Who Am I? Part 5

Posted on March 31, 2017 by admin

During my Christmas holiday Grandmother described her simple faith to me: Jesus died to save us from the god of the Old Testament. She didn’t want me or any preacher or any church or the Bible to confuse her simple faith in her simple gospel. It was an eerie inversion of Paul’s admonition to the Galatians: if any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let him be condemned to hell (ἀνάθεμα)!^[1] I reaffirmed my belief that y^ehôvâh/Jesus (John 8:56-59 NET) died and rose again from the dead to save us from sin (1 John 2:1, 2 NET).

Daughter asked me to pray for the fruit of the Spirit for her as she dealt with Mother. I reaffirmed that the fruit of the Spirit was not detachable from the Holy Spirit who is given (John 7:37-39 NET) to those who believe that Jesus is the Christ [Messiah] who has come in the flesh (Matthew 16:15-17 NET). I also told her that the Old Testament never actually questioned the existence of the two goddesses and one god she had chosen to worship instead of Jesus (y^ehôvâh come to earth in human flesh) but referred to them as demons (Deuteronomy 32:16-18 NET) y^ehôvâh opposed. I assured her I would pray that she would turn to Jesus, receive his Holy Spirit and bear the fruit of his Spirit. As I remember she had an ugly encounter with Mother.

Mother lost her job recently. Ever the optimist she consoled herself with the idea that it would be easier to file for bankruptcy. During my business trip as I read Luther’s “Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians” she texted a question: is pedophilia mentioned in the Bible? I texted back that I was working everyday but wanted to give her question the attention it deserved: “I don’t know exactly what your question is,” I wrote, “but mine is why? Why was an eight-year-old girl sexually assaulted by her father, not just any eight-year-old girl, but you. If it’s okay with you I’ll share my thoughts as they come.”

She texted back: a green heart emoji.

As I studied the law I was reminded of my wife’s words when she wanted a divorce: “I don’t like your [masochistic] sexuality, and when I do I don’t like myself.” I used it as a kind of preface to my remarks to Mother: “It wasn’t malicious, but somewhere I strayed from a desire to love her into a selfish desire to use her to satisfy my own sexual desires. So human (male) selfishness is probably as good an answer to why as any. It doesn’t answer the larger question of why did God allow me, or your father, to carry out those selfish desires, but it’s a start.”

Then I continued with a brief survey of the law: The concept pedophilia doesn’t appear as a class of sins. Skeptics take that to mean that God approves or, more likely, doesn’t exist. I assume that laws were meant to prohibit sins practiced at the time the laws were given, though I find it somewhat difficult to believe that pedophilia never came up. “God’s attitude revealed in the law is that…a man is married to the woman he has sex with – period. This is even true in the case of rape (Deuteronomy 22:28, 29).”

“Women take offense at this because they see it as forcing them to marry their rapists. (Actually a woman’s father could refuse the marriage—Exodus 22:16, 17—and I think he would make that determination according to his daughter’s heart.) Remember the point of Scripture: For if a law had been given that was able to give life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law (Galatians 3:21b NET). Law gives us knowledge of sin, prohibits and punishes sin and, if possible, inhibits sin. Men rape women. Being married to one’s victim defeats every advantage of rape and might inject a moment’s pause into all but the most heinous acts.”

I quoted Leviticus 18:22 [Table] to cover male on male pedophilia, and men are not “to approach any close relative to have sexual intercourse with her” (Leviticus 18:6 NET Table), especially not a woman and her daughter (Leviticus 18:17 Table). I found no age of consent in the law but quoted y^ehôvâh’s allegory from Ezekiel 16. He raised the people of Jerusalem like an abandoned baby, first as a daughter and “later” as his bride. “Later” was sometime after, Your breasts had formed and your [pubic?] hair had grown (Ezekiel 16:7b NIV). “I assume,” I texted, “that this reflected the ideal of captured female children. Sinful men probably did not live up to this ideal in all cases. So, yes, unequivocally, your father’s actions are sin in God’s eyes.”

Then I got really personal: “Why you? I have some thoughts developing, none of which have anything to do with some defect in you that makes you deserving of such treatment.” (I knew she had gotten some advice like that from a Christian psychologist.) “Give yourself a break. You got a skewed view of life at a very young age.” I promised to continue studying and to share what I discovered.

She was taken aback that I had compared myself to her father. She informed me then that she was getting involved in bringing awareness to the issue of pedophilia and simply wanted some biblical info. She thanked me and wrote that there was no need for any further information. Then I regretted using the word molested for the way I had treated my wife. The only coercion my wife had felt was the compulsion of spouses not to deprive each other. I hadn’t intended to minimize what Mother had suffered as a child, but had recalled my own understanding of masochism (fig. 3) and realized I had become a sadist by my own definition.

fig. 3

As I read her text again something else caught my ear: “I am not sure where that came from but it was not from me.” Mother thought she had triggered some painful memory in me, or that I was accusing her of doing so. “No, you didn’t do anything to cause me to recall these things,” I texted back. “When I think about the law I can’t help but think about where I have fallen short as well. Your Dad and I are different in degree perhaps but as I thought about cause, selfishness seemed readily apparent.”

By the time Mother sought retributive justice^[2] against her father she was a rebellious, promiscuous teen girl; he was an adult male, retired police officer and Sunday school teacher. He and his defenders all but convinced her she had imagined the whole thing. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network quoted a 2005 CDC study, Adverse Childhood Experiences Study: Data and Statistics: “as many as 1 out of 4 girls and 1 out of 6 boys will experience some form of sexual abuse before the age of 18.”^[3] Is it any wonder Mother thinks she might fare better in this world with a more feminine deity?

In “Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians” Luther/Graebner wrote: “The Law reveals guilt, fills the conscience with terror, and drives men to despair.” I was once alive apart from the law, Paul wrote believers in Rome, but with the coming of the commandment sin became alive and I died.^[4] He wrote this after affirming that the law is lord (κυριεύει, a form of κυριεύω) over a person as long as he lives.^[5] I think Paul meant that he could live and feel fairly good about himself if the law was not foremost in his consciousness but when it became foremost again sin became alive and I died. So I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life brought death!^[6]

Tempting as it is to speculate how a retired-police-officer-turned-Sunday-school-teacher responded to law when his teenage daughter attempted to prosecute him, I’ll stick to something I know—my own reactions while perusing the law to the memory of abusing my wife. I didn’t feel guilt, terror or despair. Jesus died and rose again from the dead to save me from my sins. I have confessed my sin, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.^[7] I’ve apologized to my ex-wife. Now I feel nothing more or less about it than as a fact.

In the past five years I’ve blogged over a thousand pages about the religious mind. Luther/Graebner dealt with it in one paragraph^[8]:

Those who do not know God in Christ arrive at this erroneous conclusion: “I will serve God in such and such a way. I will join this or that order. I will be active in this or that charitable endeavor. God will sanction my good intentions and reward me with everlasting life. For is He not a merciful and generous Father who gives good things even to the unworthy and ungrateful? How much more will He grant unto me everlasting life as a due payment in return for my many good deeds and merits.” This is the religion of reason. This is the natural religion of the world…There may be a difference of persons, places, rites, religions, ceremonies, but as far as their fundamental beliefs are concerned they are all alike.

In my own defense I’m not trying to base my insights into the religious mind on my own authority or Martin Luther’s or Theodore Graebner’s. Mine is an “attempt to distinguish the mind of Christ from the ordinary religious mind” using “the sharpness and precision of Scripture.”

Historian Yuval Harari described how the religious mind has helped human beings find meaning in their lives^[9]:

You can think about religion simply as a virtual reality game. You invent rules that don’t really exist, but you believe these rules, and for your entire life you try to follow the rules. If you’re Christian, then if you do this, you get points. If you sin, you lose points. If by the time you finish the game when you’re dead, you gained enough points, you get up to the next level. You go to heaven.

People have been playing this virtual reality game for thousands of years, and it made them relatively content and happy with their lives.

Mr. Harari went on to predict the eventual triumph of the religious mind: “In the 21st century, we’ll just have the technology to create far more persuasive virtual reality games than the ones we’ve been playing for the past thousands of years. We’ll have the technology to actually create heavens and hells, not in our minds but using bits and using direct brain-computer interfaces.” But these computer simulations will never grant a continuous infusion of Jesus’ love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and control, the righteousness that fulfills the law, to any player of any virtual reality game.

Again, I’m tempted to speculate whether a retired police officer became a Sunday school teacher to “get points,” hoping “God will sanction [his] good intentions and reward [him] with everlasting life…as a due payment in return for [his] many good deeds and merits.” But I only know that he has never granted his daughter the dignity of acknowledging that she was sexually abused by him. And I’m reminded of Jesus’ distinction between those who have been born from above and those who have not (John 3:19b-21 NET):

…light (e.g., Jesus Himself, God’s one and only Son, John 3:16-18 NET) has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil (πονηρὰ, a form of πονηρός). For everyone who does evil deeds (φαῦλα, a form of φαῦλος) hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed. But the one who practices the truth comes to the light, so that it may be plainly evident that his deeds have been done in God.

Without a confession everything I’ve written about Mother’s father would be hearsay in a court of law and potentially libelous. Apart from God’s direct intervention (Joshua 7:10-22) law is so weakened by the sinful flesh of human beings (Romans 8:3, 4) it can’t even provide retributive justice for the weakest among us.

Mother attended a rally in Washington, DC recently encouraging lawmakers and law enforcement officials to investigate what is now being called pedogate. I heard the tale of a presidential candidate’s involvement with child sex cults last fall and dismissed it the same day as electioneering. (In the U.S. citizens are asked to distinguish and vote for the lesser of two evils.) Though Mother’s belief in this conspiracy theory surprised me at first, I realize she is one of the 1 in 4 women for whom the unthinkable is also the actual. As I began to look into the tale myself I found only a story^[10] so far, a potboiler of a political thriller but a story all the same. I hope it’s not a true story. If true it is πορνεία,^[11] perpetrated against enslaved children, practiced on a scale inconceivable since Israel’s army entered Canaan.

If I begin to believe this story my persistent prayer for justice may need to change.

Who Am I? Part 6

Back to My Reasons and My Reason, Part 8

Back to Romans, Part 89

^[1] Galatians 1:9b (NET)

^[2] An interesting article by Samantha Schmidt in the Washington Post online highlighted news coverage of an “accomplished, international human rights lawyer” seeking retributive justice for “victims of Islamic State rapes and kidnappings.” The lawyer happened to be female. The news coverage focused on her yellow dress, her baby bump and her famous husband rather than her message. Though Ms. Schmidt’s article does an admirable job of presenting the female lawyer’s accomplishments, her message—retributive justice for “victims of Islamic State rapes and kidnappings”—still gets short shrift and left me to wonder if I would ever have heard about it at all if the accomplished female attorney was anyone other than Amal Clooney, the beautiful wife of George Clooney. Nine days later under the headline “Former ISIS sex slave demands justice for Yazidis” CNN found a way to tell more of the story.

^[3] Child Sexual Abuse Fact Sheet, under the heading “Child Sexual Abuse Myths and Facts.” A CDC site Veto Violence listed child sexual abuse (male and female) as 21% as of March 31, 2017.

^[4] Romans 7:9, 10a (NET)

^[5] Romans 7:1b (NET)

^[6] Romans 7:9b, 10 (NET)

^[7] 1 John 1:9 (NET)

^[8] Commentary on Galatians 4:8, 9

^[9] Yuval Harari on why humans won’t dominate Earth in 300 years

^[10] Here are two other sources for the story: https://steemit.com/pizzagate/@son-of-satire/the-debunking-of-the-new-york-times-debunking-of-pizzagate; http://stateofthenation2012.com/?p=60679

^[11] The development of my own understanding of the meaning of πορνεία in the New Testament can be traced in the following essays: Immorality; Adultery and X; Adultery in the Law, Part 1; Adultery in the Law, Part 2; Adultery in the Law, Part 3; Adultery in the Prophets, Part 1; Adultery in the Prophets, Part 2; Adultery in the Prophets, Part 3

Who Am I? Part 4

Posted on December 29, 2016 by admin

I spend a large portion of my Christmas holiday with three post-Christian women I’ll call Grandmother, Mother and Daughter because of their relationship to one another. I call them post-Christian because they were all professing Christians at one time. Grandmother still calls herself a Christian. She means a non-Buddhist, non-Hindu, non-Jew, non-Muslim who believes in Jesus. Her ex-husband was a Baptist Sunday school teacher who abused her, and Mother as a child. Daughter is the most non-Christian, vocally pagan of the three with Mother falling somewhere between. Their transformation began with a desire for a more feminine God. I regret now not taking Mother’s question more seriously. I didn’t understand at the time that this desire would lead through Mother Earth to a Mother Goddess and on to full-fledged paganism.

I pointed out that y^ehôvâh (יהוה) created male and female: God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהים) created humankind in his own image, in the image of God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהים) he created them, male and female he created them.^[1] I talked about the meaning of El Shaddai (ʼêl, אל; shadday, שדי) and a few other references to God as feminine. But I emphasized that the general understanding of God as masculine was due primarily to the fact that we are all feminine in relation to the operation of his grace through Jesus Christ.

I am accepted among them as the kindly, odd, somewhat benighted, old man who studies the Bible in his spare time, so ordinary conversation—what’ve you been up to?—offers many opportunities. A recent conversation with Grandmother and Daughter turned naturally to Jesus’ dying thoughts on the cross. I read Psalm 22 aloud. Daughter was visibly, tearfully moved and vocally overwhelmed that David could write such exact knowledge so many centuries before Jesus was born.

I spoke of God having mercy on whoever he chooses to have mercy and hardening whoever he chooses to harden. I said I had been considering how, and told them the story of two prophets, Nathan and John the Baptist. When Pharisees and Sadduccees, religious leaders, came to be baptized for repentance (Matthew 3:11, 12; Mark 1:4-8; Luke 3:15-17) John said, You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?^[2] And he challenged them to put their works religion to the test: Therefore produce fruit that proves your repentance…^[3]

What I didn’t say but will record here for my own memory’s sake, whether these particular Pharisees and Sadduccees were directly responsible or not, John’s words were not secret and would have tended to harden the resolve of the religious elite to kill Jesus: the Lord (y^ehôvâh, ויהוה) desired to crush him (e.g., Jesus). On the other hand y^ehôvâh desired David’s repentance and sent Nathan to that effect.

He was sent after King David had committed adultery with Bathsheba and then had her husband killed to cover it up. Nathan told David a story (2 Samuel 12:1-6) about a rich man who had entertained a traveler with a meal. The rich man hadn’t served up any of his own sheep or cattle, but the one ewe lamb he took from a poor man. Then David became very angry at this man.^[4] You are that man!^[5] Nathan said to him.

“Did he kill him?” Daughter asked. I was actually surprised that she had forgotten the story.

No, I answered, I have sinned against the Lord!^[6] David said and then he wrote the 51^st Psalm. I got to read Psalm 51 aloud to them. When I finished Grandmother responded to a look on Daughter’s face at the line—Look, I was guilty of sin from birth, a sinner the moment my mother conceived me.^[7]

“I don’t believe that either,” Grandmother said.

This is a point to concede by the way. If it offends or hurts your feelings, welcome to the human race. Being guilty of sin from birth, a sinner the moment my mother conceived me is equivalent to being born of the flesh of Adam (Romans 5:12-21; 1 Corinthians 15:42-58). You do not want a relentless God who will pursue you with goodness and mercy all the days of your life to spend that time convincing you the hard way that you are a sinner instead (John 16:7-11).

Goodness and mercy, by the way is the NKJV translation of Psalm 23:6a. In the NET it was translated goodness and faithfulness (chêsêd , וחסד).

chêsêd	Hebrew	KJV	NET	Tanakh	Septuagint
Psalm 23:6a	וחסד	mercy	faithfulness	mercy	ἔλεός^[8]

Daughter informed me that my religion has a lot of guilt in it as she praised me for my adherence to it, and insisted that we, she and her pagan friends, desperately need a canon (i.e., of written scripture).

On Yule I learned that Mother had been taking drugs. I wasn’t personally that aware of the winter solstice. Daughter and Mother wished one another happy Yule in the car as I drove them to rehab. It’s probably the only reason I knew anything at all.

