1 Samuel 17:1-58
Konteks17:1 1 The Philistines gathered their troops 2 for battle. They assembled at Socoh in Judah. They camped in Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah. 17:2 Saul and the Israelite army 3 assembled and camped in the valley of Elah, where they arranged their battle lines to fight against 4 the Philistines. 17:3 The Philistines were standing on one hill, and the Israelites 5 on another hill, with the valley between them.
17:4 Then a champion 6 came out from the camp of the Philistines. His name was Goliath; he was from Gath. He was close to seven feet tall. 7 17:5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and was wearing scale body armor. The weight of his bronze body armor was five thousand shekels. 8 17:6 He had bronze shin guards 9 on his legs, and a bronze javelin was slung over his shoulders. 17:7 The shaft 10 of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the iron point of his spear weighed six hundred shekels. 11 His shield bearer was walking before him.
17:8 Goliath 12 stood and called to Israel’s troops, 13 “Why do you come out to prepare for battle? Am I not the Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose 14 for yourselves a man so he may come down 15 to me! 17:9 If he is able to fight with me and strike me down, we will become your servants. But if I prevail against him and strike him down, you will become our servants and will serve us.” 17:10 Then the Philistine said, “I defy Israel’s troops this day! Give me a man so we can fight 16 each other!” 17:11 When Saul and all the Israelites 17 heard these words of the Philistine, they were upset and very afraid.
17:12 18 Now David was the son of this Ephrathite named Jesse from Bethlehem 19 in Judah. He had eight sons, and in Saul’s days he was old and well advanced in years. 20 17:13 Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to war. The names of the 21 three sons who went to war were Eliab, his firstborn, Abinadab, the second oldest, and Shammah, the third oldest. 17:14 Now David was the youngest. While the three oldest sons followed Saul, 17:15 David was going back and forth 22 from Saul in order to care for his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.
17:16 Meanwhile for forty days the Philistine approached every morning and evening and took his position. 17:17 Jesse said to his son David, “Take your brothers this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread; go quickly 23 to the camp to your brothers. 17:18 Also take these ten portions of cheese to their commanding officer. 24 Find out how your brothers are doing 25 and bring back their pledge that they received the goods. 26 17:19 They are with Saul and the whole Israelite army 27 in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.”
17:20 So David got up early in the morning and entrusted the flock to someone else who would watch over it. 28 After loading up, he went just as Jesse had instructed him. He arrived at the camp 29 as the army was going out to the battle lines shouting its battle cry. 17:21 Israel and the Philistines drew up their battle lines opposite one another. 17:22 After David had entrusted his cargo to the care of the supply officer, 30 he ran to the battlefront. When he arrived, he asked his brothers how they were doing. 17:23 As he was speaking with them, the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, was coming up from the battle lines of the Philistines. He spoke the way he usually did, 31 and David heard it. 17:24 When all the men of Israel saw this man, they retreated 32 from his presence and were very afraid.
17:25 The men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who is coming up? He does so 33 to defy Israel. But the king will make the man who can strike him down very wealthy! He will give him his daughter in marriage, and he will make his father’s house exempt from tax obligations in Israel.”
17:26 David asked the men who were standing near him, “What will be done for the man who strikes down this Philistine and frees Israel from this humiliation? 34 For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he defies the armies of the living God?” 17:27 The soldiers 35 told him what had been promised, saying, 36 “This is what will be done for the man who can strike him down.”
17:28 When David’s 37 oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking to the men, he became angry 38 with David and said, “Why have you come down here? To whom did you entrust those few sheep in the desert? I am familiar with your pride and deceit! 39 You have come down here to watch the battle!”
17:29 David replied, “What have I done now? Can’t I say anything?” 40 17:30 Then he turned from those who were nearby to someone else and asked the same question, 41 but they 42 gave him the same answer as before. 17:31 When David’s words were overheard and reported to Saul, he called for him. 43
17:32 David said to Saul, “Don’t let anyone be discouraged. 44 Your servant will go and fight this Philistine!” 17:33 But Saul replied to David, “You aren’t able to go against this Philistine and fight him! You’re just a boy! He has been a warrior from his youth!”
