2 Samuel 3:23-25

3:23 When Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, Joab was told: “Abner the son of Ner came to the king; he sent him away, and he left in peace!”

3:24 So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Abner ¹  has come to you! Why would you send him away? Now he’s gone on his way! ²  3:25 You know Abner the son of Ner! Surely he came here to spy on you and to determine when you leave and when you return ³  and to discover everything that you are doing!”

2 Samuel 3:39

3:39 Today I am weak, even though I am anointed as king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too much for me to bear! ⁴  May the Lord punish appropriately the one who has done this evil thing!” ⁵ 

[3:24]  ¹ tn Heb “Look, Abner.”

[3:24]  ² tc The LXX adds “in peace.”

[3:25]  ³ tn Heb “your going out and your coming in.” The expression is a merism. It specifically mentions the polar extremities of the actions but includes all activity in between the extremities as well, thus encompassing the entirety of one’s activities.

[3:39]  ⁴ tn Heb “are hard from me.”

[3:39]  ⁵ tn Heb “May the Lord repay the doer of the evil according to his evil” (NASB similar).