2 Samuel 3:6

Abner Defects to David’s Camp

3:6 As the war continued between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was becoming more influential¹ in the house of Saul.

2 Samuel 9:6

9:6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed low with his face toward the ground.² David said, “Mephibosheth?” He replied, “Yes, at your service.”³

2 Samuel 10:15

10:15 When the Arameans realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they consolidated their forces.⁴

2 Samuel 16:14

16:14 The king and all the people who were with him arrived exhausted at their destination, where David⁵ refreshed himself.

2 Samuel 19:3

19:3 That day the people stole away to go to the city the way people who are embarrassed steal away in fleeing from battle.

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

¹tn Heb “was strengthening himself.” The statement may have a negative sense here, perhaps suggesting that Abner was overstepping the bounds of political propriety in a self-serving way.

²tn Heb “he fell on his face and bowed down.”

³tn Heb “Look, your servant.”

⁴tn Heb “were gathered together.”

⁵tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁶tn 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.

⁷tn 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.