2 Samuel 16:2

16:2 The king asked Ziba, “Why did you bring these things?” ¹  Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s family to ride on, the loaves of bread ²  and the summer fruit are for the attendants to eat, and the wine is for those who get exhausted in the desert.” ³ 

2 Samuel 16:23

16:23 In those days Ahithophel’s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation. ⁴  Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel. ⁵ 

[16:2]  ¹ tn Heb “What are these to you?”

[16:2]  ² tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading וְהַלֶּחֶם (vÿhallekhem, “and the bread”) rather than וּלְהַלֶּחֶם (ulÿhallekhem, “and to the bread”) of the Kethib. The syntax of the MT is confused here by the needless repetition of the preposition, probably taken from the preceding word.

[16:2]  ³ tn The Hebrew text adds “to drink.”

[16:23]  ⁴ tn Heb “And the advice of Ahithophel which he advised in those days was as when one inquires of the word of God.”

[16:23]  ⁵ tn Heb “So was all the advice of Ahithophel, also to David, also to Absalom.”