4tnHeb “and David sent to console him by the hand of his servants concerning his father.”
5tnHeb “Is David honoring your father in your eyes when he sends to you ones consoling?”
6tnHeb “Is it not to explore the city and to spy on it and to overthrow it [that] David has sent his servants to you?”
7tnHeb “and he cut their robes in the middle unto their buttocks.”
8tnHeb “they”; the referent (the messengers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
9tn The words“what had happened” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
10map For location see Map5-B2; Map6-E1; Map7-E1; Map8-E3; Map10-A2; Map11-A1.
11tnHeb “that they were a stench [i.e., disgusting] with David.”
12tnHeb “the Ammonites.”
13tn Or “Arameans of Beth Rehob and Arameans of Zobah.”
14tn Or perhaps “the men of Tob.” The ancient versions (the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate) understand the name to be “Ish-tob.” It is possible that “Ish” is dittographic and that we should read simply “Tob,” a reading adopted by a number of recent English versions.
15tn The words“the news” and“to meet them” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarification.
16tnHeb “and Joab saw that the face of the battle was to him before and behind and he chose from all the best in Israel and arranged to meet Aram.”
17tnHeb “people.”
18tnHeb “he arranged.”
19tnHeb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
20tnHeb “if Aram is stronger than me.”
21tnHeb “if the sons of Ammon are stronger than you.”
22tnHeb “and the Lord will do what is good in his eyes.”
23tnHeb “and the army which was with him.”
24tnHeb “and Joab returned from against the sons of Ammon and entered.”
25map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
26tnHeb “were gathered together.”
27tnHeb “and Hadadezer sent and brought out Aram which is.”
28tnHeb “from beyond the River.” The name “Euphrates” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
29tnHeb “was before them.”
30tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
31tnHeb “horsemen” (so KJV, NASB, NCV, NRSV, NLT) but the Lucianic recension of the LXX reads “foot soldiers,” as does the parallel text in 1 Chr 19:18. Cf. NAB, NIV.