I hadn’t known the night before that Mother had informed Daughter she was abusing drugs. Daughter called me the next morning when Mother hesitated to actually commit herself to rehab. In the car on the way Daughter was jubilant and excited that Mother was doing the right thing. Yes, rehab is better than sitting home alone shooting dope, but I was much more somber and subdued.

At her home I had sat with her, held her and listened to her enough to convince myself that Mother had no interest in repentance. Daughter was right. My presence alone persuaded Mother to shower, dress and leave with us for the rehab facility. But in the car I felt like I was delivering her up for more hardening. In my admittedly limited experience I know no one who has returned to faith in Christ from the higher power mysticism of a twelve-step program. I watched sadly the full realization of incarceration creep across her face as she was taken from us. No matter what I say or how much I protest, Mother and Daughter believe I live a life of rules, while they are free.

I gave them My statutes, y^ehôvâh explained in the philosopher’s dream chapter of Ezekiel the prophet, and informed them of My ordinances, by which, if a man observes them, he will live.^[9] I call it the philosopher’s dream chapter because y^ehôvâh explained so much of his own understanding of Israel’s history there. Then the twelve-year-old Jesus had this chapter at his disposal to renew and refresh his now human mind.

The Hebrew word translated My statutes was chûqqâh (חקותי). It was translated προστάγματά in the Septuagint. The Hebrew word translated My ordinances was mishpâṭ (משפטי), and δικαιώματά, a form of δικαίωμα, in the Septuagint. This was translated the righteous requirements in: Therefore if the uncircumcised man obeys the righteous requirements (δικαιώματα, a form of δικαίωμα) of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?^[10]

In the same chapter y^ehôvâh explained: I also gave them statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live.^[11] Here the Hebrew word translated statutes was chôq (חקים); chûqqâh is the feminine of chôq according to Strong’s Concordance. It was still translated προστάγματα in the Septuagint. And again, the word translated ordinances was mishpâṭ (ומשפטים) in Hebrew and δικαιώματα in the Septuagint. I don’t think these are different statutes or different ordinances.

The commandment…was intended to bring life.^[12] The law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good.^[13] But if a law had been given that was able to give life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.^[14] God achieved what the law could not do because it was weakened through the flesh.^[15] For sin, seizing the opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it I died.^[16] For we know that the law is spiritual – but I am unspiritual, sold into slavery to sin. For I don’t understand what I am doing. For I do not do what I want – instead, I do what I hate.^[17]

Also I gave them My Sabbaths, y^ehôvâh said in the philosopher’s dream chapter, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord (y^ehôvâh, יהוה) who sanctifies them.^[18]

In practice many professing faith in Jesus do not believe that y^ehôvâh/Jesus sanctifies^[19] them. We trust Him for justification only, primarily forgiveness. We believe our sanctification is a measure of our own good works, obedience accomplished in our own strength for our own glory. We do not believe that here and now a Sabbath rest remains for the people of God. For the one who enters God’s rest has also rested from his works, just as God did from his own works.^[20] I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.^[21] Thus we must make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by following the same pattern of disobedience^[22] (ἀπειθείας, a form of ἀπείθεια; literally, disbelief) Do we then nullify the law through faith? Absolutely not! Instead we uphold the law.^[23]

I want to consider the movie The Host as a Holy Spirit metaphor for one who does not yet experience Him. There are many spoilers here and as a metaphor the film is fatally flawed. But in the hope of communicating some small portion of the Ineffable, here goes.

“The earth is at peace,” a resistance leader named Jebediah (William Hurt) narrates the beginning of the film. “There is no hunger. There is no violence. The environment is healed. Honesty, courtesy and kindness are practiced by all. Our world has never been more perfect. Only it is no longer our world. We’ve been invaded by an alien race. They occupy the bodies of almost all human beings on the planet. The few humans who have survived are on the run.”

Then we are introduced to Melanie (Saoirse Ronan) fleeing her enemies: honesty, courtesy and kindness. Following her earthly father’s example, she attempts suicide but lives, despite her best efforts, only to be possessed by Wanderer (also Saoirse Ronan). Melanie’s old human survives to fight Wanderer for control of their body.

The Seeker (Diane Kruger) interviews Wanderer to glean Melanie’s memories for knowledge of other old humans in the resistance underground. When she decides that Melanie’s old human is too strong for Wanderer, she plans to put Wanderer in a more compliant host, search Melanie’s memories herself and then let Melanie die the death she wanted. But Wanderer has begun to love Melanie. They flee The Seeker together.

Melanie tricks Wanderer into the desert and leads her to Uncle Jebediah and the underground resistance. Uncle Jeb uses all of his authority as a leader to keep others in the resistance from killing the obviously possessed Melanie/Wanderer. Even Melanie’s lover Jared (Max Irons) has no sympathy for her at first. In a get-to-know-you walk-and-talk Uncle Jeb shortens Wanderer’s name to Wanda.

Melanie begins to love Wanda as she witnesses Wanda’s concern for the people Melanie loves, even some she hates or is indifferent toward. The metaphor breaks down, of course. The holy spirits, called souls in the film, are many and varied, and some or not as holy as Wanda. The Seeker ironically becomes almost human in her fears that she personally is losing control to her host Lacey (also Diane Kruger) and that the holy spirits may ultimately lose their possession of the humans. In the end The Host becomes Satan’s wet dream as The Seeker’s fears become flesh: holy spirits collaborate with the resistance to rid humans of the holy spirits.

Mother is on the verge of bankruptcy. I helped her in a similar position nearly twenty years ago. She called me before I left for Christmas. I offered to help again. She accepted. As I drove the hundred miles or so to my own mother’s house the evening after Mother committed herself to rehab I understood why we hadn’t met to review her finances yet. I recalled the things I’ve said and done with Grandmother, Mother and Daughter, fretted over some things I hadn’t said or done and heard Darth Vader echoing in my head, saying, “Now his failure is complete.”

As far as I know I am the believer of record in their lives. I will give an account of this stewardship before Jesus. As the enormity of my failure to live a life that commends others to Jesus inundated me in crushing waves, the image of my mother scrubbing the basement floor on her hands and knees popped into my mind. Of all the things she had said or done, of all the things I might have complained that she hadn’t said or done, this simple image stuck with me.

I had overdosed on some hallucinogen. I had thrown up all night long on her basement floor. My mother cleaning up after me became a living metaphor of my life. I had returned to drugs because a simple taste a few days earlier brought back the feeling I had lost since my early days of trusting Jesus again. I made many more bad decisions along the way. But my mother never gave up on me.

As I drove through the dark hills thinking perhaps I had been spared from helping Mother again financially, the admonition of my penny-pinching father came to mind:

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

The words weren’t his but Rudyard Kipling’s.^[24] A man like me would be a fool to attempt Kipling’s vision of manhood apart from the Holy Spirit. But the image of my mother’s loving persistence and my father’s words of counsel gave me some hope that I was there, the right person at the right place and time. And that image and those words carried me through that dark night until the continuous infusion of the Holy Spirit’s love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and control took over again the next morning.

Who Am I? Part 5

Back to Romans, Part 85

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 5

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 11

Back to Atonement, Part 5

Back to Who Am I? Part 12

Back to Matthew 8:23-34

^[1] Genesis 1:27 (NET)

^[2] Matthew 3:7 (NET)

^[3] Matthew 3:8 (NET)

^[4] 2 Samuel 12:5a (NET) Table

^[5] 2 Samuel 12:7a (NET) Table

^[6] 2 Samuel 12:13a (NET) Table

^[7] Psalm 51:5 (NET) Table

^[8] In the Septuagint both chêsêd (וחסד) and ṭôb (טוב) were translated by the one Greek word ἔλεός.

^[9] Ezekiel 20:11 (NASB)

^[10] Romans 2:26 (NET) Table

^[11] Ezekiel 20:25 (NASB)

^[12] Romans 7:10 (NET)

^[13] Romans 7:12 (NET)

^[14] Galatians 3:21b (NET)

^[15] Romans 8:3a (NET)

^[16] Romans 7:11 (NET)

^[17] Romans 7:14, 15 (NET)

^[18] Ezekiel 20:12 (NASB)

^[19] When I struggled the most with this concept my Pastor was from the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Today, as I scanned their webpage titled “Sanctification,” nothing jumps out at me as problematic except my own spiritual tic. My flesh and my religious mind hear obedience in step 3 “to A Spirit-Filled Life”—“We maintain a continuous relationship with Jesus through obedience to His Word”—as a trigger word, calling me back to a DIY works religion. But now I just translate obedience back into Greek, ὑπακοή, attentive hearkening, and the trigger obey disappears. I remain (μείνατε, a form of μένω) in Jesus through faith instead (which is the actual word used in John 15:1-11 the Scriptural source of step 3).

[Addendum 1/26/2017] I’m not so sure Paul would agree that 1 Corinthians 3:1-4 “clearly teaches that there are two kinds of Christians.”

^[20] Hebrews 4:9, 10 (NET)

^[21] Galatians 2:20 (NET)

^[22] Hebrews 4:11 (NET)

^[23] Romans 3:31 (NET)

^[24] If, by Rudyard Kipling

David’s Forgiveness, Part 13

Posted on September 27, 2012 by admin

The fulfillment of Nathan’s prophesy—This is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to bring disaster on you from inside your own household! Right before your eyes I will take your wives and hand them over to your companion. He will have sexual relations with your wives in broad daylight!¹—was dependent on David’s love and mercy for his sons, particularly Absalom. The fulfillment of this promise then was dependent on David’s righteousness in a word, on his being a man after God’s own heart. And I use the word dependent advisedly. I don’t mean that God would have been unable to fulfill his promise if David, by punishing Amnon or executing Absalom, for instance, had actively attempted to thwart Him. I mean simply that the Scripture presents me with a fact, David through love and mercy aided and abetted God in bringing disaster on himself.

And I am more convinced than ever that this particular concatenation of events cannot be construed as punishment for sin so much as the personal consequence of forgiveness. God knew David would behave this way. And, frankly, punishment for sin is more straightforward, less convoluted. When David inquired of the Lord about a three year famine, the answer was simple, It is because of Saul and his bloodstained family, because he murdered the Gibeonites.²

Exactly when Saul murdered the Gibeonites is not obvious, unless they were among the victims killed at Nob by Doeg the Edomite.³ Joshua swore an oath to [the Gibeonites] in the name of the Lord God of Israel,⁴ and God honored that oath, one of mercy and compassion,⁵ centuries later. David asked the Gibeonites, What can I do for you, and how can I make amends so that you will bless the Lord’s inheritance?⁶ The Gibeonites demanded seven of Saul’s male descendants. The seven were executed and that year’s harvest was apparently a good one. Though this sounds strange to contemporary ears it was fully in keeping with the promise of the law: I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations of those who reject me...⁷ To paraphrase Paul a bit, Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?⁸

I am persuaded, though I can’t reconcile all the details, that the events I called “David’s personal karma from the hand of Jesus,” have something to do with God prevailing when he is judged,⁹ and this has something to do with all things working together for good for those who love God,¹⁰ and making sins as white as snow.¹¹ But does that mean that the believer in Jesus should expect a forgiven life something like David’s, not in specific detail but general contour? Or has the Lord Jesus’ sacrifice taken care of all that once for all? I have gone back and forth on this question many times.

Surely I hoped that trusting Jesus would lead to a life relatively free of suffering, that I would be healthy, wealthy and wise, so to speak. I realize now that hope was essentially Asaph’s description of the lifestyle of the proud and wicked, when he envied those who are proud, as [he] observed the prosperity of the wicked¹² (See Addendum below).

For they suffer no pain; their bodies are strong and well-fed. They are immune to the trouble common to men; they do not suffer as other men do. Arrogance is their necklace, and violence their clothing. Their prosperity causes them to do wrong; their thoughts are sinful. They mock and say evil things; they proudly threaten violence. They speak as if they rule in heaven, and lay claim to the earth. Therefore they have more than enough food to eat, and even suck up the water of the sea. They say, “How does God know what we do? Is the sovereign one aware of what goes on?” Take a good look! This is what the wicked are like, those who always have it so easy and get richer and richer.¹³

Paul didn’t require ever increasing prosperity from the Lord as a basis for his faith: I have learned to be content in any circumstance. I¹⁴ have experienced times of need and times of abundance. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment, whether I go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing. I am able to do all things through the one¹⁵ who strengthens me.¹⁶ I recognize that this last verse is used to mean all sorts of things out of context but as I look at the Greek it seems to be saying something more like “in all I am able in this that strengthens me.” The ability is to be content (αὐτάρκης) in this case, and that which strengthened Paul to that ability were the times of need (ταπεινοῦσθαι, a form of ταπεινόω) and times of abundance (περισσεύειν, a form of περισσεύω) he learned (ἔμαθον, a form of μανθάνω) from.

This is not to say that Paul didn’t learn this contentment from Christ. Apart from Christ one is just as likely to learn a different lesson from need. “If I have to lie, steal, cheat or kill, as God is my witness, I’ll never be hungry again,” Scarlett O’Hara vowed dramatically before the intermission of the film Gone with the Wind. When I was young and single after my first divorce I quit my job to study despite my Pastor’s counsel that he couldn’t see why anyone would give up a good job. Now that I’m about the age he was when he said it, with two children in college, I relocated to keep my job (and my health insurance) despite the fact that I was cared for through all the years I had no permanent employment. So am I faithless or prudent?

Let me add this as well. Before I moved my ex-wife called to say that she, our daughter and son, and her mother would prefer my presence over my money. In fact, her mother stated frankly that paying a child’s college tuition is wrong; children should pay for it themselves. Still, I promised our children local college. So, am I behaving like Jephthah, keeping my own word? I think these are the kinds of things Asaph meant when he wrote, I concluded, “Surely in vain I have kept my motives pure and maintained a pure lifestyle. I suffer all day long, and am punished every morning.”¹⁷

The word translated punished (tôḵēḥâ, ותוכחתי) was more commonly translated rebuke(s) or reproof in the NET. It was translated argument(s) in Job and Hosea. It was not translated in Psalm 39:11 (See Addendum below) in the NET but was translated rebukes in the NKJV: When with rebukes (tôḵēḥâ, בתוכחות) You correct (yāsar, יסרת) man for iniquity, You make his beauty melt away like a moth; Surely every man is vapor.¹⁸ It is not too hard to imagine beauty melting away as punishment. But from my perspective waiting for punishment wastes the short time one has to know God here and now. There is rebuke, reproof and argument in abundance for anyone who actively studies the Bible to know Him.

Wisdom personified speaks in the Proverbs: If only you will respond to my rebuke, then I will pour out my thoughts to you and I will make my words known to you.¹⁹ But there are consequences for rejecting Wisdom: However, because I called but you refused to listen, because I stretched out my hand but no one paid attention, because you neglected all my advice, and did not comply with my rebuke, so I myself will laugh when disaster strikes you…²⁰

Then they will call to me, Wisdom continued, but I will not answer; they will diligently seek me, but they will not find me. Because they hated moral knowledge, and did not choose to fear the Lord, they did not comply with my advice, they spurned all my rebuke. Therefore they will eat from the fruit of their way, and they will be stuffed full of their own counsel. For the waywardness of the simpletons will kill them, and the careless ease of fools will destroy them (See Addendum below).²¹ And despite what Asaph thought when his feet almost slipped,²² Wisdom concluded: But the one who listens to me will live in security, and will be at ease from the dread of harm.²³

The Proverbs have much more to say about rebuke (translated punished in Psalm 73:14 NET): My child, do not despise discipline from the Lord, and do not loathe his rebuke.²⁴ For the commandments are like a lamp, instruction is like a light, and rebukes of discipline are like the road leading to life…²⁵ The one who heeds instruction is on the way to life, but the one who rejects rebuke goes astray.²⁶ The one who loves discipline loves knowledge, but the one who hates reproof is stupid.²⁷ The one who neglects discipline ends up in poverty and shame, but the one who accepts reproof is honored.²⁸ A fool rejects his father’s discipline, but whoever heeds reproof shows good sense.²⁹ The person who hears the reproof that leads to life is at home among the wise.³⁰ The one who refuses correction despises himself, but whoever hears reproof acquires understanding.³¹

There are warnings in Proverbs against rejecting rebuke or reproof: Severe discipline is for the one who abandons the way; the one who hates reproof will die (See Addendum below).³² The one who stiffens his neck after numerous rebukes will suddenly be destroyed without remedy (See Addendum below).³³ This latter warning is similar to what ultimately comforted Asaph (Psalm 73:15-20a NET):

If I had publicized these thoughts, I would have betrayed your loyal followers. When I tried to make sense of this, it was troubling to me. Then I entered the precincts of God’s temple, and understood the destiny of the wicked. Surely you put them in slippery places; you bring them down to ruin. How desolate they become in a mere moment! Terrifying judgments make their demise complete! They are like a dream after one wakes up.

