1tn The Hebrew text adds “with fire.”

2tn Heb “and David and his men came to the city, and look, it was burned with fire.”

3tn Heb “people.”

4tn Heb “lifted up their voice and wept.”

5tn Heb “until there was no longer in them strength to weep.”

6tn Heb “people.”

7tn Heb “said to stone him.”

8tn Heb “for bitter was the soul of all the people, each one.”

9tn Heb “stood.” So also in v. 10.

10tn Heb “his spirit returned to him.”

11tn The Hebrew text adds “with fire.”

12tn Heb “him”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

13tn Heb “because of all the large plunder.”

14tn Heb “who rode on camels and fled.”

15tn Heb “David.” The pronoun (“he”) has been substituted for the proper name in the translation for stylistic reasons.

16tn Heb “there was nothing missing to them, from the small even unto the great, and unto sons and daughters, and from loot even unto all which they had taken for themselves.”

17tn Heb “David.” The pronoun (“him”) has been substituted for the proper name in the translation for stylistic reasons.

18tc Heb “with me.” The singular is used rather than the plural because the group is being treated as a singular entity, in keeping with Hebrew idiom. It is not necessary to read “with us,” rather than the MT “with me,” although the plural can be found here in a few medieval Hebrew mss. See also the LXX, Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate, although these versions may simply reflect an understanding of the idiom as found in the MT rather than a different textual reading.

19tc This clause is difficult in the MT. The present translation accepts the text as found in the MT and understands this clause to be elliptical, with an understood verb such as “look” or “consider.” On the other hand, the LXX seems to reflect a slightly different Hebrew text, reading “after” where the MT has “my brothers.” The Greek translation yields the following translation: “You should not do this after the Lord has delivered us.” Although the Greek reading should be taken seriously, it seems better to follow the MT here.

20tn Heb “a statute and a judgment.” The expression is a hendiadys.

21tn Heb “blessing.”

22tn This sentence is not in the Hebrew text. It is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.

23map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.