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2 Samuel 20-24
New American Standard Bible

Sheba’s Revolt

20 Now (A)a worthless man happened to be there whose name was Sheba, the son of (B)Bichri, a Benjaminite; and he blew the trumpet and said,

“(C)We have no share in David,
Nor do we have an inheritance in (D)the son of Jesse;
(E)Every man to his tents, Israel!”

2 So all the men of Israel [a]withdrew from following David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah [b]remained loyal to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.

3 Then David came to his house in Jerusalem, and (F)the king took the ten women, the concubines whom he had left behind to take care of the house, and put them in custody and provided them with food, but did not [c]have relations with them. So they were locked up until the day of their death, living as widows.

4 Now the king said to (G)Amasa, “Summon the men of Judah for me within three days, and be present here yourself.” 5 So Amasa went to summon the men of Judah, but he was (H)delayed longer than the set time which he had designated for him. 6 And David said to (I)Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom; (J)take your lord’s servants and pursue him, so that he does not find for himself fortified cities and escape from our sight.” 7 So Joab’s men went out after him, (K)along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the warriors; and they left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. 8 When they were at the large stone which is in (L)Gibeon, Amasa came [d]to meet them. Now Joab was dressed in his military attire, and over it he had a belt with a sword in its sheath strapped on at his waist; and as he went forward, it fell out. 9 And Joab said to Amasa, “Is it going well for you, my brother?” And (M)Joab took hold of Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

Amasa Murdered

10 But Amasa was not on guard against the sword which was in Joab’s hand, so (N)he struck him in the belly with it and spilled out his intestines on the ground, and did not strike him again, and he died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. 11 Now one of Joab’s young men stood by him and said, “Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David, (O)follow Joab!” 12 But Amasa was wallowing in his own blood in the middle of the road. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa from the road to the field and threw a garment over him when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.

Revolt Put Down

13 As soon as he was removed from the road, all the men went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

14 Now he went on through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, that is, Beth-maacah, and all the Berites; and they assembled and went after him as well. 15 And they came and besieged him in (P)Abel Beth-maacah, and (Q)they [e]built up an assault ramp against the city, and it stood against the outer rampart; and all the people who were with Joab were wreaking destruction in order to topple the wall. 16 Then (R)a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen, listen! Please tell Joab, ‘Come here that I may speak with you.’” 17 So he approached her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” And he answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your slave.” And he said, “I am listening.” 18 Then she spoke, saying, “In the past they used to say, ‘They will undoubtedly ask advice at Abel,’ and that is how they ended a dispute. 19 I am one of those who are ready for peace and faithful in Israel. (S)You are trying to destroy a city, even a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up (T)the inheritance of the Lord?” 20 Joab replied, “Far be it, far be it from me that I would consume or destroy! 21 Such is not the case. But a man from (U)the hill country of Ephraim, (V)Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has raised his hand against King David. Only turn him over, and I will depart from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.” 22 Then the woman (W)wisely came to all the people. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So (X)he blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, each to his tent. Joab also returned to the king at Jerusalem.

23 (Y)Now Joab was in command of the entire army of Israel, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; 24 and Adoram was over the forced labor, and (Z)Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the secretary; 25 and Sheva was scribe, and Zadok and (AA)Abiathar were priests; 26 Ira the Jairite also was a priest to David.

Gibeonite’s Revenge

21 Now there was (AB)a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and (AC)David sought the presence of the Lord. And the Lord said, “It is because of Saul and his bloody house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.” 2 So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the sons of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites, and (AD)the sons of Israel had [f]made a covenant with them, but Saul had sought to [g]kill them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah). 3 David said to the Gibeonites, “What should I do for you? And how can I make amends, so that you will bless (AE)the inheritance of the Lord?” 4 Then the Gibeonites said to him, “(AF)For us it is not a matter of silver or gold with Saul or his house, nor is it for us to put anyone to death in Israel.” Nevertheless David said, “I will do for you whatever you say.” 5 So they said to the king, “(AG)The man who destroyed us and who planned [h]to eliminate us so that we would not exist within any border of Israel— 6 let seven men from his sons be given to us, and we will [i]hang them (AH)before the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, (AI)the chosen of the Lord.” And the king said, “I will give them.”

7 But the king spared (AJ)Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, (AK)because of the oath of the Lord which was between them, between David and Saul’s son Jonathan. 8 So the king took the two sons of (AL)Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, Armoni and Mephibosheth whom she had borne to Saul, and the five sons of [j](AM)Merab the daughter of Saul, whom she had borne to Adriel the son of Barzillai the (AN)Meholathite. 9 Then he handed them over to the Gibeonites, and they [k]hanged them on the mountain before the Lord, so that the seven of them fell together; and they were put to death in the first days of harvest at (AO)the beginning of barley harvest.

10 (AP)And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until [l]it rained on them from the sky; and (AQ)she [m]allowed neither the birds of the sky to rest on them by day nor the wild animals by night. 11 When it was reported to David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done, 12 then David went and took (AR)the bones of Saul and the bones of his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the public square of (AS)Beth-shan, (AT)where the Philistines had hanged them on the day (AU)the Philistines struck and killed Saul in Gilboa. 13 He brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of his son Jonathan, and they gathered the bones of those who had been [n]hanged. 14 Then they buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the country of Benjamin in (AV)Zela, in the grave of his father Kish; So they did everything that the king commanded, and after that (AW)God responded to prayer for the land.