Obviously I find it difficult to be comforted by this, but I wasn’t socialized in Old Testament times. Exterminating the wicked inhabitants of the promised land and ruthlessly rooting out the sinner in their midst were major themes of Israel’s socialization. Forgiveness of sin and sinners is the major theme of mine. It is Jesus who announced and demanded this age of forgiveness, and Jesus who expounded eternal punishment in a lake of fire or the outer darkness for rejecting it. The economy, if you will, has changed dramatically, making it much easier to forgive others. No matter how offended I am or how begrudgingly I cling to my grudge, it is no match for eternal punishment, and I forgive from my heart so that [my] Father in heaven will also forgive [me my] sins.³⁴

So I can assume that my life, trusting Jesus, will be filled with rebuke and security, reproof and ease from the dread of harm. And if I look back and examine my life since I trusted in Him I do find that it has been filled with rebuke and security, reproof and ease from the dread of harm. But still, I doubt sometimes and think if I only believed, I mean truly believed in Jesus, then that charmed existence I imagined before all of this began might be mine. Oh, yeah, well, you know, like Asaph described the proud and the wicked.

Addendum: June 15, 2021
The different translations of Psalm 73:3-12 (72:3-12) are worth noting.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 73:3-12 (Tanakh)	Psalm 73:3-12 (NET)	Psalm 72:3-12 (NETS)	Psalm 72:3-12 (Elpenor English)
For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.	For I envied those who are proud, as I observed the prosperity of the wicked.	because I was envious of the lawless, as I observed sinners’ peace,	For I was jealous of the transgressors, beholding the tranquility of sinners.
For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.	For they suffer no pain; their bodies are strong and well fed.	because there is nothing negative to their death and no firmness in their scourge.	For there is no sign of reluctance in their death: and [they have] firmness under their affliction.
They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.	They are immune to the trouble common to men; they do not suffer as other men do.	They are not in trouble of human beings, and with human beings they will not e scourged.	They are not in the troubles of [other] men; and they shall not be scourged with [other] men.
Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.	Arrogance is their necklace, and violence covers them like clothing.	Therefore pride seized them; they clothed themselves with injustice and their impiety.	Therefore pride has possessed them; they have clothed themselves with their injustice and ungodliness.
Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.	Their prosperity causes them to do wrong; their thoughts are sinful.	Their injustice will go forth as though from fat; they progressed according to their heart’s disposition.	Their injustice shall go forth as out of fatness: they have fulfilled their intention.
They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.	They mock and say evil things; they proudly threaten violence.	They schemed and spoke with malice; injustice they spoke against the height.	They have taken counsel and spoken in wickedness: they have uttered unrighteousness loftily.
They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.	They speak as if they rule in heaven, and lay claim to the earth.	They set their mouths against heaven, and their tongues ranged over the earth.	They have set their mouth against heaven, and their tongue has gone through upon the earth.
Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.	Therefore they have more than enough food to eat and even suck up the water of the sea.	Therefore my people will return here, and full days will be found for them.	Therefore shall my people return hither: and full days shall be found with them.
And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?	They say, “How does God know what we do? Is the Most High aware of what goes on?”	And they said, “How did God know?” and “Is there knowedge in the Most High?”	And they said, How does God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?
Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.	Take a good look. This is what the wicked are like, those who always have it so easy and get richer and richer.	Look, these are sinners and are flourishing; always did they possess wealth.	Behold, these [are] the sinners, and they that prosper always: they have possessed wealth.

The different translations of Psalm 39:11 (38:12) are worth noting.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Psalm 39:11 (Tanakh)

Psalm 39:11 (NET)

Psalm 38:12 (NETS)

Psalm 38:12 (Elpenor English)

When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.

You severely discipline people for their sins; like a moth you slowly devour their strength. Surely all people are a mere vapor. (Selah)

“With reproofs for lawlessnes you disciplined a person and melted his soul like a spider’s web; surely, every person is in turmoil for nothing.

Interlude on strings

Thou chastenest man with rebukes for iniquity, and thou makest his life to consume away like a spider’s web; nay, every man is disquieted in vain. Pause.

I found the different translations of Proverbs 1:28-32 interesting enough to comment on:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Proverbs 1:28-32 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 1:28-32 (NET)	Proverbs 1:28-32 (NETS)	Proverbs 1:28-32 (Elpenor English)
Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:	Then they will call to me, but I will not answer; they will diligently seek me, but they will not find me.	for it shall be when you call upon me, then I will not listen to you; evil people will seek me but will not find me,	For it shall be that when ye call upon me, I will not hearken to you: wicked men shall seek me, but shall not find [me].
For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:	Because they hated moral knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord,	for they hated wisdom and did not choose the fear of the Lord,	For they hated wisdom, and did not choose the word of the Lord:
They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.	they did not comply with my advice; they spurned all my rebuke.	nor were they willing to pay attention to my counsels but despised my reproofs.	neither would they attend to my counsels, but derided my reproofs.
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.	Therefore they will eat from the fruit of their way, and they will be stuffed full of their own counsel.	Therefore they shall eat of the fruits of their own way and be filled with their own impiety,	Therefore shall they eat the fruits of their own way, and shall be filled with their own ungodliness.
For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.	For the waywardness of the simpletons will kill them, and the careless ease of fools will destroy them.	for, because they would wrong the simple, they will be murdered and an inquiry will ruin the impious.	For because they wronged the simple, they shall be slain; and an inquisition shall ruin the ungodly.

Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.³⁵ This is often denied here because Jesus wouldn’t laugh when disaster strikes you or mock when what you dread comes.³⁶ The Septuagint tipped the scales for me: therefore I in turn will also laugh (ἐπιγελάσομαι, a form of ἐπιγελάω) at your destruction, and I will rejoice (καταχαροῦμαι, a form of καταχαίρω) when ruin comes upon you.³⁷

The Greek word ἐπιγελάω can mean “to laugh at, mock, jeer” or “to laugh approvingly at (something).” The Greek word καταχαίρω can mean “to exult with malicious joy” or “to rejoice, to exult over.” The choice will be determined by what the hearer believes about Jesus, the wisdom of God. I’m hearing the death and resurrection motif again.

How often does one in some kind of calamity cry out to God and then ignore Him once that calamity has passed? Jesus didn’t grant that one eternal life to know…the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom [He] sent.³⁸ This one who hated wisdom and did not choose the fear (φόβον, a form of φόβος) of the Lord,³⁹ the word (λόγον, a form of λόγος) of the Lord (Elpenor English), desired Jesus’ death and resurrection only after being satiated with his own way: Therefore they will eat from the fruit of their way, and they will be stuffed full of their own counsel,⁴⁰ devices (Tanakh), impiety (NETS), ungodliness (Elpenor English). Now I want to know Him through faith in his word rather than guess at the vicissitudes of my life.

The translations of the first clause of Proverbs 15:10 vary considerably:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Proverbs 15:10 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 15:10 (NET)	Proverbs 15:10 (NETS)	Proverbs 15:10 (Elpenor English)
Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die.	Severe discipline is for the one who abandons the way; the one who hates reproof will die.	The discipline of the innocent is known by passersby, but those who hate rebukes die disgracefully.	The instruction of the simple is known by them that pass by; but they that hate reproofs die disgracefully.

The differences in the first clause of Proverbs 29:1 between the Masoretic text and Septuagint are worth noting.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Proverbs 29:1 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 29:1 (NET)	Proverbs 29:1 (NETS)	Proverbs 29:1 (Elpenor English)
He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.	The one who stiffens his neck after numerous rebukes will suddenly be destroyed without remedy.	A man who reproves is better than a stubborn man, for, when he is suddenly set on fire, there is no healing.	A reprover is better than a stiff-necked man: for when the latter is suddenly set on fire, there shall be no remedy.

Tables comparing 2 Samuel 21:1; Joshua 9:19; 2 Samuel 21:3; Psalm 73:3; 73:4; 73:5; 73:6; 73:7; 73:8; 73:9; 73:10; 73:11; 73:12; 73:13; 73:14; 39:11; Proverbs 1:23; 1:24; 1:25; 1:26; 1:28; 1:29; 1:30; 1:31; 1:32; Psalm 73:2; Proverbs 1:33; 3:11; 6:23; 10:17; 12:1; 13:18; 15:5; 15:31; 15:32; 15:10; 29:1; Psalm 73:15; 73:16; 73:17; 73:18; 73:19 and 73:20 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 21:1; Joshua 9:19; 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 21:3; Psalm 73:3 (72:3); 73:4 (72:4); 73:5 (72:5); 73:6 (72:6); 73:7 (72:7); 73:8 (72:8); 73:9 (72:9); 73:10 (72:10); 73:11 (72:11); 73:12 (72:12); 73:13 (72:13); 73:14 (73:14); 39:11 (38:12); Proverbs 1:23; 1:24; 1:25; 1:26; 1:28; 1:29; 1:30; 1:31; 1:32; Psalm 73:2 (72:2); Proverbs 1:33; 3:11; 6:23; 10:17; 12:1; 13:18; 15:5; 15:31; 15:32; 15:10; 29:1; Psalm 73:15 (72:15); 73:16 (72:16); 73:17 (72:17); 73:18 (72:18); 73:19 (72:19) and 73:20 (72:20) in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Philippians 4:12, 13 in the NET and KJV follow.

2 Samuel 21:1 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 21:1 (KJV)	2 Samuel 21:1 (NET)
And there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David sought the face of HaShem. And HaShem said: ‘It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he put to death the Gibeonites.’	Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.	During David’s reign there was a famine for three consecutive years. So David inquired of the Lord. The Lord said, “It is because of Saul and his bloodstained family, because he murdered the Gibeonites.”

2 Samuel 21:1 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 21:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγένετο λιμὸς ἐν ταῗς ἡμέραις Δαυιδ τρία ἔτη ἐνιαυτὸς ἐχόμενος ἐνιαυτοῦ καὶ ἐζήτησεν Δαυιδ τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ κυρίου καὶ εἶπεν κύριος ἐπὶ Σαουλ καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἀδικία διὰ τὸ αὐτὸν θανάτῳ αἱμάτων περὶ οὗ ἐθανάτωσεν τοὺς Γαβαωνίτας	ΚΑΙ ἐγένετο λιμὸς ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Δαυὶδ τρία ἔτη, ἐνιαυτὸς ὁ ἐχόμενος ἐνιαυτοῦ, καὶ ἐζήτησε Δαυὶδ τὸ πρόσωπον Κυρίου. καὶ εἶπε Κύριος· ἐπὶ Σαοὺλ καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἀδικία ἐν θανάτῳ αἱμάτων αὐτοῦ, περὶ οὗ ἐθανάτωσε τοὺς Γαβαωνίτας
2 Reigns 21:1 (NETS)	2 Kings 21:1 (English Elpenor)
And there was a famine in the days of Dauid for three years, year next to year, and Dauid sought the face of the Lord. And the Lord said, “There is an injustice upon Saoul and upon his house, because he put to death by a death of blood, on account of which he put to death the Gabaonites.”	And there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David sought the face of the Lord. And the Lord said, [There is] guilt upon Saul and his house because of his bloody murder, whereby he slew the Gabaonites.

Joshua 9:19 (Tanakh)	Joshua 9:19 (KJV)	Joshua 9:19 (NET)
But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.	But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.	but all the leaders told the whole community, “We swore an oath to them in the name of the Lord God of Israel! So now we can’t hurt them.

Joshua 9:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Joshua 9:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπαν οἱ ἄρχοντες πάσῃ τῇ συναγωγῇ ἡμεῗς ὠμόσαμεν αὐτοῗς κύριον τὸν θεὸν Ισραηλ καὶ νῦν οὐ δυνησόμεθα ἅψασθαι αὐτῶν	καὶ εἶπαν οἱ ἄρχοντες πάσῃ τῇ συναγωγῇ· ἡμεῖς ὠμόσαμεν αὐτοῖς Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ νῦν οὐ δυνησόμεθα ἅψασθαι αὐτῶν
Joshua 9:19 (NETS)	Joshua 9:19 (English Elpenor)
And the leaders said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Irael, and now we shall not be able to touch them.	And the princes said to all the congregation: We have sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel, and now we shall not be able to touch them.

2 Samuel 21:3 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 21:3 (KJV)	2 Samuel 21:3 (NET)
and David said unto the Gibeonites: ‘What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of HaShem?’	Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD?	David said to the Gibeonites, “What can I do for you, and how can I make amends so that you will bless the Lord’s inheritance?”

2 Samuel 21:3 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 21:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ πρὸς τοὺς Γαβαωνίτας τί ποιήσω ὑμῗν καὶ ἐν τίνι ἐξιλάσομαι καὶ εὐλογήσετε τὴν κληρονομίαν κυρίου	καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ πρὸς τοὺς Γαβαωνίτας· τί ποιήσω ἡμῖν καὶ ἐν τίνι ἐξιλάσομαι καὶ εὐλογήσετε τὴν κληρονομίαν Κυρίου
2 Reigns 21:3 (NETS)	2 Kings 21:3 (English Elpenor)
And Dauid said to the Gabaonites, “What shall I do for you? And in what way shall I make atonement, and you will bless the inheritance of the Lord?”	And David said to the Gabaonites, What shall I do to you? and wherewithal shall I make atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the Lord?

Psalm 73:3 (Tanakh)	Psalm 73:3 (KJV)	Psalm 73:3 (NET)
For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.	For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.	For I envied those who are proud, as I observed the prosperity of the wicked.

Psalm 73:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 72:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι ἐζήλωσα ἐπὶ τοῗς ἀνόμοις εἰρήνην ἁμαρτωλῶν θεωρῶν	ὅτι ἐζήλωσα ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀνόμοις εἰρήνην ἁμαρτωλῶν θεωρῶν
Psalm 72:3 (NETS)	Psalm 72:3 (English Elpenor)
because I was envious of the lawless, as I observed sinners’ peace,	For I was jealous of the transgressors, beholding the tranquility of sinners.

Psalm 73:4 (Tanakh)	Psalm 73:4 (KJV)	Psalm 73:4 (NET)
For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.	For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.	For they suffer no pain; their bodies are strong and well fed.

Psalm 73:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 72:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἀνάνευσις τῷ θανάτῳ αὐτῶν καὶ στερέωμα ἐν τῇ μάστιγι αὐτῶν	ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἀνάνευσις ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ αὐτῶν καὶ στερέωμα ἐν τῇ μάστιγι αὐτῶν
Psalm 72:4 (NETS)	Psalm 72:4 (English Elpenor)
because there is nothing negative to their death and no firmness in their scourge.	For there is no sign of reluctance in their death: and [they have] firmness under their affliction.

Psalm 73:5 (Tanakh)	Psalm 73:5 (KJV)	Psalm 73:5 (NET)
They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.	They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.	They are immune to the trouble common to men; they do not suffer as other men do.

Psalm 73:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 72:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν κόποις ἀνθρώπων οὐκ εἰσὶν καὶ μετὰ ἀνθρώπων οὐ μαστιγωθήσονται	ἐν κόποις ἀνθρώπων οὐκ εἰσὶ καὶ μετὰ ἀνθρώπων οὐ μαστιγωθήσονται
Psalm 72:5 (NETS)	Psalm 72:5 (English Elpenor)
They are not in trouble of human beings, and with human beings they will not e scourged.	They are not in the troubles of [other] men; and they shall not be scourged with [other] men.

Psalm 73:6 (Tanakh)	Psalm 73:6 (KJV)	Psalm 73:6 (NET)
Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.	Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.	Arrogance is their necklace, and violence covers them like clothing.