17:34 David replied to Saul, “Your servant has been a shepherd for his father’s flock. Whenever a lion or bear would come and carry off a sheep from the flock, 17:35 I would go out after it, strike it down, and rescue the sheep from its mouth. If it rose up against me, I would grab it by its jaw, strike it, and kill it. 17:36 Your servant has struck down both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be just like one of them. 45 For he has defied the armies of the living God!” 17:37 David went on to say, “The Lord who delivered me from the lion and the bear will also deliver me from the hand of this Philistine!” Then Saul said to David, “Go! The Lord will be with you.” 46
17:38 Then Saul clothed David with his own fighting attire and put a bronze helmet on his head. He also put body armor on him. 17:39 David strapped on his sword over his fighting attire and tried to walk around, but he was not used to them. 47 David said to Saul, “I can’t walk in these things, for I’m not used to them.” So David removed them. 17:40 He took his staff in his hand, picked out five smooth stones from the stream, placed them in the pouch 48 of his shepherd’s bag, took his sling in hand, and approached the Philistine.
17:41 49 The Philistine kept coming closer to David, with his shield bearer walking in front of him. 17:42 When the Philistine looked carefully at David, he despised him, for he was only a ruddy and handsome boy. 17:43 The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you are coming after me with sticks?” 50 Then the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 17:44 The Philistine said to David, “Come here to me, so I can give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the field!” 51
17:45 But David replied to the Philistine, “You are coming against me with sword and spear and javelin. But I am coming against you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel’s armies, whom you have defied! 17:46 This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand! I will strike you down and cut off your head. This day I will give the corpses of the Philistine army to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the land. Then all the land will realize that Israel has a God 17:47 and all this assembly will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves! For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will deliver you into our hand.”
17:48 The Philistine drew steadily closer to David to attack him, while David quickly ran toward the battle line to attack the Philistine. 52 17:49 David reached his hand into the bag and took out a stone. He slung it, striking the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank deeply into his forehead, and he fell down with his face to the ground.
17:50 53 David prevailed over the Philistine with just the sling and the stone. He struck down the Philistine and killed him. David did not even have a sword in his hand. 54 17:51 David ran and stood over the Philistine. He grabbed Goliath’s 55 sword, drew it from its sheath, 56 killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they ran away.
17:52 Then the men of Israel and Judah charged forward, shouting a battle cry. 57 They chased the Philistines to the valley 58 and to the very gates of Ekron. The Philistine corpses lay fallen along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron. 17:53 When the Israelites returned from their hot pursuit of the Philistines, they looted their camp. 17:54 David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, 59 and he put Goliath’s 60 weapons in his tent.
17:55 61 Now as Saul watched David going out to fight the Philistine, he asked Abner, the general in command of the army, “Whose son is this young man, Abner?” Abner replied, “As surely as you live, O king, I don’t know.” 17:56 The king said, “Find out whose son this boy is!”
17:57 So when David returned from striking down the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul. He still had the head of the Philistine in his hand. 17:58 Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” David replied, “I am the son of your servant Jesse in Bethlehem.” 62
1 Samuel 23:1-5
Konteks23:1 They told David, “The Philistines are fighting in Keilah and are looting the threshing floors.” 23:2 So David asked the Lord, “Should I go and strike down these Philistines?” The Lord said to David, “Go, strike down the Philistines and deliver Keilah.”
23:3 But David’s men said to him, “We are afraid while we are still here in Judah! What will it be like if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?” 23:4 So David asked the Lord once again. But again the Lord replied, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.”
23:5 So David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines. He took away their cattle and thoroughly defeated them. 63 David delivered the inhabitants of Keilah.
1 Samuel 28:1--31:13
Konteks28:1 In those days the Philistines gathered their troops 64 for war in order to fight Israel. Achish said to David, “You should fully understand that you and your men must go with me into the battle.” 65 28:2 David replied to Achish, “That being the case, you will come to know what your servant can do!” Achish said to David, “Then I will make you my bodyguard 66 from now on.” 67
28:3 Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented over him and had buried him in Ramah, his hometown. 68 In the meantime Saul had removed the mediums 69 and magicians 70 from the land. 28:4 The Philistines assembled; they came and camped at Shunem. Saul mustered all Israel and camped at Gilboa. 28:5 When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was absolutely terrified. 71 28:6 So Saul inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him – not by dreams nor by Urim 72 nor by the prophets. 28:7 So Saul instructed his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, 73 so that I may go to her and inquire of her.” His servants replied to him, “There is a woman who is a medium in Endor.”
