You know that …: this information has been placed at the end of the verse in Good News Translation. Others may prefer to keep this at the beginning of the verse but make the meaning clearer by saying something like “You know what kind of person Abner is!”

The son of Ner: the Septuagint and a manuscript from Qumran omit these words, but Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives a {B} evaluation to the Masoretic Text. For translation purposes, however, see the comments on verse 23 above.

Your going out and your coming in: in Hebrew the expression “go out and come in” usually signifies military action, that is, military maneuvers (so Josh 14.11; Psa 121.8; 1 Sam 18.13, 16; 29.6). The rendering “your movements” (Moffatt, Revised English Bible, New International Version, and Anderson) reflect this military context. The Contemporary English Version translation “He wants to find out how strong your army is” maintains the military context, but misses the point that the Hebrew refers to planned movement of David’s troops. It is possible, but less likely, that the reference is to the general daily activity of David.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Although it is not stated in the text, Joab probably made up some story about David wanting Abner to return to Hebron. It is unlikely that he would have gone back simply because Joab asked him to do so.

The cistern of Sirah: this is apparently the place where the messengers caught up with Abner. According to the ancient Jewish historian Josephus, it was located about four kilometers (or two and a half miles) north of Hebron. Others identify it with a place to the northwest but a little closer to Hebron. Cisterns of various sizes and shapes were dug out of natural rock to store water from the winter rains for the dry season (May through September). They were often lined with lime plaster to make them watertight. The word translated cistern here is not the same as the one rendered pool in 2.13.

Some scholars, however, feel that this was an oasis rather than a “cistern” or a “well.” In some languages the best translation may be “a place of water called Sirah.” It is not known for sure whether Sirah was the name of a person or of some geographic feature. This name is not found elsewhere in the Old Testament.

But David did not know about it: once again the writer seems to be emphasizing David’s innocence in the coming death of Abner.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Took him aside into the midst of the gate: the word midst is misleading although it is based on the Hebrew text. Many scholars feel that the Hebrew text available today does not represent what the original author wrote. Some manuscript evidence points to the possibility that the original word meant “the side” rather than “the middle,” although the reading “the side” is rejected by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project and Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament. The layout of a typical city gate in biblical times is totally foreign to most readers today. It was, in fact, a whole building, and, in addition to the opening in the wall that permitted people to enter and leave the city, there were on either side (and sometimes above the gate) small rooms where various activities took place. Joab probably took Abner into one of these secluded places where their movements would not be noticed by the crowds of people around the gate area. In view of the textual variant, many versions say something like “took him aside,” but the meaning is made clearer in Contemporary English Version, “took Abner into one of the small rooms that were part of the town gate.”

Smote: this word is not a part of current English vocabulary. New Revised Standard Version has revised it to give the meaning in the common language of today, “stabbed.” That Joab stabbed Abner in the belly recalls the way in which Abner had earlier killed Joab’s brother (see 2.23).

For the blood of Asahel: in such a context as this the blood of a person is a way of talking about his or her death. It will be better in most cases to say more precisely “because of the death of Asahel.”

His brother: the translation should leave no doubt as to whose brother Asahel was. Since the wording of Revised Standard Version is ambiguous, Good News Translation has specified “Joab’s brother.” Some old Greek manuscripts, in fact, have the name, Joab, instead of the pronoun here.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Afterward: this represents only the ordinary Hebrew conjunction often rendered “and” and frequently left untranslated. Translators should not feel compelled to introduce a strong transition word here based on Revised Standard Version. However, the context does seem to indicate the passage of a certain amount of time.

My kingdom: this does not refer to territory but rather to the people over whom David ruled. This should be made clear in translation. And in some languages it will be more natural to say “my people and I” rather than to follow the order of the Hebrew text.

For ever guiltless: the words translated for ever render a temporal expression meaning “for all time.” This has been understood in the sense of “completely” by Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version. Such a translation may shift the focus slightly away from the aspect of time, but it does seem to capture the meaning that David was absolutely innocent. The idea of “innocence” or of being guiltless may be expressed in some languages by reordering the sentence and using a negative expression to say something like “are not responsible for.”

Before the LORD: this is a way of stating the Yahweh is witness to the fact. Good News Translation expresses it as “The LORD knows.” Some translations may do this by beginning David’s statement with words like “I promise in the presence of the LORD” or “the LORD is my witness” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).

The blood of Abner: this refers to the death of Abner, just as in the previous verse the word blood refers to the death of Asahel.

The son of Ner: see the comments on verse 23 above.

The end of this verse and the beginning of verse 29 read as follows in the Septuagint and in a manuscript from Qumran: “I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever. May the blood of Abner the son of Ner fall upon the head of Joab….” Although there is a difference in syntax between this reading and that in the Masoretic Text, the meaning is the same, except that the Septuagint does not state directly what David claims to be guiltless of. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text, claiming that the variant reading is the result of a scribe’s error in copying.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

May it fall: technically the pronoun it in Revised Standard Version refers back to the blood of Abner. The Hebrew is literally “May they [the bloods] fall.” As in Josh 2.19 the expression “his blood shall be on his head” is a way of saying “he is responsible for his own death” (see also 2 Sam 1.16). Here David is saying that it was Joab who was responsible for Abner’s death, and that it is therefore Joab who should be punished.

