¹ tn Heb “the men of the people of Israel.” Some English versions translate as “the people from Israel” (NCV) or “the Israelite people” (NRSV), but “men” should be retained because the following numbers presumably include only adult males.

⁴ tn This expression is either to be inferred from the context, or perhaps one should read לְפָנָיו (l^efanayv, “before him”; cf. the MT) in addition to לְפָנִים (l^efanim, “formerly”). See preceding note on the word “previously.”

¹ tn The name “Bani” appears in both v. 29 and v. 34. One of these names has probably undergone alteration in the transmission process, but it is not clear exactly where the problem lies or how it should be corrected.

¹ tn Heb “and the terror of God [or “a great terror”] was upon all the kingdoms of the lands.” It is uncertain if אֱלֹהִים (ʾelohim) should be understood as a proper name here (“God”), or taken in an idiomatic superlative sense.

³ tc Most Hebrew mss, the LXX, and Vulgate read “from Aram” (i.e., Syria), but this should be emended to “Edom,” which is the reading of one Hebrew ms and the Old Latin.

² tn Heb “Who retains strength to build for him a house, for the heavens and the heavens of heavens do not contain him? And who am I that I should build for him a house, except to sacrifice before him?”

² tc The Hebrew text has “in the number,” but מִסְפַּר (mispar) is probably dittographic—note that the same word appears immediately before this. The form should be emended to בְּסֵפֶר (b^esefer, “in the scroll”).

² tn Heb “Why should it become guilt for Israel?” David’s decision betrays an underlying trust in his own strength rather than in divine provision. See also 1 Chr 27:23-24.

² tn Heb “That is why your servant found to pray before you.” Perhaps the phrase אֶת לִבּוֹ (ʾet libbo, “his heart”) should be supplied as the object of the verb “found.”

¹ tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “in all which we heard with our ears,” but בְּכֹל (b^ekhol, “in all”) should probably be emended to כְּכֹל (k^ekhol, “according to all”).

¹ tn Heb “from the sons of Issachar, knowers of understanding for times to know what Israel should do, their heads [were] 200, and all their brothers according to their mouth.”

¹ tc The Hebrew text has אֲחִי (ʾakhi, “the brother of”), but this should probably be emended to אֲחִיו (ʾakhiv, “his brother”). Cf. v. 35. Most English versions treat this Hebrew word as a proper name (“Ahi”) and list it before “Rohgah.”

² tn Heb “by doing all that is written concerning us.” Perhaps עָלֵינוּ (ʿalenu), “concerning us,” should be altered to עָלָיו (ʿalayv), “upon it,” in which case one could translate, “by doing all that is written in it.”

² tc The Hebrew text reads, “from the floor to the floor.” The second occurrence of the term הַקַּרְקָע (haqqarqaʿ, “the floor”) is probably an error; one should emend to הַקּוֹרוֹת (haqqorot, “the rafters”). See 6:16.

¹ tn Heb “stretched.” Perhaps “his hand” should be supplied by ellipsis (see Ps 144:7). In this poetic narrative context the three prefixed verbal forms in this verse are best understood as preterites indicating past tense, not imperfects.

¹ tc For the MT בַּעֲבוּר (baʿavur, “for the sake of”) we should probably read בְּעוֹד (b^eʿod, “while”). See the Lucianic Greek recension, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Targum.

¹ tn Heb “in all which we heard with our ears.” The phrase translated “in all” בְּכֹל (b^ekhol) should probably be emended to “according to all” כְּכֹל (k^ekhol).

¹ tn Heb “Send me away! Why should I kill you?” The question has the force of a threat in this context. See P. K. McCarter, I Samuel (AB), 325-26.

¹ tc The LXX includes here the following words not found in the MT: “Should I not go and smite him, and remove today reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised one?”

² tc Against BHS but with the MT, the preposition (עַד, ʿad) should be taken with what follows rather than with what precedes. For this sense of the preposition see Job 25:5.