Psalm 73:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 72:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
διὰ τοῦτο ἐκράτησεν αὐτοὺς ἡ ὑπερηφανία περιεβάλοντο ἀδικίαν καὶ ἀσέβειαν αὐτῶν	διὰ τοῦτο ἐκράτησεν αὐτοὺς ἡ ὑπερηφανία, περιεβάλοντο ἀδικίαν καὶ ἀσέβειαν ἑαυτῶν
Psalm 72:6 (NETS)	Psalm 72:6 (English Elpenor)
Therefore pride seized them; they clothed themselves with injustice and their impiety.	Therefore pride has possessed them; they have clothed themselves with their injustice and ungodliness.

Psalm 73:7 (Tanakh)	Psalm 73:7 (KJV)	Psalm 73:7 (NET)
Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.	Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.	Their prosperity causes them to do wrong; their thoughts are sinful.

Psalm 73:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 72:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐξελεύσεται ὡς ἐκ στέατος ἡ ἀδικία αὐτῶν διήλθοσαν εἰς διάθεσιν καρδίας	ἐξελεύσεται ὡς ἐκ στέατος ἡ ἀδικία αὐτῶν, διῆλθον εἰς διάθεσιν καρδίας
Psalm 72:7 (NETS)	Psalm 72:7 (English Elpenor)
Their injustice will go forth as though from fat; they progressed according to their heart’s disposition.	Their injustice shall go forth as out of fatness: they have fulfilled their intention.

Psalm 73:8 (Tanakh)	Psalm 73:8 (KJV)	Psalm 73:8 (NET)
They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.	They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.	They mock and say evil things; they proudly threaten violence.

Psalm 73:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 72:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
διενοήθησαν καὶ ἐλάλησαν ἐν πονηρίᾳ ἀδικίαν εἰς τὸ ὕψος ἐλάλησαν	διενοήθησαν καὶ ἐλάλησαν ἐν πονηρίᾳ, ἀδικίαν εἰς τὸ ὕψος ἐλάλησαν
Psalm 72:8 (NETS)	Psalm 72:8 (English Elpenor)
They schemed and spoke with malice; injustice they spoke against the height.	They have taken counsel and spoken in wickedness: they have uttered unrighteousness loftily.

Psalm 73:9 (Tanakh)	Psalm 73:9 (KJV)	Psalm 73:9 (NET)
They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.	They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.	They speak as if they rule in heaven, and lay claim to the earth.

Psalm 73:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 72:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἔθεντο εἰς οὐρανὸν τὸ στόμα αὐτῶν καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα αὐτῶν διῆλθεν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς	ἔθεντο εἰς οὐρανὸν τὸ στόμα αὐτῶν, καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα αὐτῶν διῆλθεν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς
Psalm 72:9 (NETS)	Psalm 72:9 (English Elpenor)
They set their mouths against heaven, and their tongues ranged over the earth.	They have set their mouth against heaven, and their tongue has gone through upon the earth.

Psalm 73:10 (Tanakh)	Psalm 73:10 (KJV)	Psalm 73:10 (NET)
Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.	Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.	Therefore they have more than enough food to eat and even suck up the water of the sea.

Psalm 73:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 72:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
διὰ τοῦτο ἐπιστρέψει ὁ λαός μου ἐνταῦθα καὶ ἡμέραι πλήρεις εὑρεθήσονται αὐτοῗς	διὰ τοῦτο ἐπιστρέψει ὁ λαός μου ἐνταῦθα, καὶ ἡμέραι πλήρεις εὑρεθήσονται ἐν αὐτοῖς
Psalm 72:10 (NETS)	Psalm 72:10 (English Elpenor)
Therefore my people will return here, and full days will be found for them.	Therefore shall my people return hither: and full days shall be found with them.

Psalm 73:11 (Tanakh)	Psalm 73:11 (KJV)	Psalm 73:11 (NET)
And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?	And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?	They say, “How does God know what we do? Is the Most High aware of what goes on?”

Psalm 73:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 72:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπαν πῶς ἔγνω ὁ θεός καὶ εἰ ἔστιν γνῶσις ἐν τῷ ὑψίστῳ	καὶ εἶπαν· πῶς ἔγνω ὁ Θεός; καὶ εἰ ἔστι γνῶσις ἐν τῷ ῾Υψίστῳ
Psalm 72:11 (NETS)	Psalm 72:11 (English Elpenor)
And they said, “How did God know?” and “Is there knowedge in the Most High?”	And they said, How does God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?

Psalm 73:12 (Tanakh)	Psalm 73:12 (KJV)	Psalm 73:12 (NET)
Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.	Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.	Take a good look. This is what the wicked are like, those who always have it so easy and get richer and richer.

Psalm 73:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 72:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἰδοὺ οὗτοι ἁμαρτωλοὶ καὶ εὐθηνοῦνται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα κατέσχον πλούτου	ἰδοὺ οὗτοι οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ καὶ εὐθηνοῦντες· εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα κατέσχον πλούτου
Psalm 72:12 (NETS)	Psalm 72:12 (English Elpenor)
Look, these are sinners and are flourishing; always did they possess wealth.	Behold, these [are] the sinners, and they that prosper always: they have possessed wealth.

Psalm 73:13 (Tanakh)	Psalm 73:13 (KJV)	Psalm 73:13 (NET)
Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.	Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.	I concluded, “Surely in vain I have kept my motives pure and maintained a pure lifestyle.

Psalm 73:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 72:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπα ἄρα ματαίως ἐδικαίωσα τὴν καρδίαν μου καὶ ἐνιψάμην ἐν ἀθῴοις τὰς χεῗράς μου	καὶ εἶπα· ἄρα ματαίως ἐδικαίωσα τὴν καρδίαν μου καὶ ἐνιψάμην ἐν ἀθῴοις τὰς χεῖράς μου
Psalm 72:13 (NETS)	Psalm 72:13 (English Elpenor)
And I said, “So, in vain did I keep my heart just and washed my hands in innocence.	And I said, Verily in vain have I justified my heart, and washed my hands in innocency.

Psalm 73:14 (Tanakh)	Psalm 73:14 (KJV)	Psalm 73:14 (NET)
For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.	For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.	I suffer all day long and am punished every morning.”

Psalm 73:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 72:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγενόμην μεμαστιγωμένος ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν καὶ ὁ ἔλεγχός μου εἰς τὰς πρωίας	καὶ ἐγενόμην μεμαστιγωμένος ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν, καὶ ὁ ἔλεγχός μου εἰς τὰς πρωΐας
Psalm 72:14 (NETS)	Psalm 72:14 (English Elpenor)
And I became scourged all day long, and my rebuke lasted till morning.”	For I was plagued all the day, and my reproof [was] every morning.

Psalm 39:11 (Tanakh)	Psalm 39:11 (KJV)	Psalm 39:11 (NET)
When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.	When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.	You severely discipline people for their sins; like a moth you slowly devour their strength. Surely all people are a mere vapor. (Selah)

Psalm 39:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 38:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν ἐλεγμοῗς ὑπὲρ ἀνομίας ἐπαίδευσας ἄνθρωπον καὶ ἐξέτηξας ὡς ἀράχνην τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ πλὴν μάτην ταράσσεται πᾶς ἄνθρωπος διάψαλμα	ἐν ἐλεγμοῖς ὑπὲρ ἀνομίας ἐπαίδευσας ἄνθρωπον καὶ ἐξέτηξας ὡς ἀράχνην τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ· πλὴν μάτην ταράσσεται πᾶς ἄνθρωπος. (διάψαλμα).
Psalm 38:12 (NETS)	Psalm 38:12 (English Elpenor)
“With reproofs for lawlessnes you disciplined a person and melted his soul like a spider’s web; surely, every person is in turmoil for nothing. Interlude on strings	Thou chastenest man with rebukes for iniquity, and thou makest his life to consume away like a spider’s web; nay, every man is disquieted in vain. Pause.

Proverbs 1:23 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 1:23 (KJV)	Proverbs 1:23 (NET)
Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.	Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.	You should respond to my rebuke. Then I would pour out my thoughts to you; I would make my words known to you.

Proverbs 1:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 1:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ὑπεύθυνοι ἐγένοντο ἐλέγχοις ἰδοὺ προήσομαι ὑμῗν ἐμῆς πνοῆς ῥῆσιν διδάξω δὲ ὑμᾶς τὸν ἐμὸν λόγον	καὶ ὑπεύθυνοι ἐγένοντο ἐλέγχοις, ἰδοὺ προήσομαι ὑμῖν ἐμῆς πνοῆς ρῆσιν, διδάξω δὲ ὑμᾶς τὸν ἐμὸν λόγον
Proverbs 1:23 (NETS)	Proverbs 1:22b, 23 (English Elpenor)
and they became liable to repoofs. Look, I will bring forth the expression of my breath, and I will teach you my word.	and are become subject to reproofs. (23) Behold, I will bring forth to you the utterance of my breath, and I will instruct you in my speech.

Proverbs 1:24 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 1:24 (KJV)	Proverbs 1:24 (NET)
Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;	Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;	However, because I called but you refused to listen, because I stretched out my hand but no one was paying attention,

Proverbs 1:24 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 1:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπειδὴ ἐκάλουν καὶ οὐχ ὑπηκούσατε καὶ ἐξέτεινον λόγους καὶ οὐ προσείχετε	ἐπειδὴ ἐκάλουν καὶ οὐχ ὑπηκούσατε καὶ ἐξέτεινα λόγους καὶ οὐ προσείχετε
Proverbs 1:24 (NETS)	Proverbs 1:24 (English Elpenor)
Since I called but you did not heed and I would prolong words but you were not paying attention,	Since I called, and ye did not hearken; and I spoke at length, and ye gave no heed;

Proverbs 1:25 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 1:25 (KJV)	Proverbs 1:25 (NET)
But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:	But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:	and you neglected all my advice, and did not comply with my rebuke,

Proverbs 1:25 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 1:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀλλὰ ἀκύρους ἐποιεῗτε ἐμὰς βουλάς τοῗς δὲ ἐμοῗς ἐλέγχοις ἠπειθήσατε	ἀλλὰ ἀκύρους ἐποιεῖτε ἐμᾶς βουλάς, τοῖς δὲ ἐμοῖς ἐλέγχοις οὐ προσείχετε
Proverbs 1:25 (NETS)	Proverbs 1:25 (English Elpenor)
but you would make my counsels invalid, and you disregarded my reproofs;	but ye set at nought my counsels, and disregarded my reproofs;

Proverbs 1:26 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 1:26 (KJV)	Proverbs 1:26 (NET)
I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;	I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;	so I myself will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when what you dread comes,

Proverbs 1:26 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 1:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τοιγαροῦν κἀγὼ τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ ἀπωλείᾳ ἐπιγελάσομαι καταχαροῦμαι δέ ἡνίκα ἂν ἔρχηται ὑμῗν ὄλεθρος	τοιγαροῦν κἀγὼ τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ ἀπωλείᾳ ἐπιγελάσομαι, καταχαροῦμαι δὲ ἡνίκα ἔρχηται ὑμῖν ὄλεθρος
Proverbs 1:26 (NETS)	Proverbs 1:26 (English Elpenor)
therefore I in turn will also laugh at your destruction, and I will rejoice when ruin comes upon you.	therefore I also will laugh at your destruction; and I will rejoice against [you] when ruin comes upon you:

Proverbs 1:28 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 1:28 (KJV)	Proverbs 1:28 (NET)
Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:	Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:	Then they will call to me, but I will not answer; they will diligently seek me, but they will not find me.

Proverbs 1:28 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 1:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἔσται γὰρ ὅταν ἐπικαλέσησθέ με ἐγὼ δὲ οὐκ εἰσακούσομαι ὑμῶν ζητήσουσίν με κακοὶ καὶ οὐχ εὑρήσουσιν	ἔσται γὰρ ὅταν ἐπικαλέσησθέ με, ἐγὼ δὲ οὐκ εἰσακούσομαι ὑμῶν· ζητήσουσί με κακοί, καὶ οὐχ εὑρήσουσιν
Proverbs 1:28 (NETS)	Proverbs 1:28 (English Elpenor)
for it shall be when you call upon me, then I will not listen to you; evil people will seek me but will not find me,	For it shall be that when ye call upon me, I will not hearken to you: wicked men shall seek me, but shall not find [me].

Proverbs 1:29 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 1:29 (KJV)	Proverbs 1:29 (NET)
For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:	For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:	Because they hated moral knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord,

Proverbs 1:29 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 1:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐμίσησαν γὰρ σοφίαν τὸν δὲ φόβον τοῦ κυρίου οὐ προείλαντο	ἐμίσησαν γὰρ σοφίαν, τὸν δὲ λόγον τοῦ Κυρίου οὐ προείλαντο,
Proverbs 1:29 (NETS)	Proverbs 1:29 (English Elpenor)
for they hated wisdom and did not choose the fear of the Lord,	For they hated wisdom, and did not choose the word of the Lord:

Proverbs 1:30 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 1:30 (KJV)	Proverbs 1:30 (NET)
They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.	They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.	they did not comply with my advice; they spurned all my rebuke.

Proverbs 1:30 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 1:30 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐδὲ ἤθελον ἐμαῗς προσέχειν βουλαῗς ἐμυκτήριζον δὲ ἐμοὺς ἐλέγχους	οὐδὲ ἤθελον ἐμαῖς προσέχειν βουλαῖς, ἐμυκτήριζον δὲ ἐμοὺς ἐλέγχους
Proverbs 1:30 (NETS)	Proverbs 1:30 (English Elpenor)
nor were they willing to pay attention to my counsels but despised my reproofs.	neither would they attend to my counsels, but derided my reproofs.

Proverbs 1:31 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 1:31 (KJV)	Proverbs 1:31 (NET)
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.	Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.	Therefore they will eat from the fruit of their way, and they will be stuffed full of their own counsel.

Proverbs 1:31 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 1:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τοιγαροῦν ἔδονται τῆς ἑαυτῶν ὁδοῦ τοὺς καρποὺς καὶ τῆς ἑαυτῶν ἀσεβείας πλησθήσονται	τοιγαροῦν ἔδονται τῆς ἑαυτῶν ὁδοῦ τοὺς καρποὺς καὶ τῆς ἑαυτῶν ἀσεβείας πλησθήσονται
Proverbs 1:31 (NETS)	Proverbs 1:31 (English Elpenor)
Therefore they shall eat of the fruits of their own way and be filled with their own impiety,	Therefore shall they eat the fruits of their own way, and shall be filled with their own ungodliness.

Proverbs 1:32 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 1:32 (KJV)	Proverbs 1:32 (NET)
For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.	For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.	For the waywardness of the simpletons will kill them, and the careless ease of fools will destroy them.

Proverbs 1:32 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 1:32 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀνθ᾽ ὧν γὰρ ἠδίκουν νηπίους φονευθήσονται καὶ ἐξετασμὸς ἀσεβεῗς ὀλεῗ	ἀνθ᾿ ὧν γὰρ ἠδίκουν νηπίους, φονευθήσονται, καὶ ἐξετασμὸς ἀσεβεῖς ὀλεῖ
Proverbs 1:32 (NETS)	Proverbs 1:32 (English Elpenor)
for, because they would wrong the simple, they will be murdered and an inquiry will ruin the impious.	For because they wronged the simple, they shall be slain; and an inquisition shall ruin the ungodly.

Psalm 73:2 (Tanakh)	Psalm 73:2 (KJV)	Psalm 73:2 (NET)
But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.	But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.	But as for me, my feet almost slipped; my feet almost slid out from under me.

Psalm 73:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 72:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐμοῦ δὲ παρὰ μικρὸν ἐσαλεύθησαν οἱ πόδες παρ᾽ ὀλίγον ἐξεχύθη τὰ διαβήματά μου	ἐμοῦ δὲ παραμικρὸν ἐσαλεύθησαν οἱ πόδες, παρ᾿ ὀλίγον ἐξεχύθη τὰ διαβήματά μου
Psalm 72:2 (NETS)	Psalm 72:2 (English Elpenor)
But as for me, my feet were almost shaken; my steps nearly slipped,	But my feet were almost overthrown; my goings very nearly slipped.

Proverbs 1:33 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 1:33 (KJV)	Proverbs 1:33 (NET)
But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.	But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.	But the one who listens to me will live in security and will be at ease from the dread of harm.”