28:8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothing and left, accompanied by two of his men. They came to the woman at night and said, “Use your ritual pit to conjure up for me the one I tell you.” 74
28:9 But the woman said to him, “Look, you are aware of what Saul has done; he has removed 75 the mediums and magicians 76 from the land! Why are you trapping me 77 so you can put me to death?” 28:10 But Saul swore an oath to her by the Lord, “As surely as the Lord lives, you will not incur guilt in this matter!” 28:11 The woman replied, “Who is it that I should bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up for me Samuel.”
28:12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out loudly. 78 The woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!” 28:13 The king said to her, “Don’t be afraid! What have you seen?” The woman replied to Saul, “I have seen one like a god 79 coming up from the ground!” 28:14 He said to her, “What about his appearance?” She said, “An old man is coming up! He is wrapped in a robe!”
Then Saul realized it was Samuel, and he bowed his face toward the ground and kneeled down. 28:15 Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul replied, “I am terribly troubled! The Philistines are fighting against me and God has turned away from me. He does not answer me – not by the prophets nor by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what I should do.”
28:16 Samuel said, “Why are you asking me, now that the Lord has turned away from you and has become your enemy? 28:17 The Lord has done exactly as I prophesied! 80 The Lord has torn the kingdom from your hand and has given it to your neighbor David! 28:18 Since you did not obey the Lord 81 and did not carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this thing to you today. 28:19 The Lord will hand you and Israel over to the Philistines! 82 Tomorrow both you and your sons will be with me. 83 The Lord will also hand the army 84 of Israel over to the Philistines!”
28:20 Saul quickly fell full length on the ground and was very afraid because of Samuel’s words. He was completely drained of energy, 85 not having eaten anything 86 all that day and night. 28:21 When the woman came to Saul and saw how terrified he was, she said to him, “Your servant has done what you asked. 87 I took my life into my own hands and did what you told me. 88 28:22 Now it’s your turn to listen to your servant! Let me set before you a bit of bread so that you can eat. When you regain your strength, you can go on your way.”
28:23 But he refused, saying, “I won’t eat!” Both his servants and the woman urged 89 him to eat, so he gave in. 90 He got up from the ground and sat down on the bed. 28:24 Now the woman 91 had a well-fed calf 92 at her home that she quickly slaughtered. Taking some flour, she kneaded bread and baked it without leaven. 28:25 She brought it to Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they arose and left that same night.
29:1 The Philistines assembled all their troops 93 at Aphek, while Israel camped at the spring that is in Jezreel. 29:2 When the leaders of the Philistines were passing in review at the head of their units of hundreds and thousands, 94 David and his men were passing in review in the rear with Achish.
29:3 The leaders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish said to the leaders of the Philistines, “Isn’t this David, the servant of King Saul of Israel, who has been with me for quite some time? 95 I have found no fault with him from the day of his defection until the present time!” 96
29:4 But the leaders of the Philistines became angry with him and said 97 to him, “Send the man back! Let him return to the place that you assigned him! Don’t let him go down with us into the battle, for he might become 98 our adversary in the battle. What better way to please his lord than with the heads of these men? 99 29:5 Isn’t this David, of whom they sang as they danced, 100
‘Saul has struck down his thousands,
but David his tens of thousands’?”