15 Now when (AX)the Philistines were at war with Israel again, David went down, and his servants with him; and when they fought against the Philistines, David became weary. 16 Then Ishbi-benob, who was (AY)among the descendants of the [o]giant, the weight of whose spear was [p]three hundred shekels of bronze in weight, [q]had strapped on a new sword, and he [r]intended to kill David. 17 But (AZ)Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “(BA)You shall not go out again with us to battle, so that you do not extinguish (BB)the lamp of Israel.”

18 (BC)Now it came about after this that there was war again with the Philistines at Gob; then (BD)Sibbecai the Hushathite struck and killed Saph, who was among the descendants of the [s]giant. 19 And there was war with the Philistines again at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite [t]killed [u]Goliath the Gittite, (BE)the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. 20 And there was war at Gath again, where there was a man of great stature who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also had been born (BF)to the [v]giant. 21 When he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David’s brother, struck and killed him. 22 (BG)These four were born to the [w]giant at Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

David’s Psalm of Deliverance

22 (BH)Now David spoke (BI)the words of this song to the Lord on the day that the Lord had saved him from the [x]hand of all his enemies and from the [y]hand of Saul. 2 He said,

“(BJ)The Lord is my [z]rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
3 [aa](BK)My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
My (BL)shield and (BM)the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and (BN)my refuge;
My savior, You save me from violence.
4 I call upon the Lord, (BO)who is worthy to be praised,
And I am saved from my enemies.
5 For (BP)the waves of death encompassed me;
(BQ)The floods of [ab]destruction terrified me;
6 (BR)The ropes of [ac]Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
7 (BS)In my distress I called upon the Lord,
Yes, I called out to my God;
And from His temple He heard my voice,
And my cry for help came into His ears.
8 Then (BT)the earth shook and quaked,
(BU)The foundations of heaven were trembling
And were shaken, because He was angry.
9 Smoke went up [ad]out of His nostrils,
(BV)And fire from His mouth was devouring;
(BW)Coals were kindled by it.
10 He also bowed the heavens down low, and came down
With (BX)thick darkness under His feet.
11 (BY)He rode on a cherub and flew;
He [ae]appeared on (BZ)the wings of the wind.
12 (CA)He made darkness canopies around Him,
A mass of waters, thick clouds of the sky.
13 From the brightness before Him
(CB)Coals of fire were kindled.
14 (CC)The Lord thundered from heaven,
And the Most High uttered His voice.
15 (CD)And He shot arrows and scattered them,
Lightning, and [af]routed them.
16 Then the channels of the sea appeared,
The foundations of the world were exposed
By the rebuke of the Lord,
(CE)From the blast of the breath of His nostrils.
17 (CF)He sent from on high, He took me;
(CG)He drew me out of many waters.
18 He rescued me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.
19 They confronted me on the day of my disaster,
(CH)But the Lord was my support.
20 (CI)He also brought me out into an open place;
He rescued me, (CJ)because He delighted in me.
21 (CK)The Lord has treated me in accordance with my righteousness;
(CL)In accordance with the cleanliness of my hands He has repaid me.
22 (CM)For I have kept the ways of the Lord,
And have not acted wickedly against my God.
23 (CN)For all His ordinances were before me,
And as for His statutes, I did not deviate from [ag]them.
24 (CO)I was also [ah]blameless toward Him,
And I have kept myself from my wrongdoing.
25 (CP)So the Lord has repaid me in accordance with my righteousness,
In accordance with my cleanliness before His eyes.
26 (CQ)With the one who is faithful You show Yourself faithful,
With the [ai]blameless one You prove Yourself [aj]blameless;
27 (CR)With the one who is pure You show Yourself pure,
(CS)But with the perverted You [ak]show Yourself astute.
28 (CT)And You save an afflicted people;
(CU)But Your eyes are on the haughty whom You humiliate.
29 (CV)For You are my lamp, Lord;
And the Lord illuminates my darkness.
30 (CW)For by You I can run at a [al]troop of warriors;
By my God I can leap over a wall.
31 (CX)As for God, His way is [am]blameless;
(CY)The word of the Lord is refined;
(CZ)He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
32 (DA)For who is God, except the Lord?
(DB)And who is a rock, except our God?
33 (DC)God is my strong fortress;
And He [an]sets the [ao]blameless on [ap]His way.
34 (DD)He makes [aq]my feet like deer’s feet,
(DE)And sets me on my high places.
35 (DF)He trains my hands for battle,
(DG)So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
36 You have also given me (DH)the shield of Your salvation,
And Your [ar]help makes me great.
37 (DI)You enlarge my steps under me,
And my [as]feet have not slipped.
38 I pursued my enemies and (DJ)eliminated them,
And I did not turn back until they were finished off.
39 And I have devoured them and smashed them, so that they would not rise;
And (DK)they fell under my feet.
40 For You have encircled me with strength for battle;
You have forced (DL)those who rose up against me to bow down under me.
41 You have also (DM)made my enemies turn their backs to me,
And I [at]destroyed those who hated me.
42 (DN)They looked, but there was no one to save them;
(DO)Even to the Lord, but He did not answer them.
43 (DP)Then I pulverized them as the dust of the earth;
(DQ)I crushed and trampled them like the mud of the streets.
44 (DR)You have also saved me from the contentions of my people;
(DS)You have kept me as head of the nations;
(DT)A people I have not known serve me.
45 (DU)Foreigners pretend to obey me;
As soon as they hear, they obey me.
46 Foreigners lose heart,
(DV)And [au]come trembling out of their fortresses.
47 The Lord lives, and blessed be my Rock;
And exalted be [av](DW)my God, the rock of my salvation,
48 (DX)The God who executes vengeance for me,
(DY)And brings down peoples under me,
49 Who also brings me out from my enemies;
You also raise me above (DZ)those who rise up against me;
(EA)You rescue me from the violent person.
50 (EB)Therefore I will [aw]give thanks to You, Lord, among the nations,
And I will sing praises to Your name.
51 (EC)He is a tower of [ax]salvation to His king,
And (ED)shows favor to His anointed,
(EE)To David and his [ay]descendants forever.”

