¹ tn Heb “let your hands be strong.”

² tc The Hebrew of the MT reads simply “and he said,” with no expressed subject for the verb. It is not likely that the text originally had no expressed subject for this verb, since the antecedent is not immediately clear from the context. We should probably restore to the Hebrew text the name “Ish-bosheth.” See a few medieval Hebrew mss, Aquila, Symmachus, Theodotion, and Vulgate. Perhaps the name was accidentally omitted by homoioarcton. Note that both the name Ishbosheth and the following preposition אֶל (’el) begin with the letter alef.

³ tn Heb “come to”; KJV, NRSV “gone in to”; NAB “been intimate with”; NIV “sleep with.”

⁴ sn This accusation against Abner is a very serious one, since an act of sexual infringement on the king’s harem would probably have been understood as a blatant declaration of aspirations to kingship. As such it was not merely a matter of ethical impropriety but an act of grave political significance as well.

⁵ tc Several medieval Hebrew mss and the Syriac Peshitta lack this word.

⁶ tn Heb “all that is in your heart.”

⁷ tn Heb “for the sake of your word and according to your heart.”

⁸ tn Heb “to make known, your servant.”

⁹ tn Heb “in all which we heard with our ears.” The phrase translated “in all” בְּכֹל (bÿkhol) should probably be emended to “according to all” כְּכֹל (kÿkhol).

¹⁰ tn Heb “and now, O Lord God, the word which you spoke concerning your servant and concerning his house, establish permanently.”

¹¹ tn Heb “as you have spoken.”

¹² tn Heb “the God.” The article indicates uniqueness here.

¹³ tn The translation understands the prefixed verb form as a jussive, indicating David’s wish/prayer. Another option is to take the form as an imperfect and translate “your words are true.”

¹⁴ tn Heb “and you have spoken to your servant this good thing.”

¹⁵ tc The MT has here “because you have caused the enemies of the Lord to treat the Lord with such contempt.” This is one of the so-called tiqqune sopherim, or “emendations of the scribes.” According to this ancient tradition, the scribes changed the text in order to soften somewhat the negative light in which David was presented. If that is the case, the MT reflects the altered text. The present translation departs from the MT here. Elsewhere the Piel stem of this verb means “treat with contempt,” but never “cause someone to treat with contempt.”

¹⁶ tn Heb “your servant has sheepshearers.” The phrase “your servant” also occurs at the end of the verse.

¹⁷ tn Heb “No for with the one whom the Lord has chosen, and this people, and all the men of Israel, I will be and with him I will stay.” The translation follows the Qere and several medieval Hebrew mss in reading לוֹ (lo, “[I will be] to him”) rather than the MT לֹא (lo’, “[I will] not be”), which makes very little sense here.

¹⁸ tn Heb “take.”

¹⁹ tn Heb “in peace.”