29:6 So Achish summoned David and said to him, “As surely as the Lord lives, you are an honest man, and I am glad to have you 101 serving 102 with me in the army. 103 I have found no fault with you from the day that you first came to me until the present time. But in the opinion 104 of the leaders, you are not reliable. 105 29:7 So turn and leave 106 in peace. You must not do anything that the leaders of the Philistines consider improper!” 107
29:8 But David said to Achish, “What have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day that I first came into your presence until the present time, that I shouldn’t go and fight the enemies of my lord the king?” 29:9 Achish replied to David, “I am convinced that you are as reliable 108 as the angel of God! However, the leaders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go up with us in the battle.’ 29:10 So get up early in the morning along with the servants of your lord who have come with you. 109 When you get up early in the morning, as soon as it is light enough to see, leave.” 110
29:11 So David and his men got up early in the morning to return 111 to the land of the Philistines, but the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
30:1 On the third day David and his men came to Ziklag. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They attacked Ziklag and burned it. 112 30:2 They took captive the women who were in it, from the youngest to the oldest, but they did not kill anyone. They simply carried them off and went on their way.
30:3 When David and his men came to the city, they found it burned. 113 Their wives, sons, and daughters had been taken captive. 30:4 Then David and the men 114 who were with him wept loudly 115 until they could weep no more. 116 30:5 David’s two wives had been taken captive – Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail the Carmelite, Nabal’s widow. 30:6 David was very upset, for the men 117 were thinking of stoning him; 118 each man grieved bitterly 119 over his sons and daughters. But David drew strength from the Lord his God.
30:7 Then David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 30:8 David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Should I pursue this raiding band? Will I overtake them?” He said to him, “Pursue, for you will certainly overtake them and carry out a rescue!”
30:9 So David went, accompanied by his six hundred men. When he came to the Wadi Besor, those who were in the rear stayed there. 120 30:10 David and four hundred men continued the pursuit, but two hundred men who were too exhausted to cross the Wadi Besor stayed there.
30:11 Then they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David. They gave him bread to eat and water to drink. 30:12 They gave him a slice of pressed figs and two bunches of raisins to eat. This greatly refreshed him, 121 for he had not eaten food or drunk water for three days and three nights. 30:13 David said to him, “To whom do you belong, and where are you from?” The young man said, “I am an Egyptian, the servant of an Amalekite man. My master abandoned me when I was ill for three days. 30:14 We conducted a raid on the Negev of the Kerethites, on the area of Judah, and on the Negev of Caleb. We burned Ziklag.” 122 30:15 David said to him, “Can you take us down to this raiding party?” He said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master, and I will take you down to this raiding party.”
30:16 So he took David 123 down, and they found them spread out over the land. They were eating and drinking and enjoying themselves because of all the loot 124 they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. 30:17 But David struck them down from twilight until the following evening. None of them escaped, with the exception of four hundred young men who got away on camels. 125 30:18 David retrieved everything the Amalekites had taken; he 126 also rescued his two wives. 30:19 There was nothing missing, whether small or great. He retrieved sons and daughters, the plunder, and everything else they had taken. 127 David brought everything back. 30:20 David took all the flocks and herds and drove them in front of the rest of the animals. People were saying, “This is David’s plunder!”
30:21 Then David approached the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to go with him, 128 those whom they had left at the Wadi Besor. They went out to meet David and the people who were with him. When David approached the people, he asked how they were doing. 30:22 But all the evil and worthless men among those who had gone with David said, “Since they didn’t go with us, 129 we won’t give them any of the loot we retrieved! They may take only their wives and children. Let them lead them away and be gone!”
30:23 But David said, “No! You shouldn’t do this, my brothers. Look at what the Lord has given us! 130 He has protected us and has delivered into our hands the raiding party that came against us. 30:24 Who will listen to you in this matter? The portion of the one who went down into the battle will be the same as the portion of the one who remained with the equipment! Let their portions be the same!”
30:25 From that time onward it was a binding ordinance 131 for Israel, right up to the present time.
30:26 When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah who were his friends, saying, “Here’s a gift 132 for you from the looting of the Lord’s enemies!” 30:27 The gift was for those in the following locations: 133 for those in Bethel, 134 Ramoth Negev, and Jattir; 30:28 for those in Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa, 30:29 and Racal; for those in the cities of the Jerahmeelites and Kenites; 30:30 for those in Hormah, Bor Ashan, Athach, 30:31 and Hebron; and for those in whatever other places David and his men had traveled.
31:1 Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel. The men of Israel fled from the Philistines and many of them fell dead on Mount Gilboa. 31:2 The Philistines stayed right on the heels 135 of Saul and his sons. They 136 struck down Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua. 31:3 Saul himself was in the thick of the battle; 137 the archers 138 spotted him and wounded him severely.