Proverbs 1:33 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 1:33 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ δὲ ἐμοῦ ἀκούων κατασκηνώσει ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι καὶ ἡσυχάσει ἀφόβως ἀπὸ παντὸς κακοῦ	ὁ δὲ ἐμοῦ ἀκούων κατασκηνώσει ἐπ᾿ ἐλπίδι καὶ ἡσυχάσει ἀφόβως ἀπὸ παντὸς κακοῦ
Proverbs 1:33 (NETS)	Proverbs 1:33 (English Elpenor)
But he who hears me will encamp in hope and will be at ease without fear of any evil.”	But he that hearkens to me shall dwell in confidence, and shall rest securely from all evil.

Proverbs 3:11 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 3:11 (KJV)	Proverbs 3:11 (NET)
My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:	My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:	My child, do not despise discipline from the Lord, and do not loathe his rebuke.

Proverbs 3:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 3:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
υἱέ μὴ ὀλιγώρει παιδείας κυρίου μηδὲ ἐκλύου ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐλεγχόμενος	Υἱέ, μὴ ὀλιγώρει παιδείας Κυρίου, μηδὲ ἐκλύου ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐλεγχόμενος
Proverbs 3:11 (NETS)	Proverbs 3:11 (English Elpenor)
My son, do not belittle the Lord’s discipline nor break down when you are reproved by him;	[My] son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

Proverbs 6:23 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 6:23 (KJV)	Proverbs 6:23 (NET)
For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:	For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:	For the commandments are like a lamp; instruction is like a light, and rebukes of discipline are like the road leading to life

Proverbs 6:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 6:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι λύχνος ἐντολὴ νόμου καὶ φῶς καὶ ὁδὸς ζωῆς ἔλεγχος καὶ παιδεία	ὅτι λύχνος ἐντολὴ νόμου καὶ φῶς, ὁδὸς ζωῆς καὶ ἔλεγχος καὶ παιδεία
Proverbs 6:23 (NETS)	Proverbs 6:23 (English Elpenor)
for the law’s commandment is a lamp and a light and a way of life, reproof and discipline,	For the commandment of the law is a lamp and a light; a way of life; reproof also and correction:

Proverbs 10:17 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 10:17 (KJV)	Proverbs 10:17 (NET)
He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.	He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.	The one who heeds instruction is on the way to life, but the one who rejects rebuke goes astray.

Proverbs 10:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 10:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁδοὺς δικαίας ζωῆς φυλάσσει παιδεία παιδεία δὲ ἀνεξέλεγκτος πλανᾶται	ὁδοὺς δικαίας ζωῆς φυλάσσει παιδεία, παιδεία δὲ ἀνεξέλεγκτος πλανᾶται
Proverbs 10:17 (NETS)	Proverbs 10:17 (English Elpenor)
Discipline guards the ways of a righteous life, but unchastened instruction leads astray.	Instruction keeps the right ways of life; but instruction unchastened goes astray.

Proverbs 12:1 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 12:1 (KJV)	Proverbs 12:1 (NET)
Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.	Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.	The one who loves discipline loves knowledge, but the one who hates reproof is stupid.

Proverbs 12:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 12:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ ἀγαπῶν παιδείαν ἀγαπᾷ αἴσθησιν ὁ δὲ μισῶν ἐλέγχους ἄφρων	Ο ἀγαπῶν παιδείαν, ἀγαπᾷ αἴσθησιν, ὁ δὲ μισῶν ἐλέγχους ἄφρων
Proverbs 12:1 (NETS)	Proverbs 12:1 (English Elpenor)
He who loves discipline loves perception, but he who hates repoofs is a fool.	He that loves instruction loves sense, but he that hates reproofs is a fool.

Proverbs 13:18 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 13:18 (KJV)	Proverbs 13:18 (NET)
Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.	Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.	The one who neglects discipline ends up in poverty and shame, but the one who accepts reproof is honored.

Proverbs 13:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 13:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πενίαν καὶ ἀτιμίαν ἀφαιρεῗται παιδεία ὁ δὲ φυλάσσων ἐλέγχους δοξασθήσεται	πενίαν καὶ ἀτιμίαν ἀφαιρεῖται παιδεία, ὁ δὲ φυλάσσων ἐλέγχους δοξασθήσεται
Proverbs 13:18 (NETS)	Proverbs 13:18 (English Elpenor)
Discipline removes poverty and disgrace, and he who rebukes will be honored.	Instruction removes poverty and disgrace: but he that attends to reproofs shall be honoured.

Proverbs 15:5 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 15:5 (KJV)	Proverbs 15:5 (NET)
A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.	A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.	A fool rejects his father’s discipline, but whoever heeds reproof shows good sense.

Proverbs 15:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 15:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἄφρων μυκτηρίζει παιδείαν πατρός ὁ δὲ φυλάσσων ἐντολὰς πανουργότερος	ἄφρων μυκτηρίζει παιδείαν πατρός, ὁ δὲ φυλάσσων ἐντολὰς πανουργότερος
Proverbs 15:5 (NETS)	Proverbs 15:5 (English Elpenor)
A fool scorns his father’s discipline, but he who keeps commandments is smarter.	A fool scorns his father’s instruction; but he that keeps his commandments is more prudent.

Proverbs 15:31 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 15:31 (KJV)	Proverbs 15:31 (NET)
The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise.	The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise.	The person who hears the reproof that leads to life is at home among the wise.

Proverbs 15:31 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 15:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)
n/a	n/a
Proverbs 15:31 (NETS)	Proverbs 15:31 (English Elpenor)
n/a	n/a

Proverbs 15:32 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 15:32 (KJV)	Proverbs 15:32 (NET)
He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.	He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.	The one who refuses correction despises himself, but whoever listens to reproof acquires understanding.

Proverbs 15:32 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 15:32 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὃς ἀπωθεῗται παιδείαν μισεῗ ἑαυτόν ὁ δὲ τηρῶν ἐλέγχους ἀγαπᾷ ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ	ὃς ἀπωθεῖται παιδείαν, μισεῖ ἑαυτόν, ὁ δὲ τηρῶν ἐλέγχους ἀγαπᾷ ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ
Proverbs 15:32 (NETS)	Proverbs 15:32 (English Elpenor)
He who rejects discipline hates himself, but who heeds rebukes loves his soul.	He that rejects instruction hates himself; but he that minds reproofs loves his soul.

Proverbs 15:10 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 15:10 (KJV)	Proverbs 15:10 (NET)
Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die.	Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die.	Severe discipline is for the one who abandons the way; the one who hates reproof will die.

Proverbs 15:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 15:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
παιδεία ἀκάκου γνωρίζεται ὑπὸ τῶν παριόντων οἱ δὲ μισοῦντες ἐλέγχους τελευτῶσιν αἰσχρῶς	παιδεία ἀκάκου γνωρίζεται ὑπὸ τῶν παριόντων, οἱ δὲ μισοῦντες ἐλέγχους τελευτῶσιν αἰσχρῶς
Proverbs 15:10 (NETS)	Proverbs 15:10 (English Elpenor)
The discipline of the innocent is known by passersby, but those who hate rebukes die disgracefully.	The instruction of the simple is known by them that pass by; but they that hate reproofs die disgracefully.

Proverbs 29:1 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 29:1 (KJV)	Proverbs 29:1 (NET)
He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.	He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.	The one who stiffens his neck after numerous rebukes will suddenly be destroyed without remedy.

Proverbs 29:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 29:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
κρείσσων ἀνὴρ ἐλέγχων ἀνδρὸς σκληροτραχήλου ἐξαπίνης γὰρ φλεγομένου αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν ἴασις	ΚΡΕΙΣΣΩΝ ἀνὴρ ἐλέγχων ἀνδρὸς σκληροτραχήλου, ἐξαπίνης γὰρ φλεγομένου αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν ἴασις.
Proverbs 29:1 (NETS)	Proverbs 29:1 (English Elpenor)
A man who reproves is better than a stubborn man, for, when he is suddenly set on fire, there is no healing.	A reprover is better than a stiff-necked man: for when the latter is suddenly set on fire, there shall be no remedy.

Psalm 73:15 (Tanakh)	Psalm 73:15 (KJV)	Psalm 73:15 (NET)
If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.	If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.	If I had publicized these thoughts, I would have betrayed your people.

Psalm 73:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 72:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἰ ἔλεγον διηγήσομαι οὕτως ἰδοὺ τῇ γενεᾷ τῶν υἱῶν σου ἠσυνθέτηκα	εἰ ἔλεγον· διηγήσομαι οὕτως, ἰδοὺ τῇ γενεᾷ τῶν υἱῶν σου ἠσυνθέτηκα
Psalm 72:15 (NETS)	Psalm 72:15 (English Elpenor)
If I said, “I will walk in this way,” look, I would have been faithless to the family of your sons.	If I said, I will speak thus; behold, I [should] have broken covenant with the generation of thy children.

Psalm 73:16 (Tanakh)	Psalm 73:16 (KJV)	Psalm 73:16 (NET)
When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;	When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;	When I tried to make sense of this, it was troubling to me.

Psalm 73:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 72:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ὑπέλαβον τοῦ γνῶναι τοῦτο κόπος ἐστὶν ἐναντίον μου	καὶ ὑπέλαβον τοῦ γνῶναι τοῦτο· κόπος ἐστὶν ἐνώπιόν μου
Psalm 72:16 (NETS)	Psalm 72:16 (English Elpenor)
And I thought how to understand this; a wearisome task was before me	And I undertook to understand this, [but] it is too hard for me,

Psalm 73:17 (Tanakh)	Psalm 73:17 (KJV)	Psalm 73:17 (NET)
Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.	Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.	Then I entered the precincts of God’s temple and understood the destiny of the wicked.

Psalm 73:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 72:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἕως εἰσέλθω εἰς τὸ ἁγιαστήριον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ συνῶ εἰς τὰ ἔσχατα αὐτῶν	ἕως εἰσέλθω εἰς τὸ ἁγιαστήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ συνῶ εἰς τὰ ἔσχατα αὐτῶν
Psalm 72:17 (NETS)	Psalm 72:17 (English Elpenor)
until I went into the sanctuary of God, and perceived their end.	until I go into the sanctuary of God; [and so] understand the latter end.

Psalm 73:18 (Tanakh)	Psalm 73:18 (KJV)	Psalm 73:18 (NET)
Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.	Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.	Surely you put them in slippery places; you bring them down to ruin.

Psalm 73:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 72:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πλὴν διὰ τὰς δολιότητας ἔθου αὐτοῗς κατέβαλες αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ ἐπαρθῆναι	πλὴν διὰ τὰς δολιότητας αὐτῶν ἔθου αὐτοῖς κακά, κατέβαλες αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ ἐπαρθῆναι
Psalm 72:18 (NETS)	Psalm 72:18 (English Elpenor)
But on account of deceits, you set for them; you brought them down, when they were raised up.	Surely thou hast appointed [judgments] to them because of their crafty dealings: thou hast cast them down when they were lifted up.

Psalm 73:19 (Tanakh)	Psalm 73:19 (KJV)	Psalm 73:19 (NET)
How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.	How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.	How desolate they become in a mere moment. Terrifying judgments make their demise complete.

Psalm 73:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 72:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πῶς ἐγένοντο εἰς ἐρήμωσιν ἐξάπινα ἐξέλιπον ἀπώλοντο διὰ τὴν ἀνομίαν αὐτῶν	πῶς ἐγένοντο εἰς ἐρήμωσιν ἐξάπινα· ἐξέλιπον, ἀπώλοντο διὰ τὴν ἀνομίαν αὐτῶν
Psalm 72:19 (NETS)	Psalm 72:19 (English Elpenor)
How they became desolate in a moment! They failed; they perished on account of their lawlessness.	How have they become desolate! suddenly they have failed: they have perished because of their iniquity.

Psalm 73:20 (Tanakh)	Psalm 73:20 (KJV)	Psalm 73:20 (NET)
As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.	As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.	They are like a dream after one wakes up. O Lord, when you awake you will despise them.

Psalm 73:20 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 72:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡσεὶ ἐνύπνιον ἐξεγειρομένου κύριε ἐν τῇ πόλει σου τὴν εἰκόνα αὐτῶν ἐξουδενώσεις	ὡσεὶ ἐνύπνιον ἐξεγειρομένου, Κύριε, ἐν τῇ πόλει σου τὴν εἰκόνα αὐτῶν ἐξουδενώσεις
Psalm 72:20 (NETS)	Psalm 72:20 (English Elpenor)
Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, in your city you will depise their phantom.	As the dream of one awakening, O Lord, in thy city thou wilt despise their image.

Philippians 4:12, 13 (NET)	Philippians 4:12, 13 (KJV)
I have experienced times of need and times of abundance. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment, whether I go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing.	I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
οἶδα καὶ ταπεινοῦσθαι, οἶδα καὶ περισσεύειν· ἐν παντὶ καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν μεμύημαι, καὶ χορτάζεσθαι καὶ πεινᾶν καὶ περισσεύειν καὶ ὑστερεῖσθαι	οιδα δε ταπεινουσθαι οιδα και περισσευειν εν παντι και εν πασιν μεμυημαι και χορταζεσθαι και πειναν και περισσευειν και υστερεισθαι	οιδα και ταπεινουσθαι οιδα και περισσευειν εν παντι και εν πασιν μεμυημαι και χορταζεσθαι και πειναν και περισσευειν και υστερεισθαι

I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
πάντα ἰσχύω ἐν τῷ ἐνδυναμοῦντι με	παντα ισχυω εν τω ενδυναμουντι με χριστω	παντα ισχυω εν τω ενδυναμουντι με χριστω

Back to Romans, Part 41

Back to Torture, Part 4

Back to Romans, Part 62

Back to Atonement, Part 1

Back to Romans, Part 70

¹ 2 Samuel 12:11 (NET) Table

² 2 Samuel 21:1 (NET)

³ 1 Samuel 22 (NET)

⁴ Joshua 9:19 (NET)

⁵ Exodus 33:19; Romans 9:15 (NET)

⁶ 2 Samuel 21:3 (NET)

⁷ Exodus 20:5 (NET) Table

⁸ Galatians 4:21 (NKJV)

⁹ Romans 3:4 (NET)

¹⁰ Romans 8:28 (NET)

¹¹ Isaiah 1:18 (NKJV)

¹² Psalm 73:3 (NET)

¹³ Psalm 73:4-12 (NET)

¹⁴ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had καὶ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had δε.

¹⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had χριστω (KJV: Christ) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁶ Philippians 4:11b-13 (NET)

¹⁷ Psalm 73:13, 14 (NET)

¹⁸ Psalm 39:11 (NKJV)

¹⁹ Proverbs 1:23 (NET)

²⁰ Proverbs 1:24-26a (NET)

²¹ Proverbs 1:28-32 (NET)

²² Psalm 73:2 (NET)

²³ Proverbs 1:33 (NET)

²⁴ Proverbs 3:11 (NET)

²⁵ Proverbs 6:23 (NET)

²⁶ Proverbs 10:17 (NET)

²⁷ Proverbs 12:1 (NET)

²⁸ Proverbs 13:18 (NET)

²⁹ Proverbs 15:5 (NET)

³⁰ Proverbs 15:31 (NET)

³¹ Proverbs 15:32 (NET)

³² Proverbs 15:10 (NET)

³³ Proverbs 29:1 (NET)

³⁴ Mark 11:25 (NET) Table

³⁵ 1 Corinthians 1:24b (NET)

³⁶ Proverbs 1:26 (NET)

³⁷ Proverbs 1:26 (NETS)

³⁸ John 17:3b (NET)

³⁹ Proverbs 1:29 (NETS)

⁴⁰ Proverbs 1:31 (NET)

David’s Forgiveness, Part 12

Posted on September 19, 2012 by admin

Before David’s men marched out to…fight against Israel…in the forest of Ephraim,¹ The king gave this order to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: “For my sake deal gently with the young man Absalom.” Now the entire army was listening when the king gave all the leaders this order concerning Absalom.² Absalom and the army of Israel were defeated. Twenty thousand died; the forest consumed more soldiers than the sword devoured that day.³ Absalom’s head was caught in the branches of a tree as his mule ran off without him.

