2 Samuel 9:8

9:8 Then Mephibosheth ¹  bowed and said, “Of what importance am I, your servant, that you show regard for a dead dog like me?” ² 

2 Samuel 17:22

17:22 So David and all the people who were with him got up and crossed the Jordan River. ³  By dawn there was not one person left who had not crossed the Jordan.

2 Samuel 18:13

18:13 If I had acted at risk of my own life ⁴  – and nothing is hidden from the king! – you would have abandoned me.” ⁵ 

2 Samuel 22:39

22:39 I wipe them out and beat them to death;

they cannot get up;

they fall at my feet.

2 Samuel 22:44

22:44 You rescue me from a hostile army; ⁶ 

you preserve me as a leader of nations;

people over whom I had no authority are now my subjects. ⁷ 

[9:8]  ¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Mephibosheth) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:8]  ² tn Heb “What is your servant, that you turn to a dead dog which is like me?”

[17:22]  ³ tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text here or in v. 24, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[18:13]  ⁴ tc The translation follows the Qere, many medieval Hebrew mss, and a number of the ancient versions in reading בְנַפְשִׁי (vÿnafshi, “against my life”) rather than the MT בְנַפְשׁוֹ (vÿnafsho, “against his life”).

[18:13]  ⁵ tn Heb “stood aloof.”

[22:44]  ⁶ tn Heb “from the strivings of my people.” In this context רִיב (riv, “striving”) probably has a militaristic sense (as in Judg 12:2; Isa 41:11), and עַם (’am, “people”) probably refers more specifically to an army (for other examples, see the verses listed in BDB 766 s.v. עַם 2.d). The suffix “my” suggests David is referring to attacks by his own countrymen, the “people” being Israel. However, the parallel text in Ps 18:43 omits the suffix.

[22:44]  ⁷ tn Heb “a people whom I did not know serve me.” In this context the verb “know” (יָדַע, yada’) probably refers to formal recognition by treaty. People who were once not under the psalmist’s authority now willingly submit to his rulership to avoid being conquered militarily (see vv. 45-46). The language may recall the events recorded in 2 Sam 8:9-10 and 10:19.