31:4 Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and stab me with it! Otherwise these uncircumcised people will come, stab me, and torture me.” But his armor bearer refused to do it, because he was very afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell on it. 31:5 When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died with him. 31:6 So Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men died together that day.
31:7 When the men of Israel who were in the valley and across the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled. The Philistines came and occupied them.
31:8 The next day, when the Philistines came to strip loot from the corpses, they discovered Saul and his three sons lying dead 139 on Mount Gilboa. 31:9 They cut off Saul’s 140 head and stripped him of his armor. They sent messengers to announce the news in the temple of their idols and among their people throughout the surrounding land of the Philistines. 31:10 They placed Saul’s armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths 141 and hung his corpse on the city wall of Beth Shan.
31:11 When the residents of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 31:12 all their warriors set out and traveled throughout the night. They took Saul’s corpse and the corpses of his sons from the city wall of Beth Shan and went 142 to Jabesh, where they burned them. 31:13 They took the bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh; then they fasted for seven days.
2 Samuel 5:17-25
Konteks5:17 When the Philistines heard that David had been designated 143 king over Israel, they all 144 went up to search for David. When David heard about it, he went down to the fortress. 5:18 Now the Philistines had arrived and spread out in the valley of Rephaim. 5:19 So David asked the Lord, “Should I march up against the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord said to David, “March up, for I will indeed 145 hand the Philistines over to you.”
5:20 So David marched against Baal Perazim and defeated them there. Then he said, “The Lord has burst out against my enemies like water bursts out.” So he called the name of that place Baal Perazim. 146 5:21 The Philistines 147 abandoned their idols 148 there, and David and his men picked them up.
5:22 The Philistines again came up and spread out in the valley of Rephaim. 5:23 So David asked the Lord what he should do. 149 This time 150 the Lord 151 said to him, “Don’t march straight up. Instead, circle around behind them and come against them opposite the trees. 152 5:24 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, act decisively. For at that moment the Lord is going before you to strike down the army 153 of the Philistines.” 5:25 David did just as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines from Gibeon all the way to Gezer. 154
2 Samuel 8:1
Konteks8:1 Later David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. David took Metheg Ammah 155 from the Philistines. 156
[17:1] 1 tc The content of 1 Sam 17–18, which includes the David and Goliath story, differs considerably in the LXX as compared to the MT, suggesting that this story circulated in ancient times in more than one form. The LXX for chs. 17–18 is much shorter than the MT, lacking almost half of the material (39 of a total of 88 verses). Many scholars (e.g., McCarter, Klein) think that the shorter text of the LXX is preferable to the MT, which in their view has been expanded by incorporation of later material. Other scholars (e.g., Wellhausen, Driver) conclude that the shorter Greek text (or the Hebrew text that underlies it) reflects an attempt to harmonize certain alleged inconsistencies that appear in the longer version of the story. Given the translation characteristics of the LXX elsewhere in this section, it does not seem likely that these differences are due to deliberate omission of these verses on the part of the translator. It seems more likely that the Greek translator has faithfully rendered here a Hebrew text that itself was much shorter than the MT in these chapters. Whether or not the shorter text represented by the LXX is to be preferred over the MT in 1 Sam 17–18 is a matter over which textual scholars are divided. For a helpful discussion of the major textual issues in this unit see D. Barthélemy, D. W. Gooding, J. Lust, and E. Tov, The Story of David and Goliath (OBO). Overall it seems preferable to stay with the MT, at least for the most part. However, the major textual differences between the LXX and the MT will be mentioned in the notes that accompany the translation so that the reader may be alert to the major problem passages.
[17:2] 3 tn Heb “the men of Israel” (so KJV, NASB); NAB, NIV, NRSV “the Israelites.”
[17:4] 6 tn Heb “the man of the space between the two [armies].” See v. 23.
