse.

¹² tn Heb “and Joab returned from against the sons of Ammon and entered.”

¹³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

¹⁴ tn Heb “from upon me.”

¹⁵ tc A few medieval Hebrew mss have “and they removed everyone” (Hiphil preterite with vav consecutive 3cp, rather than Qal preterite with vav consecutive 3cp).

¹⁶ tn Heb “that the Lord has vindicated him from the hand of his enemies.”