2 Samuel 9:1

David Finds Mephibosheth

9:1 ¹ Then David asked, “Is anyone still left from the family ²  of Saul, so that I may extend kindness to him for the sake of Jonathan?”

2 Samuel 12:12

12:12 Although you have acted in secret, I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight.’” ³ 

2 Samuel 12:14

12:14 Nonetheless, because you have treated the Lord with such contempt ⁴  in this matter, the son who has been born to you will certainly die.”

2 Samuel 15:28

15:28 Look, I will be waiting at the fords of the desert until word from you ⁵  reaches me.”

2 Samuel 16:12

16:12 Perhaps the Lord will notice my affliction ⁶  and this day grant me good in place of his curse.” ⁷ 

2 Samuel 18:13

18:13 If I had acted at risk of my own life ⁸  – and nothing is hidden from the king! – you would have abandoned me.” ⁹ 

[9:1]  ¹ sn 2 Samuel 9–20 is known as the Succession Narrative. It is a literary unit that describes David’s efforts at consolidating his own kingdom following the demise of King Saul; it also provides the transition to subsequent leadership on the part of David’s successor Solomon.

[9:1]  ² tn Heb “house.”

[12:12]  ³ tn Heb “and before the sun.”

[12:14]  ⁴ tc The MT has here “because you have caused the enemies of the Lord to treat the Lord with such contempt.” This is one of the so-called tiqqune sopherim, or “emendations of the scribes.” According to this ancient tradition, the scribes changed the text in order to soften somewhat the negative light in which David was presented. If that is the case, the MT reflects the altered text. The present translation departs from the MT here. Elsewhere the Piel stem of this verb means “treat with contempt,” but never “cause someone to treat with contempt.”

[15:28]  ⁵ tn The pronoun is plural, referring to Zadok and Abiathar.

[16:12]  ⁶ tc The Hebrew text is difficult here. It is probably preferable to read with the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate בְּעוֹנִי (bÿ’onyi, “on my affliction”) rather than the Kethib of the MT בָּעַוֹנִי (ba’avoni, “on my wrongdoing”). While this Kethib reading is understandable as an objective genitive (i.e., “the wrong perpetrated upon me”), it does not conform to normal Hebrew idiom for this idea. The Qere of the MT בְּעֵינֵי (bÿ’eni, “on my eyes”), usually taken as synecdoche to mean “my tears,” does not commend itself as a likely meaning. The Hebrew word is one of the so-called tiqqune sopherim, or “emendations of the scribes.”

[16:12]  ⁷ tn Heb “and the Lord will restore to me good in place of his curse this day.”

[18:13]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ tn Heb “stood aloof.”