[17:4] 7 tc Heb “his height was six cubits and a span” (cf. KJV, NASB, NRSV). A cubit was approximately eighteen inches, a span nine inches. So, according to the Hebrew tradition, Goliath was about nine feet, nine inches tall (cf. NIV, CEV, NLT “over nine feet”; NCV “nine feet, four inches”; TEV “nearly 3 metres”). However, some Greek witnesses, Josephus, and a manuscript of 1 Samuel from Qumran read “four cubits and a span” here, that is, about six feet, nine inches (cf. NAB “six and a half feet”). This seems more reasonable; it is likely that Goliath’s height was exaggerated as the story was retold. See P. K. McCarter, I Samuel (AB), 286, 291.
[17:5] 8 sn Although the exact weight of Goliath’s defensive body armor is difficult to estimate in terms of modern equivalency, it was obviously quite heavy. Driver, following Kennedy, suggests a modern equivalent of about 220 pounds (100 kg); see S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 139. Klein, taking the shekel to be equal to .403 ounces, arrives at a somewhat smaller weight of about 126 pounds (57 kg); see R. W. Klein, 1 Samuel (WBC), 175. But by any estimate it is clear that Goliath presented himself as a formidable foe indeed.
[17:6] 9 sn Or “greaves.” These were coverings (probably lined for comfort) that extended from about the knee to the ankle, affording protection for the shins of a warrior.
[17:7] 10 tn The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
[17:7] 11 sn That is, about fifteen or sixteen pounds.
[17:8] 12 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Goliath) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[17:8] 13 tn The Hebrew text adds “and said to them.”
[17:8] 14 tc The translation follows the ancient versions in reading “choose,” (from the root בחר, bkhr), rather than the MT. The verb in MT (ברה, brh) elsewhere means “to eat food”; the sense of “to choose,” required here by the context, is not attested for this root. The MT apparently reflects an early scribal error.
[17:8] 15 tn Following the imperative, the prefixed verbal form (either an imperfect or jussive) with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose/result here.
[17:10] 16 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative verbal form indicates purpose/result here.
[17:11] 17 tn Heb “all Israel.”
[17:12] 18 tc Some
[17:12] 19 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
[17:12] 20 tc The translation follows the Lucianic recension of the LXX and the Syriac Peshitta in reading “in years,” rather than MT “among men.”
[17:15] 22 tn Heb “was going and returning.”
[17:18] 24 tn Heb “officer of the thousand.”
[17:18] 25 tn Heb “and your brothers, observe with respect to welfare.”
[17:18] 26 tn Heb “and their pledge take.” This probably refers to some type of confirmation that the goods arrived safely. See R. W. Klein, 1 Samuel (WBC), 177. Cf. NIV “bring back some assurance”; NCV “some proof to show me they are all right”; NLT “bring me back a letter from them.”
[17:19] 27 tn Heb “all the men of Israel.”
[17:20] 28 tn Heb “to a guard”; KJV, NASB, NRSV “with a keeper”; NIV “with a shepherd.” Since in contemporary English “guard” sounds like someone at a military installation or a prison, the present translation uses “to someone else who would watch over it.”
[17:20] 29 tn Or “entrenchment.”
[17:22] 30 tn Heb “the guard of the equipment.”
[17:23] 31 tn Heb “according to these words.”
[17:25] 33 tn Heb “he is coming up.”
[17:26] 34 tn Heb “and turns aside humiliation from upon Israel.”
[17:27] 36 tn Heb “according to this word, saying.”
[17:28] 37 tn Heb “his”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[17:28] 38 tn Heb “the anger of Eliab became hot.”
[17:28] 39 tn Heb “the wickedness of your heart.”
[17:29] 40 tn Heb “Is it not [just] a word?”
[17:30] 41 tn Heb “and spoke according to this word.”
[17:30] 42 tn Heb “the people.”
[17:31] 43 tn Heb “he took him.”
[17:32] 44 tn Heb “Let not the heart of a man fall upon him.” The LXX reads “my lord,” instead of “a man.”
[17:36] 45 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?”
[17:37] 46 tn Or “Go, and may the
[17:39] 47 tn Heb “he had not tested.”
[17:40] 48 tn This Hebrew word occurs only here and its exact meaning is not entirely clear. It refers to a receptacle of some sort and apparently was a common part of a shepherd’s equipment. Here it serves as a depository for the stones that David will use in his sling.