David’s Last Song

23 Now these are the last words of David.

David the son of Jesse declares,
(EF)The man who was raised on high,
(EG)The anointed of the God of Jacob
And the sweet psalmist of Israel, declares,
2 “(EH)The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me,
And His word was on my tongue.
3 The God of Israel said it;
(EI)The Rock of Israel spoke to me:
‘(EJ)He who rules over mankind righteously,
(EK)Who rules in the fear of God,
4 (EL)Is like the light of the morning when the sun rises,
A morning without clouds,
When the fresh grass springs out of the earth
From sunshine after rain.’
5 Is my house not indeed so with God?
For (EM)He has made an everlasting covenant with me,
Properly ordered in all things, and secured;
For will He not indeed make
All my salvation and all my delight grow?
6 (EN)But the worthless, every one of them, are like scattered thorns,
Because they cannot be taken in hand;
7 Instead, the man who touches them
Must be [az]armed with iron and the shaft of a spear,
And (EO)they will be completely burned with fire in their [ba]place.”

David’s Mighty Men

8 (EP)These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth, a Tahchemonite, chief of the [bb]captains; he was called Adino the Eznite because of eight hundred who were killed by him at one time. 9 And after him was Eleazar the son of (EQ)Dodo the (ER)Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there to battle and the men of Israel had [bc]withdrawn. 10 (ES)He rose up and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary and [bd]it clung to the sword, and (ET)the Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder the dead.

11 Now after him was Shammah the son of Agee, a (EU)Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered [be]into an army where there was a plot of land full of lentils, and the people fled from the Philistines. 12 But he took his stand in the midst of the plot, defended it, and struck the Philistines; and (EV)the Lord brought about a great victory.

13 Then three of the thirty chief men went down and came to David at harvest time to the (EW)cave of Adullam, while the army of the Philistines was camping in (EX)the Valley of Rephaim. 14 David was then (EY)in the stronghold, while the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15 And (EZ)David had a craving and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate!” 16 (FA)So the three mighty men forced their way into the camp of the Philistines, and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and carried it and brought it to David. Yet he would not drink it, but (FB)poured it out as an offering to the Lord; 17 and he said, “Far be it from me, Lord, that I would do this! (FC)Should I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” So he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

18 Now (FD)Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was (FE)chief of the [bf]thirty. And he swung his spear against three hundred [bg]and killed them, and had a name [bh]as well as the three. 19 He was the most honored among the thirty, so he became their commander; however, he did not attain to the reputation of the three.

20 Then (FF)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of (FG)Kabzeel, who had done great deeds, [bi]killed the [bj]two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day. 21 And he [bk]killed an Egyptian, [bl]an impressive man. Now the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. 22 These things (FH)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and had a name [bm]as well as the three mighty men. 23 He was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain the reputation of the three. And David appointed him over his bodyguard.

24 (FI)Asahel the brother of Joab was among the thirty; and there was Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 (FJ)Shammah the (FK)Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the (FL)Tekoite, 27 Abiezer the (FM)Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the (FN)Netophathite, 29 (FO)Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of (FP)Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah a (FQ)Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of (FR)Gaash, 31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the (FS)Barhumite, 32 Eliahba the (FT)Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33 (FU)Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of (FV)the Maacathite, (FW)Eliam the son of (FX)Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35 (FY)Hezro the (FZ)Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan of (GA)Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the (GB)Beerothite, armor bearers of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 38 Ira the (GC)Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39 and (GD)Uriah the Hittite; thirty-seven in all.