One of David’s warriors reported this to Joab. What! You saw this? Joab responded incredulously. Why didn’t you strike him down right on the spot? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a commemorative belt!⁴ The warrior responded that he wouldn’t disobey the King’s order for a thousand pieces of silver. Perhaps Abishai or Ittai would have obeyed David’s order. But Joab was the one who risked everything to bring Absalom back from exile. There was never any guarantee that David would respond good-naturedly to Joab’s lying actress. It was Joab’s barley that Absalom burned. And it was Joab who put everything on the line again to get Absalom back in David’s favor, from where Absalom won the loyalty of the citizens of Israel⁵ and rebelled against his father. Joab had had enough (2 Samuel 18:14b-16 NET).

He took three spears in his hand and thrust them into the middle of Absalom while he was still alive in the middle of the oak tree. Then ten soldiers who were Joab’s armor bearers struck Absalom and finished him off. Then Joab blew the trumpet and the army turned back from chasing Israel, for Joab had called for the army to halt.

I can’t tell if Absalom, retreating on his mule, outran his royal bodyguard or if all fifty men had already died or deserted him. But Absalom was alone and helpless when he faced Joab. Later, when David was exhausted in battle with the Philistines and Ishbi-Benob would have killed him, Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to David’s aid, striking the Philistine down and killing him.⁶ Abishai’s loyalty was unwavering despite the fact that David publicly rebuked him on two occasions for his desire to kill Shimei.⁷ Ever since David killed Goliath in single combat he inspired loyalty and even love⁸ in other fighting men, beginning with Saul’s son Jonathan. And considering Jonathan’s bravery in battle⁹ it seems almost providential that Goliath was left alive for David to fight and win a reputation.¹⁰

Two runners brought news of the victory of David’s warriors over Israel. David’s first concern was for Absalom, How is the young man Absalom?¹¹ The first runner didn’t know. The second replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who have plotted against you be like that young man!” The king then became very upset. He went up to the upper room over the gate and wept. As he went he said, “My son, Absalom! My son, my son, Absalom! If only I could have died in your place! Absalom, my son, my son!”¹²

So the victory of that day was turned to mourning as far as all the people were concerned. For the people heard on that day, “The king is grieved over his son.” That day the people stole away to go to the city the way people who are embarrassed steal away in fleeing from battle.¹³

Joab complained to David, Today you have embarrassed all your servants who have saved your life this day, as well as the lives of your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your concubines. You seem to love your enemies and hate your friends!¹⁴ This wasn’t quite accurate. David loved a son who became his enemy. He was still quite lethal to most of his enemies. But I can’t help but wonder what impact this story of the man after God’s own heart had on one twelve-year-old boy, the true son of David who would build a house for the Lord’s name.¹⁵ Is this where he understood his Father’s will (Matthew 5:43-45 NET)?

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you [Table], so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous [Table].”

Is this where He understood that He, unlike David, could die in our place?

Though I called the Old Testament a mnemonic device for the Lord Jesus, I’m not sure how I feel about it. Yes, before He was born as Jesus I believe He placed these cues in Scripture for Himself. I’m not sure that they triggered actual (electrical or chemical) memories so much as the faith to accept that He was the One who spoke to Moses, I tell you the solemn truth, before Abraham came into existence, I am!¹⁶ Could God implant actual memories into the boy Jesus? Yes. Would that be cheating? I don’t know.

When David returned to Jerusalem he took the ten concubines he had left to care for the palace and placed them under confinement (mišmereṯ, משמרת). Though he provided for their needs, he did not have sexual relations with them. They remained in confinement (ṣārar, צררות) until the day they died, living out the rest of their lives as widows.¹⁷ Translating these two different Hebrew words as confinement (See Addendum below) carries a kind of objective truth, but misses the nuance.

King Saul had eighty-five priests and their families killed when he found out that Ahimelech, one of the priests, gave David bread to eat and Goliath’s sword. Abiathar, Ahimelech’s son, escaped to tell David, who said, Stay with me. Don’t be afraid!…You are secure (mišmereṯ, משמרת) with me.¹⁸ This same Hebrew word was used for the protection lavished on the perfect¹⁹ Passover lamb, You must care (mišmereṯ, למשמרת) for it until the fourteenth day of this month...²⁰ It was also used of the food prepared on Friday and kept (mišmereṯ, למשמרת) until morning²¹ for eating on the Sabbath. So the first confinement of David’s concubines was protection from execution, whether for treason or adultery, the more customary penalty for cohabiting with kings.

I am terribly troubled (ṣārar, צר)! Saul replied to Samuel’s question, Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up? The specific trouble Saul mentioned was that the Philistines are fighting against me and God has turned away from me.²² I grieve (ṣārar, צר) over you, my brother Jonathan!²³ David lamented after his friend’s death in battle against the Philistines. So the second confinement is cognizant of the women’s distress, neither married nor free to be married.

I began the discussion of David’s sin with a defensive invitation to imagine David as a contemporary political figure rather than a religious icon in a religious story. I was a bit embarrassed about God’s forgiveness in this context. But now, after studying “David’s personal karma from the hand of Jesus,” and witnessing David’s faithfulness throughout, I am no longer embarrassed. God will prevail for forgiving David if judged by me.²⁴ Have I made that case for the reader?

That’s another matter entirely. The gulf between reading about someone knowing God and knowing God oneself might be unbridgeable. The best advice I received from J.I. Packer in his book Knowing God was to put his book down and pick up the Bible instead. And I pass that advice on to any readers of this blog. Stop reading this silly blog and begin to write your own. Mine is full of the idiosyncrasies of my personal struggle with sin and ignorance and unbelief.

I’ll keep writing because I’ll keep studying to know God. Writing keeps me honest about what I know and what I don’t know, what I think, what I believe. And I need this record to help me remember where I’ve been. The discipline of writing for a reader keeps me somewhat focused, more than my wandering mind apart from that discipline. Only God knows what vanity prompts me to make this diary public.

Addendum: May 31, 2021
Both מִשְׁמֶ֙רֶת֙ and צְרֻר֛וֹת are no longer translated confinement in the NET:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
2 Samuel 20:3 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 20:3 (NET)	2 Reigns 20:3 (NETS)	2 Kings 20:3 (English Elpenor)
And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward (מִשְׁמֶ֙רֶת֙), and provided them with sustenance, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up (צְרֻר֛וֹת) unto the day of their death, in widowhood, with their husband alive.	Then David went to his palace in Jerusalem. The king took the 10 concubines he had left to care for the palace and placed them under confinement (mišmereṯ, משמרת). Though he provided for their needs, he did not sleep with them. They remained under restriction (ṣārar, צררות) until the day they died, living out the rest of their lives as widows.	And Dauid entered into his house in Ierousalem, and the king took the ten women, his concubines, whom he left to keep the house, and gave them over into a house under guard (φυλακῆς) and supported them but did not go in to them. And they were shut up (συνεχόμεναι) until the day of their death, living as widows.	And David went into his house at Jerusalem: and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and he put them in a place of custody (φυλακῆς), and maintained them, and went not in to them; and they were kept (συνεχόμεναι) living as widows, till the day of their death.

The other occurrences cited are worth comparing in the Greek:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
1 Samuel 22:23 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 22:23 (NET)	1 Reigns 22:23 (NETS)	1 Kings 22:23 (English Elpenor)
Abide thou with me, fear not; for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life; for with me thou shalt be in safeguard (מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת).’	Stay with me. Don’t be afraid. Whoever seeks my life is seeking your life as well. You are secure (mišmereṯ, משמרת) with me.”	Stay with me; do not be afraid; for where I shall seek a place for my life, I shall also seek one for your life, for you are safe (πεφύλαξαι) with me.	Dwell with me; fear not, for wherever I shall seek a place [of safety] for my life, I will also seek a place for thy life, for thou art safely guarded (πεφύλαξαι) [while] with me.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Exodus 12:6 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:6 (NET)	Exodus 12:6 (NETS)	Exodus 12:6 (English Elpenor)
and ye shall keep (לְמִשְׁמֶ֔רֶת) it unto the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at dusk.	You must care (mišmereṯ, למשמרת) for it until the fourteenth day of this month, and then the whole community of Israel will kill it around sundown.	And it shall be kept (διατετηρημένον) for you until the fourteenth of this month, and all the multitude of the congregation of the sons of Israel shall slay it towards evening.	And it shall be kept (διατετηρημένον) by you till the fourteenth of this month, and all the multitude of the congregation of the children of Israel shall kill it toward evening.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Exodus 16:23 (Tanakh)	Exodus 16:23 (NET)	Exodus 16:23 (NETS)	Exodus 16:23 (English Elpenor)
And he said unto them: ‘This is that which HaShem hath spoken: To-morrow is a solemn rest, a holy sabbath unto HaShem. Bake that which ye will bake, and seethe that which ye will seethe; and all that remaineth over lay up for you to be kept (לְמִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת) until the morning.’	He said to them, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Tomorrow is a time of cessation from work, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Whatever you want to bake, bake today; whatever you want to boil, boil today; whatever is left put aside for yourselves to be kept (mišmereṯ, למשמרת) until morning.’”	And Moyses said to them, “This is the word that the Lord spoke: Tomorrow is Sabbata, a rest holy to the Lord. Whatever you bake, bake, and whatever you boil, boil. And all the excess, leave it in storage (ἀποθήκην) until the morning.”	And Moses said to them, Is not this the word which the Lord spoke? Tomorrow [is] the sabbath, a holy rest to the Lord: bake that ye will bake, and seethe that ye will seethe, and all that is over leave to be laid by (ἀποθήκην) for the morrow.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
1 Samuel 28:15 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 28:15 (NET)	1 Reigns 28:15 (NETS)	1 Kings 28:15 (English Elpenor)
And Samuel said to Saul: ‘Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up?’ And Saul answered: ‘I am sore distressed (צַר); for the Philistines make war against me, and G-d is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams; therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.’	Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul replied, “I am terribly troubled (ṣārar, צר)! The Philistines are fighting against me and God has turned away from me. He does not answer me anymore—not by the prophets nor by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what I should do.”	And Samouel said, “Why did you disturb me that I ascend?” And Saoul said, “I am greatly distressed (θλίβομαι), and the allophyles are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and no longer heeds me, either by the hand of prophets or by dreams, and now I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.”	And Samuel said, Why hast thou troubled me, that I should come up? And Saul said, I am greatly distressed (θλίβομαι), and the Philistines war against me, and God has departed from me, and no longer hearkens to me either by the hand of the prophets or by dreams: and now I have called thee to tell me what I shall do.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
2 Samuel 1:26 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 1:26 (NET)	2 Reigns 1:26 (NETS)	2 Kings 1:26 (English Elpenor)
I am distressed (צַר) for thee, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant hast thou been unto me; wonderful was thy love to me, passing the love of women.	I grieve (ṣārar, צר) over you, my brother Jonathan. You were very dear to me. Your love was more special to me than the love of women.	I grieve (ἀλγῶ) for you, my brother Ionathan; you were made very beautiful to me; your love to me was wonderful, beyond women’s love.	I am grieved (ἀλγῶ) for thee, my brother Jonathan; thou wast very lovely to me; thy love to me was wonderful beyond the love of women.

Tables comparing 2 Samuel 18:6; 18:5; 18:8; 18:11; 18:14; 18:15; 18:16; 21:17; 18:29; 18:32; 18:33 (19:1); 19:2 (19:3); 19:3 (19:4); 19:5 (19:6); 19:6 (19:7); 20:3; 1 Samuel 22:23; Exodus 12:6 and 2 Samuel 1:26 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 18:6; 18:5; 18:8; 18:11; 18:14; 18:15; 18:16; 21:17; 18:29; 18:32; 18:33 (19:1); 19:2 (19:3); 19:3 (19:4); 19:5 (19:6); 19:6 (19:7); 20:3; 1 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 22:23; Exodus 12:6 and 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 1:26 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

2 Samuel 18:6 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 18:6 (KJV)	2 Samuel 18:6 (NET)
So the people went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.	So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;	Then the army marched out to the field to fight against Israel. The battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.

2 Samuel 18:6 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 18:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐξῆλθεν πᾶς ὁ λαὸς εἰς τὸν δρυμὸν ἐξ ἐναντίας Ισραηλ καὶ ἐγένετο ὁ πόλεμος ἐν τῷ δρυμῷ Εφραιμ	καὶ ἐξῆλθε πᾶς ὁ λαὸς εἰς τὸν δρυμὸν ἐξεναντίας ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ ἐγένετο ὁ πόλεμος ἐν τῷ δρυμῷ ᾿Εφραίμ
2 Reigns 18:6 (NETS)	2 Kings 18:6 (English Elpenor)
And all the people went out into the forest opposite Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.	And all the people went out into the wood against Israel; and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim.

2 Samuel 18:5 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 18:5 (KJV)	2 Samuel 18:5 (NET)
And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying: ‘Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom.’ And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.	And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.	The king gave this order to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: “For my sake deal gently with the young man Absalom.” Now the entire army was listening when the king gave all the leaders this order concerning Absalom.

2 Samuel 18:5 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 18:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐνετείλατο ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Ιωαβ καὶ τῷ Αβεσσα καὶ τῷ Εθθι λέγων φείσασθέ μοι τοῦ παιδαρίου τοῦ Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἤκουσεν ἐντελλομένου τοῦ βασιλέως πᾶσιν τοῗς ἄρχουσιν ὑπὲρ Αβεσσαλωμ	καὶ ἐνετείλατο ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ ᾿Ιωὰβ καὶ τῷ ᾿Αβεσσὰ καὶ τῷ ᾿Εθὶ λέγων· φείσασθέ μοι τοῦ παιδαρίου τοῦ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἤκουσεν ἐντελλομένου τοῦ βασιλέως πᾶσι τοῖς ἄρχουσιν ὑπὲρ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ
2 Reigns 18:5 (NETS)	2 Kings 18:5 (English Elpenor)
And the king commanded Ioab and Abessa and Eththi, saying, “Spare for my sake the lad Abessalom.” And all the people heard when the king commanded all the commanders concerning Abessalom.	And the king commanded Joab and Abessa and Ethi, saying, Spare for my sake the young man Abessalom. And all the people heard the king charging all the commanders concerning Abessalom.

2 Samuel 18:8 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 18:8 (KJV)	2 Samuel 18:8 (NET)
For the battle was there spread over the face of all the country; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.	For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.	The battle there was spread out over the whole area, and the forest consumed more soldiers than the sword devoured that day.

2 Samuel 18:8 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 18:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγένετο ἐκεῗ ὁ πόλεμος διεσπαρμένος ἐπὶ πρόσωπον πάσης τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐπλεόνασεν ὁ δρυμὸς τοῦ καταφαγεῗν ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ ὑπὲρ οὓς κατέφαγεν ἐν τῷ λαῷ ἡ μάχαιρα ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ	καὶ ἐγένετο ἐκεῖ ὁ πόλεμος διεσπαρμένος ἐπὶ πρόσωπον πάσης τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἐπλεόνασεν ὁ δρυμὸς τοῦ καταφαγεῖν ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ ὑπὲρ οὓς κατέφαγεν ἐν τῷ λαῷ ἡ μάχαιρα τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ
2 Reigns 18:8 (NETS)	2 Kings 18:8 (English Elpenor)
And the battle took place there, spread about over the face of the country, and the forest exceeded in devouring of the people more than those whom the dagger devoured among the people in that day,	And the battle there was scattered over the face of all the land: and the wood consumed more of the people than the sword consumed among the people in that day.

2 Samuel 18:11 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 18:11 (KJV)	2 Samuel 18:11 (NET)
And Joab said unto the man that told him: ‘And, behold, thou sawest it, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have had to give thee ten pieces of silver, and a girdle.’	And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle.	Joab replied to the man who was telling him this, “What! You saw this? Why didn’t you strike him down right on the spot? I would have given you 10 pieces of silver and a commemorative belt!”

2 Samuel 18:11 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 18:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Ιωαβ τῷ ἀνδρὶ τῷ ἀπαγγέλλοντι καὶ ἰδοὺ ἑόρακας τί ὅτι οὐκ ἐπάταξας αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν γῆν καὶ ἐγὼ ἂν δεδώκειν σοι δέκα ἀργυρίου καὶ παραζώνην μίαν	καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Ιωὰβ τῷ ἀνδρὶ τῷ ἀναγγέλλοντι αὐτῷ· καὶ ἰδοὺ ἑώρακας· τί ὅτι οὐκ ἐπάταξας αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ εἰς τὴν γῆν; καὶ ἐγὼ ἂν ἐδεδώκειν σοι δέκα ἀργυρίου καὶ παραζώνην μίαν
2 Reigns 18:11 (NETS)	2 Kings 18:11 (English Elpenor)
And Ioab said to the man who told, “And behold, you have seen! Why is is that you did not strike him to the ground? And I would have given you ten pieces of silver and one belt.”	And Joab said to the man who reported it to him, And, behold, thou didst see him: why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten [pieces] of silver, and a girdle.