[17:41] 49 tc Most LXX
[17:43] 50 sn Sticks is a pejorative reference to David’s staff (v. 40); the same Hebrew word (מַקֵּל, maqqel) is used for both.
[17:44] 51 tc Many medieval Hebrew
[17:48] 52 tc Most LXX
[17:50] 53 tc Most LXX
[17:50] 54 tn Verse 50 is a summary statement; v. 51 gives a more detailed account of how David killed the Philistine.
[17:51] 55 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Goliath) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[17:51] 56 tc Most LXX
[17:52] 57 tn Heb “arose and cried out.”
[17:52] 58 tc Most of the LXX
[17:54] 59 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[17:54] 60 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Goliath) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[17:55] 61 tc Most LXX
[17:58] 62 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
[23:5] 63 tn Heb “and struck them down with a great blow.”
[28:1] 64 tn Heb “their camps.”
[28:1] 65 tc The translation follows the LXX (εἰς πόλεμον, eis polemon) and a Qumran
[28:2] 66 tn Heb “the guardian for my head.”
[28:2] 67 tn Heb “all the days.”
[28:3] 68 tn Heb “in Ramah, even in his city.”
[28:3] 69 tn The Hebrew term translated “mediums” actually refers to a pit used by a magician to conjure up underworld spirits (see 2 Kgs 21:6). In v. 7 the witch of Endor is called the owner of a ritual pit. See H. Hoffner, “Second Millennium Antecedents to the Hebrew ’OñBù,” JBL 86 (1967): 385-401. Here the term refers by metonymy to the owner of such a pit (see H. A. Hoffner, TDOT 1:133).
[28:3] 70 sn See Isa 8:19 for another reference to magicians who attempted to conjure up underworld spirits.
[28:5] 71 tn Heb “he was afraid, and his heart was very terrified.”
[28:6] 72 sn See the note at 1 Sam 14:41.
[28:7] 73 tn Heb “an owner of a ritual pit.” See the note at v. 3.
[28:8] 74 tn Heb “Use divination for me with the ritual pit and bring up for me the one whom I say to you.”
[28:9] 75 tn Heb “how he has cut off.”
[28:9] 76 tn See the note at v. 3.
[28:12] 78 tn Heb “in a great voice.”
[28:13] 79 tn Heb “gods.” The modifying participle (translated “coming up”) is plural, suggesting that underworld spirits are the referent. But in the following verse Saul understands the plural word to refer to a singular being. The reference is to the spirit of Samuel.
[28:17] 80 tn Heb “just as he said by my hand.”
[28:18] 81 tn Heb “listen to the voice of the
[28:19] 82 tn Heb “And the
[28:19] 83 tc With the exception of the Lucianic recension, the LXX has here “and tomorrow you and your sons with you will fall.”
[28:20] 85 tn Heb “also there was no strength in him.”
[28:21] 87 tn Heb “listened to your voice.”
[28:21] 88 tn Heb “listened to your words that you spoke to me.”
[28:23] 89 tc The translation follows many medieval Hebrew
[28:23] 90 tn Heb “he listened to their voice.”
[28:24] 91 sn Masoretic
[28:24] 92 tn Heb “a calf of the stall.”
[29:2] 94 tn Heb “passing by with respect to hundreds and thousands.” This apparently describes a mustering of troops for the purpose of inspection and readiness.
[29:3] 95 tn Heb “these days or these years.”
[29:3] 96 tn Heb “from the day of his falling [away] until this day.”
[29:4] 97 tn Heb “and the leaders of the Philistines said.”
[29:4] 98 tn Heb “so that he might not become.”
[29:4] 99 tn Or perhaps, “our men.” On this use of the demonstrative pronoun see Joüon 2:532 §143.e.
[29:5] 100 tn Heb “in dances.”
[29:6] 101 tn Heb “it is good in my eyes.” Cf. v. 7.
[29:6] 102 tn Heb “your going forth and your coming in.” The expression is a merism.
[29:7] 107 tn Heb “and you must not do evil in the eyes of the leaders of the Philistines.”
[29:9] 108 tn Heb “I know that you are good in my eyes.”
[29:10] 109 tc The LXX and a couple of Old Latin
[29:10] 110 tn Heb “when you get up early in the morning and you have light, go.”
