2tn Heb “you were the one leading out and the one leading in Israel.”

3tn Heb “elders.”

4tn Heb “and the king, David, cut for them a covenant.”

5tn Heb “anointed.”

6map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

7map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

8tn The Hebrew text has “he” rather than “the Jebusites.” The referent has been specified in the translation for clarity. In the Syriac Peshitta and some mss of the Targum the verb is plural rather than singular.

9tc There is some confusion among the witnesses concerning this word. The Kethib is the Qal perfect 3cp שָׂנְאוּ (san˙’u, “they hated”), referring to the Jebusites’ attitude toward David. The Qere is the Qal passive participle construct plural שְׂנֻאֵי (s˙nu’e, “hated”), referring to David’s attitude toward the Jebusites. 4QSam^a has the Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular שָׂנְאָה (san˙’ah, “hated”), the subject of which would be “the soul of David.” The difference is minor and the translation adopted above works for either the Kethib or the Qere.

10tn The meaning of the Hebrew term has been debated. For a survey of various views, see P. K. McCarter, II Samuel (AB), 139-40.

sn If a water tunnel is in view here, it is probably the so-called Warren’s Shaft that extends up from Hezekiah’s tunnel. It would have provided a means for surprise attack against the occupants of the city of David. The LXX seems not to understand the reference here, translating “by the water shaft” as “with a small knife.”

11tn Heb “the house.” TEV takes this as a reference to the temple (“the Lord’s house”).

12tc 4QSam^a and the LXX lack the word “God,” probably due to harmonization with the more common biblical phrase “the Lord of hosts.”

13tn Traditionally, “the Lord God of hosts” (KJV, NASB); NIV, NLT “the Lord God Almighty”; CEV “the Lord (+ God NCV) All-Powerful.”

14tn The translation assumes that the disjunctive clause is circumstantial-causal, giving the reason for David’s success.

15map For location see Map1-A2; Map2-G2; Map4-A1; JP3-F3; JP4-F3.

16tn Heb “a house.”

17tn Heb “anointed.”

18tn Heb “all the Philistines.”

19tn The infinitive absolute lends emphasis to the following verb.

20tn The name means “Lord of the outbursts.”

21tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Philistines) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

22tc For “idols” the LXX and Vulgate have “gods.”

23tn The words “what to do” are not in the Hebrew text.

24tn The words “this time” are not in the Hebrew text.

25tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

26tn Some translate as “balsam trees” (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV, NJB, NLT); cf. KJV, NKJV, ASV “mulberry trees”; NAB “mastic trees”; NEB, REB “aspens.” The exact identification of the type of tree or plant is uncertain.

27tn Heb “camp” (so NAB).

28tn Heb “from Gibeon until you enter Gezer.”