The head of Joab: the head represents Joab himself. In view of the special expression just discussed, the idiom should be translated as a whole, and it will be unnecessary in most cases to retain the word head in translation.

All his father’s house … the house of Joab: as previously (1.12; 2.4; 3.1), the word house stands for the families of the persons mentioned. Here David pronounces what amounts to a curse on the members of Joab’s family. He lists five different kinds of misery that often occurred in the ancient world, and he wishes them on the family and descendants of Joab.

Never be without: some languages will use the negative of the verb “lack” at this point. However, this can be stated positively as “always be with” or “always have,” depending on the particular structure of the receptor language rendering.

Discharge: this physical infirmity is treated in detail in Lev 15. The Hebrew word rendered one who has a discharge has the same root as the verb translated “flowing” in Exo 3.8, 17; 13.5; 33.3. This usually refers to the abnormal flow of fluid from the male sexual organ as a result of some kind of sickness. Good News Translation therefore makes it specifically “gonorrhea,” while Revised English Bible speaks here more generally of “a running sore.” Such a discharge made a man ritually unclean (see Lev 15.2-15).

Leprous: the disease usually translated as “leprosy” is frequently mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments (see especially Lev 13–14, where the laws concerning this disease are given). While most versions translate this word as leprous, they usually provide footnotes or glossary entries explaining that leprosy in the Bible is not the same as what we call by that name today. It referred rather to a group of skin disorders that cannot be positively identified today. For this reason Good News Translation speaks of a “dreaded skin disease.”

The important point concerning both the discharge and the “dreaded skin disease” is that these diseases made one ritually unclean. David is not simply wishing any illnesses on Joab’s descendants. Rather these are illnesses that affect one’s standing in the religious community. Translators may wish to follow Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente in making this information explicit: “May there always be someone in the family of Joab struck by sicknesses that make one ritually unclean.”

Who holds a spindle: since the word translated spindle usually refers to the instrument used by women to spin thread (see Pro 31.19), most versions have taken this to mean that David was wishing that there would always be “one unmanly” (New American Bible) or “some effeminate creature” (Moffatt) among the descendants of Joab. Contemporary English Version says “May they all be cowards.” Some interpreters understand the Hebrew to mean that some men would be eunuchs, and this interpretation is reflected in the Nueva Biblia Española rendering “castrated.” Compare Good News Translation “fit only to do a woman’s work,” and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente “forced to do women’s work.”

Several versions, however, including the Septuagint, take the word to refer to a stick used to help a lame person walk, and therefore translate “who must lean on a crutch” (New Century Version), “who leans on a crutch” (New International Version), and “clings to a crutch” (Anchor Bible).

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

So: the common conjunction which Revised Standard Version translates in this way seems to introduce a kind of summary statement of what has already been said. The statement clearly provides the reason for Abner’s death and reminds the reader of the death of Asahel at the battle of Gibeon. An American Translation uses the conjunction “but” as if to introduce a sort of justification for the action of Joab and Abishai. Moffatt and New American Bible put the whole verse in brackets as a later scribal addition. Others make it a parenthetical explanation of the fact that the two men had been waiting for an opportunity to perform this deed.

Slew: this rather archaic English verb has been replaced in New Revised Standard Version by “murdered,” which is much more common and easily understood.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

They: since this pronoun does not refer to anyone in particular, Good News Translation has used a passive construction. In some languages it may be necessary to say something like “Some of David’s men….”

In some languages it will be both clearer and more natural to give the name of the king in this context. Some will say “King David,” while others may prefer simply the name “David.”

Lifted up his voice and wept: the two verbs used together in similar contexts elsewhere have been translated “wept aloud” (1 Sam 11.4) and “raised a loud cry” (Num 14.1). The same sort of expression is also found in Gen 21.16; 27.38; and Ruth 1.9, 14.

Grave: the corresponding Hebrew word is often translated “burying place” (Gen 23.4, 9, 20), and this may be the best translation for many languages in this context. It may also be possible to use a word like “tomb,” as Traduction œcuménique de la Bible and Revised English Bible have done.

All the people wept: that is, all the other people wept, or it may be better in some cases to say “all of his [David’s] men wept.” Both Moffatt and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh make it clear that the people involved were David’s soldiers: “all the troops wept.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Lamented: see 1.17.

Should Abner die as a fool dies? The uncertainty about the word translated fool is indicated by the variety of ways in which it has been rendered in modern versions: “an outcast” (Anchor Bible); “a brute” (New Jerusalem Bible); “a churl” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh); “the lawless” (New International Version). Revised English Bible changes the structure of the question: “Must Abner die so base a death?” (Revised English Bible). Basically this noun is used to refer to a person who has committed some kind of disgrace (as in 13.13; see also 1 Sam 25.25, where Abigail’s husband, Nabal, is called a “fool”) or has violated God’s law and has thus lost his proper place in society. Since Abner was already dead when David sang his lament, the verb form used in translation should probably reflect this fact. Some languages may have to separate the statement of fact (“Abner died like a villain”) and the question in David’s mind: “Was that just?” or “Why did that have to happen?”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .