¹ tn Heb “they”; the referents (Absalom’s men) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹ tn Heb “that he falls on them [i.e., Absalom’s troops] at the first [encounter]; or “that some of them [i.e., Absalom’s troops] fall at the first [encounter].”

¹ tn Heb “it was placed on the mouth of Absalom.”

³ tn Heb “and she gave birth to him after Absalom.” This does not imply they had the same mother; Absalom’s mother was Maacah, not Haggith (2 Sam 3:4).

² tn Heb “So was all the advice of Ahithophel, also to David, also to Absalom.”

¹ tn Heb “the heart of the men of Israel is with Absalom.”

² tn Heb “he”; the referent (Absalom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Absalom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Absalom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹ tn Heb “Like Absalom there was not a handsome man in all Israel to boast exceedingly.”

¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Absalom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹ sn Amnon was the half-brother of Tamar; Absalom was her full blood-brother.

² sn According to Jewish tradition, David offered this prayer when he was forced to flee from Jerusalem during his son Absalom’s attempted coup (see 2 Sam 15:13-17).

² tn Heb “Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, the adviser of David, from his city, from Giloh, while he was sacrificing.” It is not entirely clear who (Absalom or Ahithophel) was offering the sacrifices.

¹ tn Heb “to Absalom.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun “him” in the translation for stylistic reasons.

³ tn Heb “Absalom.” For stylistic reasons the name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation.

² sn Abishalom (also in v. 10) is a variant of the name Absalom (cf. 2 Chr 11:20). The more common form is used by TEV, NLT.

¹ tn Heb “and all Israel fled, each to his tent.” In this context this refers to the supporters of Absalom (see vv. 6-7, 16).

¹ tn The word “new” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation to make it clear that David refers to Absalom, not himself.

¹ tc The LXX adds here the following words: “And the servants of Absalom burned them up. And the servants of Joab came to him, rending their garments. They said….”