The Census Taken

24 (GE)Now (GF)the anger of the Lord burned against Israel again, and He incited David against them to say, “(GG)Go, count Israel and Judah.” 2 So the king said to Joab the commander of the army, who was with him, “Roam about now through all the tribes of Israel, (GH)from Dan to Beersheba, and conduct a census of the people, so that I may know the number of the people.” 3 But Joab said to the king, “(GI)May the Lord your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king can still see; but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?” 4 Nevertheless, the king’s order prevailed against Joab and against the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army left the presence of the king to conduct a census of the people of Israel. 5 They crossed the Jordan and camped in (GJ)Aroer, on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the Valley of Gad and toward (GK)Jazer. 6 Then they came to Gilead and to [bn]the land of Tahtim-hodshi, and they came to Dan-jaan and around to (GL)Sidon, 7 then they came to the (GM)fortress of Tyre and to all the cities of the (GN)Hivites and of the Canaanites, and they went out to the south of Judah, to (GO)Beersheba. 8 So when they had roamed about through the whole land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. 9 And Joab gave (GP)the number of the census of the people to the king: in Israel there were (GQ)eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

10 Now (GR)David’s heart [bo]troubled him after he had counted the people. So David said to the Lord, “(GS)I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, Lord, please [bp]overlook the guilt of Your servant, for (GT)I have acted very foolishly.” 11 When David got up in the morning, the word of the Lord came to (GU)Gad the prophet, David’s (GV)seer, saying, 12 “Go and speak to David, ‘This is what the Lord says: “I am imposing upon you three choices; choose for yourself one of them, and I will do it to you.”’” 13 So Gad came to David and told him, and said to him, “Shall (GW)seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee for three months before your enemies while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ of plague in your land? Now consider and see what answer I shall return to Him who sent me.” 14 Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let us now fall into the hand of the Lord, (GX)for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”

Plague Sent

15 So (GY)the Lord [bq]sent a plague upon Israel from the morning until the appointed time, and seventy thousand men of the people (GZ)from Dan to Beersheba died. 16 (HA)When the angel extended his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, (HB)the Lord relented of the disaster and said to the angel who destroyed the people, “It is enough! Now drop your hand!” And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 17 Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking down the people, and said, “Behold, (HC)it is I who have sinned, and it is I who have done wrong; but (HD)these sheep, what have they done? Please let Your hand be against me and against my father’s house!”

David Builds an Altar

18 So Gad came to David that day and said to him, “(HE)Go up, erect an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of [br]Araunah the Jebusite.” 19 Then David went up in accordance with the word of Gad, just as the Lord had commanded. 20 And Araunah looked down and saw the king and his servants crossing over toward him; so Araunah went out and bowed his face to the ground before the king. 21 Then Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” And David said, “To buy the threshing floor from you, in order to build an altar to the Lord, (HF)so that the plague may be [bs]withdrawn from the people.” 22 Araunah then said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up what is good in his sight. Look, here are (HG)the oxen for the burnt offering, the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood. 23 Everything, O king, Araunah gives to the king.” And Araunah said to the king, “May the Lord your God be (HH)favorable to you.” 24 However, the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will certainly buy it from you for a price; for (HI)I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God [bt]that cost me nothing.” So (HJ)David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25 Then David built there an altar to the Lord, and he offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. And (HK)the Lord responded to prayer for the land, and the plague was [bu]withdrawn from Israel.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 20:2 Lit went up
  2. 2 Samuel 20:2 Lit clung to
  3. 2 Samuel 20:3 Lit come in to
  4. 2 Samuel 20:8 Lit before
  5. 2 Samuel 20:15 Lit poured out
  6. 2 Samuel 21:2 Lit sworn to
  7. 2 Samuel 21:2 Lit strike
  8. 2 Samuel 21:5 Lit against us that we are eliminated from
  9. 2 Samuel 21:6 Or expose them
  10. 2 Samuel 21:8 As in some ancient versions and two Heb mss; MT Michal
  11. 2 Samuel 21:9 Or exposed them
  12. 2 Samuel 21:10 Lit water gushed forth
  13. 2 Samuel 21:10 Lit gave
  14. 2 Samuel 21:13 Or exposed
  15. 2 Samuel 21:16 Heb Raphah
  16. 2 Samuel 21:16 About 9 lb. or 4 kg
  17. 2 Samuel 21:16 Lit and he had strapped
  18. 2 Samuel 21:16 Lit said
  19. 2 Samuel 21:18 Heb Raphah
  20. 2 Samuel 21:19 Lit struck
  21. 2 Samuel 21:19 In 1 Chr 20:5, Lahmi, the brother of Goliath
  22. 2 Samuel 21:20 Heb Raphah
  23. 2 Samuel 21:22 Heb Raphah
  24. 2 Samuel 22:1 Lit palm
  25. 2 Samuel 22:1 Lit palm
  26. 2 Samuel 22:2 Lit crag
  27. 2 Samuel 22:3 As in LXX; MT God of my rock
  28. 2 Samuel 22:5 Or wickedness; Heb Belial
  29. 2 Samuel 22:6 I.e., the netherworld
  30. 2 Samuel 22:9 I.e., in his anger
  31. 2 Samuel 22:11 Many mss glided
  32. 2 Samuel 22:15 Lit confused
  33. 2 Samuel 22:23 Lit it
  34. 2 Samuel 22:24 Lit complete; or having integrity
  35. 2 Samuel 22:26 Lit complete; or having integrity
  36. 2 Samuel 22:26 Lit complete; or having integrity
  37. 2 Samuel 22:27 As in two Heb mss and Ps 18:26; MT pretend stupidity
  38. 2 Samuel 22:30 Or wall
  39. 2 Samuel 22:31 Lit complete; or having integrity
  40. 2 Samuel 22:33 Or sets free
  41. 2 Samuel 22:33 Lit complete; or having integrity
  42. 2 Samuel 22:33 Another reading is my
  43. 2 Samuel 22:34 Another reading is His
  44. 2 Samuel 22:36 Lit answering
  45. 2 Samuel 22:37 Lit ankles
  46. 2 Samuel 22:41 Or silenced
  47. 2 Samuel 22:46 Reading based on Ps 18:45; MT belt up themselves
  48. 2 Samuel 22:47 As in LXX; MT the God of the rock
  49. 2 Samuel 22:50 Or praise
  50. 2 Samuel 22:51 Lit acts of salvation
  51. 2 Samuel 22:51 Lit seed
  52. 2 Samuel 23:7 Lit filled
  53. 2 Samuel 23:7 Lit sitting
  54. 2 Samuel 23:8 Or three
  55. 2 Samuel 23:9 Lit gone up
  56. 2 Samuel 23:10 Lit his hand
  57. 2 Samuel 23:11 Or possibly, at Lehi
  58. 2 Samuel 23:18 As in two Heb mss and Syriac; MT three
  59. 2 Samuel 23:18 Lit slain ones
  60. 2 Samuel 23:18 Lit among the
  61. 2 Samuel 23:20 Lit struck
  62. 2 Samuel 23:20 Or two warriors of Moab
  63. 2 Samuel 23:21 Lit struck
  64. 2 Samuel 23:21 Lit a man of appearance
  65. 2 Samuel 23:22 Lit among the
  66. 2 Samuel 24:6 Another reading is Kadesh in the land of the Hittite
  67. 2 Samuel 24:10 Lit struck
  68. 2 Samuel 24:10 Lit allow to pass
  69. 2 Samuel 24:15 Lit gave
  70. 2 Samuel 24:18 In 2 Chr 3:1, Ornan
  71. 2 Samuel 24:21 Or brought to a halt
  72. 2 Samuel 24:24 Lit gratuitously
  73. 2 Samuel 24:25 Or brought to a halt
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2 Samuel 20-24
New International Version