2 Samuel 18:14 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 18:14 (KJV)	2 Samuel 18:14 (NET)
Then said Joab: ‘I may not tarry thus with thee.’ And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the terebinth.	Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.	Joab replied, “I will not wait around like this for you!” He took three spears in his hand and thrust them into the middle of Absalom while he was still alive in the middle of the oak tree.

2 Samuel 18:14 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 18:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Ιωαβ τοῦτο ἐγὼ ἄρξομαι οὐχ οὕτως μενῶ ἐνώπιόν σου καὶ ἔλαβεν Ιωαβ τρία βέλη ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐνέπηξεν αὐτὰ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ Αβεσσαλωμ ἔτι αὐτοῦ ζῶντος ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ τῆς δρυὸς	καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ᾿Ιωάβ· τοῦτο ἐγὼ ἄρξομαι· οὐχ οὕτως μενῶ ἐνώπιόν σου. καὶ ἔλαβεν ᾿Ιωὰβ τρία βέλη ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐνέπηξεν αὐτὰ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ ἔτι αὐτοῦ ζῶντος ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ τῆς δρυός
2 Reigns 18:14 (NETS)	2 Kings 18:14 (English Elpenor)
And Ioab said, “I will begin this; I will not wait thus in your sight.” And Ioab took three spears in his hand and planted them in the heart of Abessalom, while he was still alive in the heart of the oak.	And Joab said, I will begin this; I will not thus remain with thee. And Joab took three darts in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Abessalom, while he was yet alive in the heart of the oak.

2 Samuel 18:15 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 18:15 (KJV)	2 Samuel 18:15 (NET)
And ten young men that bore Joab’s armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.	And ten young men that bare Joab’s armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.	Then 10 soldiers who were Joab’s armor-bearers struck Absalom and finished him off.

2 Samuel 18:15 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 18:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐκύκλωσαν δέκα παιδάρια αἴροντα τὰ σκεύη Ιωαβ καὶ ἐπάταξαν τὸν Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ ἐθανάτωσαν αὐτόν	καὶ ἐκύκλωσαν δέκα παιδάρια αἴροντα τὰ σκεύη ᾿Ιωὰβ καὶ ἐπάταξαν τὸν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ καὶ ἐθανάτωσαν αὐτόν
2 Reigns 18:15 (NETS)	2 Kings 18:15 (English Elpenor)
And ten lads bearing the weapons of Ioab surrounded and struck Abessalom and put him to death.	And ten young men that bore Joab’s armour compassed Abessalom, and smote him and slew him.

2 Samuel 18:16 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 18:16 (KJV)	2 Samuel 18:16 (NET)
And Joab blew the horn, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held back the people.	And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.	Then Joab blew the trumpet and the army turned back from chasing Israel, for Joab had called for the army to halt.

2 Samuel 18:16 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 18:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐσάλπισεν Ιωαβ ἐν κερατίνῃ καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν ὁ λαὸς τοῦ μὴ διώκειν ὀπίσω Ισραηλ ὅτι ἐφείδετο Ιωαβ τοῦ λαοῦ	καὶ ἐσάλπισεν ᾿Ιωὰβ ἐν κερατίνῃ, καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν ὁ λαὸς τοῦ μὴ διώκειν ὀπίσω ᾿Ισραήλ, ὅτι ἐφείδετο ᾿Ιωὰβ τοῦ λαοῦ
2 Reigns 18:16 (NETS)	2 Kings 18:16 (English Elpenor)
And Ioab trumpeted with a horn, and the people turned back in order not to pursue after Israel, for Ioab was sparing the people.	And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab spared the people.

2 Samuel 21:17 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 21:17 (KJV)	2 Samuel 21:17 (NET)
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David swore unto him, saying: ‘Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the lamp of Israel.’	But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.	But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to David’s aid, striking the Philistine down and killing him. Then David’s men took an oath saying, “You will not go out to battle with us again! You must not extinguish the lamp of Israel!”

2 Samuel 21:17 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 21:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐβοήθησεν αὐτῷ Αβεσσα υἱὸς Σαρουιας καὶ ἐπάταξεν τὸν ἀλλόφυλον καὶ ἐθανάτωσεν αὐτόν τότε ὤμοσαν οἱ ἄνδρες Δαυιδ λέγοντες οὐκ ἐξελεύσῃ ἔτι μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν εἰς πόλεμον καὶ οὐ μὴ σβέσῃς τὸν λύχνον Ισραηλ	καὶ ἐβοήθησεν αὐτῷ ᾿Αβεσσὰ υἱὸς Σαρουΐας καὶ ἐπάταξε τὸν ἀλλόφυλον καὶ ἐθανάτωσεν αὐτόν. τότε ὤμοσαν οἱ ἄνδρες Δαυὶδ λέγοντες· οὐκ ἐξελεύσῃ ἔτι μεθ’ ἡμῶν εἰς πόλεμον καὶ οὐ μὴ σβέσῃς τὸν λύχνον ᾿Ισραήλ
2 Reigns 21:17 (NETS)	2 Kings 21:17 (English Elpenor)
But Abessa son of Sarouia came to his aid and struck the allophyle and put him to death. The the men of Dauid swore, saying, “You shall no longer go out with us to battle, and you shall not quench the lamp of Israel.”	And Abessa the son of Saruia helped him and smote the Philistine, and slew him. Then the men of David swore, saying, Thou shalt not any longer go out with us to battle, and thou shalt not quench the lamp of Israel.

2 Samuel 18:29 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 18:29 (KJV)	2 Samuel 18:29 (NET)
And the king said: ‘Is it well with the young man Absalom?’ And Ahimaaz answered: ‘When Joab sent the king’s servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.’	And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king’s servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.	The king replied, “How is the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz replied, “I saw a great deal of confusion when Joab was sending the king’s servant and me, your servant, but I don’t know what it was all about.”

2 Samuel 18:29 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 18:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς εἰρήνη τῷ παιδαρίῳ τῷ Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ εἶπεν Αχιμαας εἶδον τὸ πλῆθος τὸ μέγα τοῦ ἀποστεῗλαι τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ βασιλέως Ιωαβ καὶ τὸν δοῦλόν σου καὶ οὐκ ἔγνων τί ἐκεῗ	καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς· εἰρήνη τῷ παιδαρίῳ τῷ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ; καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αχιμάας· εἶδον τὸ πλῆθος τὸ μέγα τοῦ ἀποστεῖλαι τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ βασιλέως ᾿Ιωὰβ καὶ τὸν δοῦλόν σου, καὶ οὐκ ἔγνων τί ἐκεῖ
2 Reigns 18:29 (NETS)	2 Kings 18:29 (English Elpenor)
And the king said, “Is there peace for the lad Abesalom?” And Achimaas said, “I saw the great multitude, so that Ioab sent of the slave of the king, even your slave, but I knew not what was there.”	And the king said, [Is] the young man Abessalom safe? and Achimaas said, I saw a great multitude [at the time] of Joab’s sending the king’s servant and thy servant, and I knew not what was there.

2 Samuel 18:32 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 18:32 (KJV)	2 Samuel 18:32 (NET)
And the king said unto the Cushite: ‘Is it well with the young man Absalom?’ And the Cushite answered: ‘The enemies of my lord the king and all that rise up against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.’	And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.	And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.

2 Samuel 18:32 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 18:32 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς τὸν Χουσι εἰ εἰρήνη τῷ παιδαρίῳ τῷ Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Χουσι γένοιντο ὡς τὸ παιδάριον οἱ ἐχθροὶ τοῦ κυρίου μου τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ πάντες ὅσοι ἐπανέστησαν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν εἰς κακά	καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς τὸν Χουσί· εἰ εἰρήνη τῷ παιδαρίῳ τῷ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ; καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Χουσί· γένοιντο ὡς τὸ παιδάριον οἱ ἐχθροὶ τοῦ κυρίου μου τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ πάντες, ὅσοι ἐπανέστησαν ἐπ’ αὐτὸν εἰς κακά
2 Reigns 18:32 (NETS)	2 Kings 18:32 (English Elpenor)
And the king said to Chousi, “Is there peace for the lad Abessalom?” And Chousi said, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rose up against him for evil, be like the lad.”	And the king said to Chusi, Is it well with the young man Abessalom? and Chusi said, Let the enemies of my lord the king, and all whosoever have risen up against him for evil, be as that young man.

2 Samuel 19:1 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 18:33 (KJV)	2 Samuel 18:33 (NET)
And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went, thus he said: ‘O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!’	And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!	The king then became very upset. He went up to the upper room over the gate and wept. As he went he said, “My son, Absalom! My son, my son, Absalom! If only I could have died in your place! Absalom, my son, my son!”

2 Samuel 18:33 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 18:33 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐταράχθη ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ ἀνέβη εἰς τὸ ὑπερῷον τῆς πύλης καὶ ἔκλαυσεν καὶ οὕτως εἶπεν ἐν τῷ πορεύεσθαι αὐτόν υἱέ μου Αβεσσαλωμ υἱέ μου υἱέ μου Αβεσσαλωμ τίς δῴη τὸν θάνατόν μου ἀντὶ σοῦ ἐγὼ ἀντὶ σοῦ Αβεσσαλωμ υἱέ μου υἱέ μου	καὶ ἐταράχθη ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ ἀνέβη εἰς τὸ ὑπερῷον τῆς πύλης καὶ ἔκλαυσε· καὶ οὕτως εἶπεν ἐν τῷ πορεύεσθαι αὐτόν· υἱέ μου ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ, υἱέ μου, υἱέ μου ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ, τίς δῴη τὸν θάνατόν μου ἀντὶ σοῦ; ἐγὼ ἀντὶ σοῦ, ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ, υἱέ μου υἱέ μου
2 Reigns 19:1 (NETS)	2 Kings 18:33 (English Elpenor)
And the king was troubled and went up to the upper chamber of the gate and wept, and thus he said, as he went, “O my son Abessalom, my son, my son Abessalom! Who would give my death instead of you, I instead of you? O Abessalom, my son, my son!”	And the king was troubled, and went to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and thus he said as he went, My son Abessalom, my son, my son Abessalom; would God I had died for thee, [even] I [had died] for thee, Abessalom, my son, my son!

2 Samuel 19:3 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 19:2 (KJV)	2 Samuel 19:2 (NET)
And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people; for the people heard say that day: ‘The king grieveth for his son.’	And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son.	So the victory of that day was turned to mourning as far as all the people were concerned. For the people heard on that day, “The king is grieved over his son.”

2 Samuel 19:2 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 19:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγένετο ἡ σωτηρία ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ εἰς πένθος παντὶ τῷ λαῷ ὅτι ἤκουσεν ὁ λαὸς ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ λέγων ὅτι λυπεῗται ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ τῷ υἱῷ αὐτοῦ	καὶ ἐγένετο ἡ σωτηρία ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ εἰς πένθος παντὶ τῷ λαῷ, ὅτι ἤκουσεν ὁ λαὸς ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ λέγων, ὅτι λυπεῖται ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ τῷ υἱῷ αὐτοῦ
2 Reigns 19:3 (NETS)	2 Kings 19:2 (English Elpenor)
And the deliverence in that day turned into mourning for all the people, for the people heard in that day, saying, “The king is grieving for his son.”	And the victory was turned that day into mourning to all the people, for the people heard say that day, The king grieves after his son.

2 Samuel 19:4 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 19:3 (KJV)	2 Samuel 19:3 (NET)
And the people got them by stealth that day into the city, as people that are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.	And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.	That day the people stole away to go to the city the way people who are embarrassed steal away in fleeing from battle.

2 Samuel 19:3 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 19:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ διεκλέπτετο ὁ λαὸς ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ τοῦ εἰσελθεῗν εἰς τὴν πόλιν καθὼς διακλέπτεται ὁ λαὸς οἱ αἰσχυνόμενοι ἐν τῷ αὐτοὺς φεύγειν ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ	καὶ διεκλέπτετο ὁ λαὸς ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ τοῦ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καθὼς διακλέπτεται ὁ λαὸς οἱ αἰσχυνόμενοι ἐν τῷ αὐτοὺς φεύγειν ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ
2 Reigns 19:4 (NETS)	2 Kings 19:3 (English Elpenor)
And the people kept stealing away in that day to enter into the city, as people steal away who are ashamed when they flee in battle.	And the people stole away that day to go into the city, as people steal away when they are ashamed as they flee in the battle.

2 Samuel 19:6 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 19:5 (KJV)	2 Samuel 19:5 (NET)
And Joab came into the house to the king, and said: ‘Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, who this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;	And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;	So Joab visited the king at his home. He said, “Today you have embarrassed all your servants who have saved your life this day, as well as the lives of your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your concubines.

2 Samuel 19:5 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 19:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Ιωαβ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα εἰς τὸν οἶκον καὶ εἶπεν κατῄσχυνας σήμερον τὸ πρόσωπον πάντων τῶν δούλων σου τῶν ἐξαιρουμένων σε σήμερον καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν τῶν υἱῶν σου καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων σου καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν τῶν γυναικῶν σου καὶ τῶν παλλακῶν σου	καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ᾿Ιωὰβ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα εἰς τὸν οἶκον καὶ εἶπε· κατῄσχυνας σήμερον τὰ πρόσωπα πάντων τῶν δούλων σου τῶν ἐξαιρουμένων σε σήμερον καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν τῶν υἱῶν σου καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων σου καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν τῶν γυναικῶν σου καὶ τῶν παλλακῶν σου
2 Reigns 19:6 (NETS)	2 Kings 19:5 (English Elpenor)
And Ioab went in to the king into the house and said, “Today you covered with shame the face of all your slaves who delivered you today, and the life of your sons and your daughters and the life of your wives and your concubines,	And Joab went in to the king, into the house, and said, Thou hast this day shamed the faces of all thy servants that have delivered thee this day, and [have saved] the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and of thy concubines,

2 Samuel 19:7 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 19:6 (KJV)	2 Samuel 19:6 (NET)
in that thou lovest them that hate thee, and hatest them that love thee. For thou hast declared this day, that princes and servants are nought unto thee; for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.	In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.	You seem to love your enemies and hate your friends! For you have as much as declared today that leaders and servants don’t matter to you. I realize now that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, it would be all right with you.

2 Samuel 19:6 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 19:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τοῦ ἀγαπᾶν τοὺς μισοῦντάς σε καὶ μισεῗν τοὺς ἀγαπῶντάς σε καὶ ἀνήγγειλας σήμερον ὅτι οὔκ εἰσιν οἱ ἄρχοντές σου οὐδὲ παῗδες ὅτι ἔγνωκα σήμερον ὅτι εἰ Αβεσσαλωμ ἔζη πάντες ἡμεῗς σήμερον νεκροί ὅτι τότε τὸ εὐθὲς ἦν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῗς σου	τοῦ ἀγαπᾶν τοὺς μισοῦντάς σε καὶ μισεῖν τοὺς ἀγαπῶντάς σε καὶ ἀνήγγειλας σήμερον ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν οἱ ἄρχοντές σου, οὐδὲ παῖδες· ὅτι ἔγνωκα σήμερον ὅτι εἰ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ ἔζη, πάντες ἡμεῖς σήμερον νεκροί, ὅτι τότε τὸ εὐθὲς ἦν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς σου
2 Reigns 19:7 (NETS)	2 Kings 19:6 (English Elpenor)
to love those who hate you and to hate those who love you. And you proclaimed today that neither your commanders nor servants exist, for I have perceived today that if Abessalom were alive, all of us would be dead today, then it would have been the right thing in your sight.	forasmuch as thou lovest them that hate thee, and hatest them that love thee; and thou hast this day declared, that thy princes and thy servants are nothing [in thy sight]: for I know this day, that if Abessalom were alive, [and] all of us dead to-day, then it would have been right in thy sight.