[29:11] 111 tc Heb “to go in the morning to return.” With the exception of Origen and the Lucianic recension, the Old Greek tradition lacks the phrase “in the morning.” The Syriac Peshitta also omits it.
[30:1] 112 tn The Hebrew text adds “with fire.”
[30:3] 113 tn Heb “and David and his men came to the city, and look, it was burned with fire.”
[30:4] 115 tn Heb “lifted up their voice and wept.”
[30:4] 116 tn Heb “until there was no longer in them strength to weep.”
[30:6] 118 tn Heb “said to stone him.”
[30:6] 119 tn Heb “for bitter was the soul of all the people, each one.”
[30:9] 120 tn Heb “stood.” So also in v. 10.
[30:12] 121 tn Heb “his spirit returned to him.”
[30:14] 122 tn The Hebrew text adds “with fire.”
[30:16] 123 tn Heb “him”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[30:16] 124 tn Heb “because of all the large plunder.”
[30:17] 125 tn Heb “who rode on camels and fled.”
[30:18] 126 tn Heb “David.” The pronoun (“he”) has been substituted for the proper name in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[30:19] 127 tn Heb “there was nothing missing to them, from the small even unto the great, and unto sons and daughters, and from loot even unto all which they had taken for themselves.”
[30:21] 128 tn Heb “David.” The pronoun (“him”) has been substituted for the proper name in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[30:22] 129 tc Heb “with me.” The singular is used rather than the plural because the group is being treated as a singular entity, in keeping with Hebrew idiom. It is not necessary to read “with us,” rather than the MT “with me,” although the plural can be found here in a few medieval Hebrew
[30:23] 130 tc This clause is difficult in the MT. The present translation accepts the text as found in the MT and understands this clause to be elliptical, with an understood verb such as “look” or “consider.” On the other hand, the LXX seems to reflect a slightly different Hebrew text, reading “after” where the MT has “my brothers.” The Greek translation yields the following translation: “You should not do this after the
[30:25] 131 tn Heb “a statute and a judgment.” The expression is a hendiadys.
[30:26] 132 tn Heb “blessing.”
[30:27] 133 tn This sentence is not in the Hebrew text. It is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.
[30:27] 134 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[31:2] 135 tn Heb “stuck close after.”
[31:2] 136 tn Heb “the Philistines.”
[31:3] 137 tn Heb “and the battle was heavy against Saul.”
[31:3] 138 tn Heb “the shooters, men with the bow.”
[31:9] 140 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Saul) has been specified in the translation for clarity (likewise in the following verse).
[31:10] 141 sn The Semitic goddess Astarte was associated with love and war in the ancient Near East. See the note on the same term in 7:3.
[31:12] 142 tc The translation follows the MT, which vocalizes the verb as a Qal. The LXX, however, treats the verb as a Hiphil, “they brought.”
[5:17] 144 tn Heb “all the Philistines.”
[5:19] 145 tn The infinitive absolute lends emphasis to the following verb.
[5:20] 146 tn The name means “Lord of the outbursts.”
[5:21] 147 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Philistines) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:21] 148 tc For “idols” the LXX and Vulgate have “gods.”
[5:23] 149 tn The words “what to do” are not in the Hebrew text.
[5:23] 150 tn The words “this time” are not in the Hebrew text.
[5:23] 151 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
[5:23] 152 tn Some translate as “balsam trees” (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV, NJB, NLT); cf. KJV, NKJV, ASV “mulberry trees”; NAB “mastic trees”; NEB, REB “aspens.” The exact identification of the type of tree or plant is uncertain.
[5:24] 153 tn Heb “camp” (so NAB).
[5:25] 154 tn Heb “from Gibeon until you enter Gezer.”
[8:1] 155 tn Heb “the bridle of one cubit.” Many English versions treat this as a place name because the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:1 reads “Gath” (which is used by NLT here). It is possible that “the bridle of one cubit” is to be understood as “the token of surrender,” referring to the Philistine’s defeat rather than a specific place (cf. TEV, CEV).
[8:1] 156 tn Heb “from the hand [i.e., control] of the Philistines.”