Sheba Rebels Against David

20 Now a troublemaker named Sheba son of Bikri, a Benjamite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and shouted,

“We have no share(A) in David,(B)
    no part in Jesse’s son!(C)
Every man to his tent, Israel!”

2 So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bikri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

3 When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines(D) he had left to take care of the palace and put them in a house under guard. He provided for them but had no sexual relations with them. They were kept in confinement till the day of their death, living as widows.

4 Then the king said to Amasa,(E) “Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself.” 5 But when Amasa went to summon Judah, he took longer than the time the king had set for him.

6 David said to Abishai,(F) “Now Sheba son of Bikri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your master’s men and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and escape from us.”[a] 7 So Joab’s men and the Kerethites(G) and Pelethites and all the mighty warriors went out under the command of Abishai. They marched out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.

8 While they were at the great rock in Gibeon,(H) Amasa came to meet them. Joab(I) was wearing his military tunic, and strapped over it at his waist was a belt with a dagger in its sheath. As he stepped forward, it dropped out of its sheath.

9 Joab said to Amasa, “How are you, my brother?” Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10 Amasa was not on his guard against the dagger(J) in Joab’s(K) hand, and Joab plunged it into his belly, and his intestines spilled out on the ground. Without being stabbed again, Amasa died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bikri.

11 One of Joab’s men stood beside Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!” 12 Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road, and the man saw that all the troops came to a halt(L) there. When he realized that everyone who came up to Amasa stopped, he dragged him from the road into a field and threw a garment over him. 13 After Amasa had been removed from the road, everyone went on with Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.

14 Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth Maakah and through the entire region of the Bikrites,[b](M) who gathered together and followed him. 15 All the troops with Joab came and besieged Sheba in Abel Beth Maakah.(N) They built a siege ramp(O) up to the city, and it stood against the outer fortifications. While they were battering the wall to bring it down, 16 a wise woman(P) called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so I can speak to him.” 17 He went toward her, and she asked, “Are you Joab?”

“I am,” he answered.

She said, “Listen to what your servant has to say.”

“I’m listening,” he said.

18 She continued, “Long ago they used to say, ‘Get your answer at Abel,’ and that settled it. 19 We are the peaceful(Q) and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the Lord’s inheritance?”(R)

20 “Far be it from me!” Joab replied, “Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy! 21 That is not the case. A man named Sheba son of Bikri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Hand over this one man, and I’ll withdraw from the city.”

The woman said to Joab, “His head(S) will be thrown to you from the wall.”

22 Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice,(T) and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bikri and threw it to Joab. So he sounded the trumpet, and his men dispersed from the city, each returning to his home. And Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.

David’s Officials

23 Joab(U) was over Israel’s entire army; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; 24 Adoniram[c](V) was in charge of forced labor; Jehoshaphat(W) son of Ahilud was recorder; 25 Sheva was secretary; Zadok(X) and Abiathar were priests; 26 and Ira the Jairite[d] was David’s priest.

The Gibeonites Avenged

21 During the reign of David, there was a famine(Y) for three successive years; so David sought(Z) the face of the Lord. The Lord said, “It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.”

2 The king summoned the Gibeonites(AA) and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were survivors of the Amorites; the Israelites had sworn to spare them, but Saul in his zeal for Israel and Judah had tried to annihilate them.) 3 David asked the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? How shall I make atonement so that you will bless the Lord’s inheritance?”(AB)

4 The Gibeonites answered him, “We have no right to demand silver or gold from Saul or his family, nor do we have the right to put anyone in Israel to death.”(AC)

“What do you want me to do for you?” David asked.

