1 Raja-raja 2:7

2:7 “Treat fairly ¹  the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and provide for their needs, ²  because they helped me ³  when I had to flee from your brother Absalom.

1 Raja-raja 18:21

18:21 Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision? ⁴  If the Lord is the true God, ⁵  then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!” But the people did not say a word.

1 Raja-raja 20:23

20:23 Now the advisers ⁶  of the king of Syria said to him: “Their God is a god of the mountains. That’s why they overpowered us. But if we fight them in the plains, we will certainly overpower them.

1 Raja-raja 20:31

20:31 His advisers ⁷  said to him, “Look, we have heard that the kings of the Israelite dynasty are kind. ⁸  Allow us to put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads ⁹  and surrender ¹⁰  to the king of Israel. Maybe he will spare our lives.”

[2:7]  ¹ tn Heb “do loyalty with”; or “act faithfully toward.”

[2:7]  ² tn Heb “and let them be among the ones who eat [at] your table.”

[2:7]  ³ tn Heb “drew near to.”

[18:21]  ⁴ tn Heb “How long are you going to limp around on two crutches?” (see HALOT 762 s.v. סְעִפִּים). In context this idiomatic expression refers to indecision rather than physical disability.

[18:21]  ⁵ tn Heb “the God.”

[20:23]  ⁶ tn Or “servants.”

[20:31]  ⁷ tn Or “servants.”

[20:31]  ⁸ tn Or “merciful.” The word used here often means “devoted” or “loyal.” Perhaps the idea is that the Israelite kings are willing to make treaties with other kings.

[20:31]  ⁹ sn Sackcloth was worn as a sign of sorrow and repentance. The precise significance of the ropes on the head is uncertain, but it probably was a sign of submission. These actions were comparable to raising a white flag on the battlefield or throwing in the towel in a boxing match.

[20:31]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “go out.”