5 They answered the king, “As for the man who destroyed us and plotted against us so that we have been decimated and have no place anywhere in Israel, 6 let seven of his male descendants be given to us to be killed and their bodies exposed(AD) before the Lord at Gibeah of Saul—the Lord’s chosen(AE) one.”

So the king said, “I will give them to you.”

7 The king spared Mephibosheth(AF) son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath(AG) before the Lord between David and Jonathan son of Saul. 8 But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Aiah’s daughter Rizpah,(AH) whom she had borne to Saul, together with the five sons of Saul’s daughter Merab,[e] whom she had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.(AI) 9 He handed them over to the Gibeonites, who killed them and exposed their bodies on a hill before the Lord. All seven of them fell together; they were put to death(AJ) during the first days of the harvest, just as the barley harvest was beginning.(AK)

10 Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest till the rain poured down from the heavens on the bodies, she did not let the birds touch them by day or the wild animals by night.(AL) 11 When David was told what Aiah’s daughter Rizpah, Saul’s concubine, had done, 12 he went and took the bones of Saul(AM) and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead.(AN) (They had stolen their bodies from the public square at Beth Shan,(AO) where the Philistines had hung(AP) them after they struck Saul down on Gilboa.)(AQ) 13 David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from there, and the bones of those who had been killed and exposed were gathered up.

14 They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish, at Zela(AR) in Benjamin, and did everything the king commanded. After that,(AS) God answered prayer(AT) in behalf of the land.(AU)

Wars Against the Philistines(AV)

15 Once again there was a battle between the Philistines(AW) and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted. 16 And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels[f] and who was armed with a new sword, said he would kill David. 17 But Abishai(AX) son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp(AY) of Israel will not be extinguished.(AZ)”

18 In the course of time, there was another battle with the Philistines, at Gob. At that time Sibbekai(BA) the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of Rapha.

19 In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jair[g] the Bethlehemite killed the brother of[h] Goliath the Gittite,(BB) who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod.(BC)

20 In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. 21 When he taunted(BD) Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah,(BE) David’s brother, killed him.

22 These four were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.

David’s Song of Praise(BF)

22 David sang(BG) to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. 2 He said:

“The Lord is my rock,(BH) my fortress(BI) and my deliverer;(BJ)
3     my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,(BK)
    my shield[i](BL) and the horn[j](BM) of my salvation.
He is my stronghold,(BN) my refuge and my savior—
    from violent people you save me.

4 “I called to the Lord, who is worthy(BO) of praise,
    and have been saved from my enemies.
5 The waves(BP) of death swirled about me;
    the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
6 The cords of the grave(BQ) coiled around me;
    the snares of death confronted me.

7 “In my distress(BR) I called(BS) to the Lord;
    I called out to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice;
    my cry came to his ears.
8 The earth(BT) trembled and quaked,(BU)
    the foundations(BV) of the heavens[k] shook;
    they trembled because he was angry.
9 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
    consuming fire(BW) came from his mouth,
    burning coals(BX) blazed out of it.
10 He parted the heavens and came down;
    dark clouds(BY) were under his feet.
11 He mounted the cherubim(BZ) and flew;
    he soared[l] on the wings of the wind.(CA)
12 He made darkness(CB) his canopy around him—
    the dark[m] rain clouds of the sky.
13 Out of the brightness of his presence
    bolts of lightning(CC) blazed forth.
14 The Lord thundered(CD) from heaven;
    the voice of the Most High resounded.
15 He shot his arrows(CE) and scattered the enemy,
    with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
16 The valleys of the sea were exposed
    and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at the rebuke(CF) of the Lord,
    at the blast(CG) of breath from his nostrils.

17 “He reached down from on high(CH) and took hold of me;
    he drew(CI) me out of deep waters.
18 He rescued(CJ) me from my powerful enemy,
    from my foes, who were too strong for me.
19 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
    but the Lord was my support.(CK)
20 He brought me out into a spacious(CL) place;
    he rescued(CM) me because he delighted(CN) in me.(CO)

21 “The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;(CP)
    according to the cleanness(CQ) of my hands(CR) he has rewarded me.
22 For I have kept(CS) the ways of the Lord;
    I am not guilty of turning from my God.
23 All his laws are before me;(CT)
    I have not turned(CU) away from his decrees.
24 I have been blameless(CV) before him
    and have kept myself from sin.
25 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,(CW)
    according to my cleanness[n] in his sight.

26 “To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
    to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
27 to the pure(CX) you show yourself pure,
    but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.(CY)
28 You save the humble,(CZ)
    but your eyes are on the haughty(DA) to bring them low.(DB)
29 You, Lord, are my lamp;(DC)
    the Lord turns my darkness into light.
30 With your help I can advance against a troop[o];
    with my God I can scale a wall.

31 “As for God, his way is perfect:(DD)
    The Lord’s word is flawless;(DE)
    he shields(DF) all who take refuge in him.
32 For who is God besides the Lord?
    And who is the Rock(DG) except our God?(DH)
33 It is God who arms me with strength[p]
    and keeps my way secure.
34 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;(DI)
    he causes me to stand on the heights.(DJ)
35 He trains my hands(DK) for battle;
    my arms can bend a bow(DL) of bronze.
36 You make your saving help my shield;(DM)
    your help has made[q] me great.
37 You provide a broad path(DN) for my feet,
    so that my ankles do not give way.

38 “I pursued my enemies and crushed them;
    I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
39 I crushed(DO) them completely, and they could not rise;
    they fell beneath my feet.
40 You armed me with strength for battle;
    you humbled my adversaries before me.(DP)
41 You made my enemies turn their backs(DQ) in flight,
    and I destroyed my foes.
42 They cried for help,(DR) but there was no one to save them—(DS)
    to the Lord, but he did not answer.(DT)
43 I beat them as fine as the dust(DU) of the earth;
    I pounded and trampled(DV) them like mud(DW) in the streets.

44 “You have delivered(DX) me from the attacks of the peoples;
    you have preserved(DY) me as the head of nations.
People(DZ) I did not know now serve me,
45     foreigners cower(EA) before me;
    as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.(EB)
46 They all lose heart;
    they come trembling[r](EC) from their strongholds.

47 “The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock!
    Exalted(ED) be my God, the Rock, my Savior!(EE)
48 He is the God who avenges(EF) me,(EG)
    who puts the nations under me,
49     who sets me free from my enemies.(EH)
You exalted me(EI) above my foes;
    from a violent man you rescued me.
50 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
    I will sing the praises(EJ) of your name.(EK)

51 “He gives his king great victories;(EL)
    he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,(EM)
    to David(EN) and his descendants forever.”(EO)

David’s Last Words

23 These are the last words of David:

“The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse,
    the utterance of the man exalted(EP) by the Most High,
the man anointed(EQ) by the God of Jacob,
    the hero of Israel’s songs:

2 “The Spirit(ER) of the Lord spoke through me;
    his word was on my tongue.
3 The God of Israel spoke,
    the Rock(ES) of Israel said to me:
‘When one rules over people in righteousness,(ET)
    when he rules in the fear(EU) of God,(EV)
4 he is like the light(EW) of morning(EX) at sunrise(EY)
    on a cloudless morning,
like the brightness after rain(EZ)
    that brings grass from the earth.’

5 “If my house were not right with God,
    surely he would not have made with me an everlasting covenant,(FA)
    arranged and secured in every part;
surely he would not bring to fruition my salvation
    and grant me my every desire.
6 But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns,(FB)
    which are not gathered with the hand.
7 Whoever touches thorns
    uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear;
    they are burned up where they lie.”

David’s Mighty Warriors(FC)

8 These are the names of David’s mighty warriors:(FD)

Josheb-Basshebeth,[s](FE) a Tahkemonite,[t] was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed[u] in one encounter.

9 Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai(FF) the Ahohite.(FG) As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim[v] for battle. Then the Israelites retreated, 10 but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.

11 Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. 12 But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.

13 During harvest time, three of the thirty chief warriors came down to David at the cave of Adullam,(FH) while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.(FI) 14 At that time David was in the stronghold,(FJ) and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.(FK) 15 David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” 16 So the three mighty warriors broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured(FL) it out before the Lord. 17 “Far be it from me, Lord, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood(FM) of men who went at the risk of their lives?” And David would not drink it.

Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.

18 Abishai(FN) the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three.[w] He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. 19 Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.

20 Benaiah(FO) son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel,(FP) performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 21 And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 22 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. 23 He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

24 Among the Thirty were:

Asahel(FQ) the brother of Joab,

Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,

25 Shammah the Harodite,(FR)

Elika the Harodite,

26 Helez(FS) the Paltite,

Ira(FT) son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,

27 Abiezer(FU) from Anathoth,(FV)

Sibbekai[x] the Hushathite,

28 Zalmon the Ahohite,

Maharai(FW) the Netophathite,(FX)

29 Heled[y](FY) son of Baanah the Netophathite,

Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah(FZ) in Benjamin,

30 Benaiah the Pirathonite,(GA)

Hiddai[z] from the ravines of Gaash,(GB)

31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite,

Azmaveth the Barhumite,(GC)

32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

the sons of Jashen,

Jonathan 33 son of[aa] Shammah the Hararite,

Ahiam son of Sharar[ab] the Hararite,

34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maakathite,(GD)

Eliam(GE) son of Ahithophel(GF) the Gilonite,

35 Hezro the Carmelite,(GG)

Paarai the Arbite,

36 Igal son of Nathan from Zobah,(GH)

the son of Hagri,[ac]

37 Zelek the Ammonite,

Naharai the Beerothite,(GI) the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,

38 Ira the Ithrite,(GJ)

Gareb the Ithrite

39 and Uriah(GK) the Hittite.

There were thirty-seven in all.

David Enrolls the Fighting Men(GL)

24 Again(GM) the anger of the Lord burned against Israel,(GN) and he incited David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of(GO) Israel and Judah.”

2 So the king said to Joab(GP) and the army commanders[ad] with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba(GQ) and enroll(GR) the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.”

3 But Joab(GS) replied to the king, “May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over,(GT) and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?”

4 The king’s word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enroll the fighting men of Israel.

5 After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer,(GU) south of the town in the gorge, and then went through Gad and on to Jazer.(GV) 6 They went to Gilead and the region of Tahtim Hodshi, and on to Dan Jaan and around toward Sidon.(GW) 7 Then they went toward the fortress of Tyre(GX) and all the towns of the Hivites(GY) and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to Beersheba(GZ) in the Negev(HA) of Judah.

8 After they had gone through the entire land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

9 Joab reported the number of the fighting men to the king: In Israel there were eight hundred thousand able-bodied men who could handle a sword, and in Judah five hundred thousand.(HB)

10 David was conscience-stricken(HC) after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord, “I have sinned(HD) greatly in what I have done. Now, Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.(HE)”

11 Before David got up the next morning, the word of the Lord had come to Gad(HF) the prophet, David’s seer:(HG) 12 “Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’”

13 So Gad went to David and said to him, “Shall there come on you three[ae] years of famine(HH) in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you? Or three days of plague(HI) in your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”

14 David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy(HJ) is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”

15 So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died.(HK) 16 When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord relented(HL) concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the Lord(HM) was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

17 When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the Lord, “I have sinned; I, the shepherd,[af] have done wrong. These are but sheep.(HN) What have they done?(HO) Let your hand fall on me and my family.”(HP)

David Builds an Altar(HQ)

18 On that day Gad went to David and said to him, “Go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah(HR) the Jebusite.” 19 So David went up, as the Lord had commanded through Gad. 20 When Araunah looked and saw the king and his officials coming toward him, he went out and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.

21 Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?”

“To buy your threshing floor,” David answered, “so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped.”(HS)

22 Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take whatever he wishes and offer it up. Here are oxen(HT) for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. 23 Your Majesty, Araunah[ag] gives(HU) all this to the king.” Araunah also said to him, “May the Lord your God accept you.”

24 But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”(HV)

So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels[ah](HW) of silver for them. 25 David built an altar(HX) to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered his prayer(HY) in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 20:6 Or and do us serious injury
  2. 2 Samuel 20:14 See Septuagint and Vulgate; Hebrew Berites.
  3. 2 Samuel 20:24 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Kings 4:6 and 5:14); Hebrew Adoram
  4. 2 Samuel 20:26 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also 23:38) Ithrite
  5. 2 Samuel 21:8 Two Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also 1 Samuel 18:19); most Hebrew and Septuagint manuscripts Michal
  6. 2 Samuel 21:16 That is, about 7 1/2 pounds or about 3.5 kilograms
  7. 2 Samuel 21:19 See 1 Chron. 20:5; Hebrew Jaare-Oregim.
  8. 2 Samuel 21:19 See 1 Chron. 20:5; Hebrew does not have the brother of.
  9. 2 Samuel 22:3 Or sovereign
  10. 2 Samuel 22:3 Horn here symbolizes strength.
  11. 2 Samuel 22:8 Hebrew; Vulgate and Syriac (see also Psalm 18:7) mountains
  12. 2 Samuel 22:11 Many Hebrew manuscripts (see also Psalm 18:10); most Hebrew manuscripts appeared
  13. 2 Samuel 22:12 Septuagint (see also Psalm 18:11); Hebrew massed
  14. 2 Samuel 22:25 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate (see also Psalm 18:24) to the cleanness of my hands
  15. 2 Samuel 22:30 Or can run through a barricade
  16. 2 Samuel 22:33 Dead Sea Scrolls, some Septuagint manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Psalm 18:32); Masoretic Text who is my strong refuge
  17. 2 Samuel 22:36 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text shield; / you stoop down to make
  18. 2 Samuel 22:46 Some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate (see also Psalm 18:45); Masoretic Text they arm themselves
  19. 2 Samuel 23:8 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts suggest Ish-Bosheth, that is, Esh-Baal (see also 1 Chron. 11:11 Jashobeam).
  20. 2 Samuel 23:8 Probably a variant of Hakmonite (see 1 Chron. 11:11)
  21. 2 Samuel 23:8 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:11); Hebrew and other Septuagint manuscripts Three; it was Adino the Eznite who killed eight hundred men
  22. 2 Samuel 23:9 See 1 Chron. 11:13; Hebrew gathered there.
  23. 2 Samuel 23:18 Most Hebrew manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:20); two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Thirty
  24. 2 Samuel 23:27 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 21:18; 1 Chron. 11:29); Hebrew Mebunnai
  25. 2 Samuel 23:29 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate (see also 1 Chron. 11:30); most Hebrew manuscripts Heleb
  26. 2 Samuel 23:30 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:32) Hurai
  27. 2 Samuel 23:33 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:34); Hebrew does not have son of.
  28. 2 Samuel 23:33 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:35) Sakar
  29. 2 Samuel 23:36 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:38); Hebrew Haggadi
  30. 2 Samuel 24:2 Septuagint (see also verse 4 and 1 Chron. 21:2); Hebrew Joab the army commander
  31. 2 Samuel 24:13 Septuagint (see also 1 Chron. 21:12); Hebrew seven
  32. 2 Samuel 24:17 Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint; Masoretic Text does not have the shepherd.
  33. 2 Samuel 24:23 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts King Araunah
  34. 2 Samuel 24:24 That is, about 1 1/4 pounds or about 575 grams
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