2 Samuel 20:3 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 20:3 (KJV)	2 Samuel 20:3 (NET)
And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and provided them with sustenance, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, in widowhood, with their husband alive.	And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.	Then David went to his palace in Jerusalem. The king took the 10 concubines he had left to care for the palace and placed them under confinement. Though he provided for their needs, he did not sleep with them. They remained under restriction until the day they died, living out the rest of their lives as widows.

2 Samuel 20:3 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 20:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Δαυιδ εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ εἰς Ιερουσαλημ καὶ ἔλαβεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὰς δέκα γυναῗκας τὰς παλλακὰς αὐτοῦ ἃς ἀφῆκεν φυλάσσειν τὸν οἶκον καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὰς ἐν οἴκῳ φυλακῆς καὶ διέθρεψεν αὐτὰς καὶ πρὸς αὐτὰς οὐκ εἰσῆλθεν καὶ ἦσαν συνεχόμεναι ἕως ἡμέρας θανάτου αὐτῶν χῆραι ζῶσαι	καὶ εἰσῆλθε Δαυὶδ εἰς οἶκον αὐτοῦ εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ ἔλαβεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὰς δέκα γυναῖκας τὰς παλλακὰς αὐτοῦ, ἃς ἀφῆκε φυλάσσειν τὸν οἶκον, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὰς ἐν οἴκῳ φυλακῆς καὶ διέθρεψεν αὐτὰς καὶ πρὸς αὐτὰς οὐκ εἰσῆλθε, καὶ ἦσαν συνεχόμεναι ἕως θανάτου αὐτῶν, χῆραι ζῶσαι
2 Reigns 20:3 (NETS)	2 Kings 20:3 (English Elpenor)
And Dauid entered into his house in Ierousalem, and the king took the ten women, his concubines, whom he left to keep the house, and gave them over into a house under guard and supported them but did not go in to them. And they were shut up until the day of their death, living as widows.	And David went into his house at Jerusalem: and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and he put them in a place of custody, and maintained them, and went not in to them; and they were kept living as widows, till the day of their death.

1 Samuel 22:23 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 22:23 (KJV)	1 Samuel 22:23 (NET)
Abide thou with me, fear not; for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life; for with me thou shalt be in safeguard.’	Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.	Stay with me. Don’t be afraid. Whoever seeks my life is seeking your life as well. You are secure with me.”

1 Samuel 22:23 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 22:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
κάθου μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ μὴ φοβοῦ ὅτι οὗ ἐὰν ζητῶ τῇ ψυχῇ μου τόπον ζητήσω καὶ τῇ ψυχῇ σου ὅτι πεφύλαξαι σὺ παρ᾽ ἐμοί	κάθου μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ, μὴ φοβοῦ, ὅτι οὗ ἐὰν ζητῶ τῇ ψυχῇ μου τόπον, ζητήσω καὶ τῇ ψυχῇ σου, ὅτι πεφύλαξαι σὺ παρ᾿ ἐμοί
1 Reigns 22:23 (NETS)	1 Kings 22:23 (English Elpenor)
Stay with me; do not be afraid; for where I shall seek a place for my life, I shall also seek one for your life, for you are safe with me.	Dwell with me; fear not, for wherever I shall seek a place [of safety] for my life, I will also seek a place for thy life, for thou art safely guarded [while] with me.

Exodus 12:6 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:6 (KJV)	Exodus 12:6 (NET)
and ye shall keep it unto the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at dusk.	And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.	You must care for it until the fourteenth day of this month, and then the whole community of Israel will kill it around sundown.

Exodus 12:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 12:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔσται ὑμῗν διατετηρημένον ἕως τῆς τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτης τοῦ μηνὸς τούτου καὶ σφάξουσιν αὐτὸ πᾶν τὸ πλῆθος συναγωγῆς υἱῶν Ισραηλ πρὸς ἑσπέραν	καὶ ἔσται ὑμῖν διατετηρημένον ἕως τῆς τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτης τοῦ μηνὸς τούτου, καὶ σφάξουσιν αὐτὸ πᾶν τὸ πλῆθος συναγωγῆς υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ πρὸς ἑσπέραν
Exodus 12:6 (NETS)	Exodus 12:6 (English Elpenor)
And it shall be kept for you until the fourteenth of this month, and all the multitude of the congregation of the sons of Israel shall slay it towards evening.	And it shall be kept by you till the fourteenth of this month, and all the multitude of the congregation of the children of Israel shall kill it toward evening.

2 Samuel 1:26 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 1:26 (KJV)	2 Samuel 1:26 (NET)
I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant hast thou been unto me; wonderful was thy love to me, passing the love of women.	I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.	I grieve over you, my brother Jonathan. You were very dear to me. Your love was more special to me than the love of women.

2 Samuel 1:26 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 1:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀλγῶ ἐπὶ σοί ἄδελφέ μου Ιωναθαν ὡραιώθης μοι σφόδρα ἐθαυμαστώθη ἡ ἀγάπησίς σου ἐμοὶ ὑπὲρ ἀγάπησιν γυναικῶν	ἀλγῶ ἐπὶ σοί, ἀδελφέ μου ᾿Ιωνάθαν· ὡραιώθης μοι σφόδρα, ἐθαυμαστώθη ἡ ἀγάπησίς σου ἐμοὶ ὑπὲρ ἀγάπησιν γυναικῶν
2 Reigns 1:26 (NETS)	2 Kings 1:26 (English Elpenor)
I grieve for you, my brother Ionathan; you were made very beautiful to me; your love to me was wonderful, beyond women’s love.	I am grieved for thee, my brother Jonathan; thou wast very lovely to me; thy love to me was wonderful beyond the love of women.

David’s Forgiveness, Part 13

Back to Atonement, Part 1

Back to Father, Forgive Them, Part 3

¹ 2 Samuel 18:6 (NET)

² 2 Samuel 18:5 (NET)

³ 2 Samuel 18:8b (NET)

⁴ 2 Samuel 18:11 (NET)

⁵ 2 Samuel 15:6 (NET) Table

⁶ 2 Samuel 21:17 (NET)

⁷ 2 Samuel 16:9-12; 19:21-23 (NET)

⁸ 1 Samuel 18:1 (NET)

⁹ 1 Samuel 14:1-48 (NET)

¹⁰ 1 Samuel 17 (NET)

¹¹ 2 Samuel 18:29 (NET)

¹² 2 Samuel 18:32, 33 (NET)

¹³ 2 Samuel 19:2, 3 (NET)

¹⁴ 2 Samuel 19:5, 6a (NET)

¹⁵ 2 Samuel 7:11-13 (NET)

¹⁶ John 8:58 (NET) Table

¹⁷ 2 Samuel 20:3 (NET)

¹⁸ 1 Samuel 22:23 (NET)

¹⁹ Exodus 12:5 (NET)

²⁰ Exodus 12:6 (NET)

²¹ Exodus 16:23 (NET) Table

²² 1 Samuel 28:15 (NET) Table

²³ 2 Samuel 1:26 (NET)

²⁴ Romans 3:4 (NET)

David’s Forgiveness, Part 11

Posted on September 16, 2012 by admin

Now the Lord had decided to frustrate the sound advice of Ahithophel, so that the Lord could bring disaster on Absalom.¹ I want to keep this in mind as I continue, just in case the NET translators are right to have translated the Hebrew word sound advice here, the same word they translated twice earlier in the same verse as simply advice (See Addendum below).

Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me pick out twelve thousand men. Then I will go and pursue David this very night.”² I will concede that to pursue David immediately was probably the wisest course of action on the horizontal plane (if one had decided without possibility of repentance to pursue the Lord’s chosen or anointed one). When I catch up with him he will be exhausted and worn out,³ Ahithophel continued. That was true, and probably would have given Ahithophel a 50-50 chance of defeating David and his men, if God died suddenly overnight. It seems to me, however, that the answer to David’s prayer is clear in the foolishness of the rest of Ahithophel’s advice.

I will rout him, and the entire army that is with him will flee, Ahithophel continued, spewing nothing but bravado. I will kill only the king and will bring the entire army back to you.⁴ Did he know David at all? or the loyalty he inspired in his men?

David once made an idle comment in the hearing of some of his men, How I wish someone would give me some water to drink from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate!⁵ The Philistines were garrisoned in Bethlehem at the time. So three of David’s elite warriors broke through the Philistine forces and drew some water from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate. They carried it back to David…⁶ A lesser commander might have thanked them, rewarded them handsomely, toasted them and drank the water. David poured it out as a drink offering to the Lord and said, “O Lord, I will not do this! It is equivalent to the blood of the men who risked their lives by going.”⁷

In exchange for the life of the man you are seeking, Ahithophel continued, you will get back everyone. The entire army will return unharmed.⁸ Was he serious?

These are the names of David’s warriors: Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite…killed eight hundred men with his spear in one battle.⁹ Eleazar son of Dodo, the son of Ahohi…was one of the three warriors who were with David when they defied the Philistines who were assembled there for battle. When the men of Israel retreated, he stood his ground and fought the Philistines until his hand grew so tired that it seemed stuck to his sword. The Lord gave a great victory on that day. When the army returned to him, the only thing left to do was to plunder the corpses.¹⁰ When the Philistines assembled at Lehi, where there happened to be an area of a field that was full of lentils, the army retreated before the Philistines. But [Shammah son of Agee the Hararite] made a stand in the middle of that area. He defended it and defeated the Philistines; the Lord gave them a great victory.¹¹

I doubt that these three warriors were with David when he fled from Absalom, but they were the commanders who trained other younger warriors to fight for David. When David assembled the army that was with him. He appointed leaders of thousands and leaders of hundreds.¹² He divided that army into thirds under the commands of Joab, Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and Ittai the Gittite. He planned to go out to battle with them, but his warriors said, You should not do this! For if we should have to make a rapid retreat, they won’t be too concerned about us. Even if half of us should die, they won’t be too concerned about us. But you are like ten thousand of us! So it is better if you remain in the city for support.¹³

But Absalom was young and Ahithophel’s advice seemed like a good idea to Absalom and to all the leaders of Israel¹⁴ who had sided with him. Still, Absalom sought out the advice of Hushai the Arkite, David’s friend. Ahithophel’s advice is not sound this time,¹⁵ Hushai said. Hushai not only knew David, he had Absalom pegged as well. Besides that it seems that he realized that Ahithophel was so frightened for his own welfare, so adamant to make sure that David’s death was done right and by his own hand, that he had not taken the hopes, fears, desires or ego of the young prince fully into account.

You know your father and his men, Hushai reminded Absalom, they are soldiers and are as dangerous as a bear out in the wild that has been robbed of her cubs.¹⁶ That was true. Your father is an experienced soldier; he will not stay overnight with the army. At this very moment he is hiding out in one of the caves or in some other similar place.¹⁷ That was a lie, but a plausible lie. More than that it elicited memories of the bedtime stories Absalom and his brothers begged to hear their father tell, about hiding from King Saul in the cave (See Addendum below).

If it should turn out that he attacks our troops first, Hushai continued, whoever hears about it will say, “Absalom’s army has been slaughtered!” If that happens even the bravest soldier – one who is lion-hearted – will virtually melt away. For all Israel knows that your father is a warrior and that those who are with him are brave.¹⁸ After turning Absalom into a barefoot boy listening raptly to his father’s brave exploits, and rekindling his boyish faith that “no one is tougher than my Dad,” Hushai alarmed him with a plausible scenario.

My advice therefore is this, Hushai continued. Let all Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba – in number like the sand by the sea! – be mustered to you, and you lead them personally into battle.¹⁹ Absalom didn’t want to be a frightened boy in awe of his father. He wanted to be a leader of men like his father. Why did King Saul fear his father? Was it not that he heard the women sing, Saul has struck down his thousands, but David his tens of thousands?²⁰ Who is this Ahithophel who would rob Absalom of his glory? Surely Ahithophel with twelve thousand men was no match for Absalom’s father, the mighty David. But Absalom himself at the head of an army in number like the sand by the sea, that would be a different story.

When Hushai knew he had the young prince in the palm of his hand he spun a yarn as wild as Ahithophel’s. We will come against him wherever he happens to be found. We will descend on him like the dew falls on the ground. Neither he nor any of the men who are with him will be spared alive – not one of them! If he regroups in a city, all Israel will take up ropes to that city and drag it down to the valley, so that not a single pebble will be left there!²¹

Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite sounds better than the advice of Ahithophel.”²² When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and returned to his house in his hometown. After setting his household in order, he hanged himself. So he died and was buried in the grave of his father.²³

Addendum: May 14, 2021
The NET translators did not translate עֲצַ֚ת (ʿēṣâ) sound advice. I missed the word הַטּוֹבָ֔ה (ṭôḇ) following Ahithophel.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
2 Samuel 17:14 (Tanakh) Table	2 Samuel 17:14 (NET)	2 Reigns 17:14 (NETS)	2 Kings 17:14 (Elpenor English)
And Absalom and all the men of Israel said: ‘The counsel (עֲצַת֙) of Hushai the Archite is better (טוֹבָ֗ה) than the counsel (מֵעֲצַ֖ת) of Ahithophel.’ –For HaShem had ordained to defeat the good (הַטּוֹבָ֔ה) counsel (עֲצַ֚ת) of Ahithophel, to the intent that HaShem might bring evil upon Absalom.	Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice (ʿēṣâ, עצת) of Hushai the Arkite sounds better (ṭôḇ, טובה) than the advice (ʿēṣâ, מעצת) of Ahithophel.” Now the Lord had decided to frustrate the sound (ṭôḇ, הטובה) advice (ʿēṣâ, עצת) of Ahithophel, so that the Lord could bring disaster on Absalom.	And Abessalom, and every man of Israel said, “The counsel (βουλὴ) of Chousi the Arachi is better (ἀγαθὴ) than the counsel (βουλὴν) of Achitophel.” And the Lord commanded to scatter abroad the good (ἀγαθήν) counsel (βουλὴν) of Achitophel so that the Lord might bring all evil upon Abessalom.	And Abessalom, and all the men of Israel said, The counsel (βουλὴ) of Chusi the Arachite [is] better (ἀγαθὴ) than the counsel (βουλὴν) of Achitophel. For the Lord ordained to disconcert the good (ἀγαθήν) counsel (βουλὴν) of Achitophel, that the Lord might bring all evil upon Abessalom.

The Hebrew word translated caves in the NET was הַפְּחָתִ֔ים (paḥaṯ) rather than מְעָרָ֔ה (mᵊʿārâ). For the Hebrew reader it may be more evocative of Absalom’s grave than the cave where David hid from Saul. It was translated βουνῶν (a form of βουνός), translated hills, in the Septuagint. This is not particularly evocative of David’s cave (σπήλαιον) or Absalom’s grave (χάσμα). It does make caves a clever compromise between pit and hills.

Tables comparing 2 Samuel 17:14; 17:1; 17:2; 17:3; 23:15; 23:16; 23:17; 23:8; 23:9; 23:10; 23:11; 23:12; 18:1; 18:3; 17:4; 17:7; 17:8; 17:9; 17:10; 17:11; 1 Samuel 18:7; 2 Samuel 17:12; 17:13 and 17:23 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 17:14; 17:1; 17:2; 17:3; 23:15; 23:16; 23:17; 23:8; 23:9; 23:10; 23:11; 23:12; 18:1; 18:3; 17:4; 17:7; 17:8; 17:9; 17:10; 17:11; 1 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 18:7; 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 17:12; 17:13 and 17:23 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

2 Samuel 17:14 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 17:14 (KJV)	2 Samuel 17:14 (NET)
And Absalom and all the men of Israel said: ‘The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.’ –For HaShem had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that HaShem might bring evil upon Absalom.	And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.	Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite sounds better than the advice of Ahithophel.” Now the Lord had decided to frustrate the sound advice of Ahithophel, so that the Lord could bring disaster on Absalom.

2 Samuel 17:14 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 17:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ πᾶς ἀνὴρ Ισραηλ ἀγαθὴ ἡ βουλὴ Χουσι τοῦ Αραχι ὑπὲρ τὴν βουλὴν Αχιτοφελ καὶ κύριος ἐνετείλατο διασκεδάσαι τὴν βουλὴν Αχιτοφελ τὴν ἀγαθήν ὅπως ἂν ἐπαγάγῃ κύριος ἐπὶ Αβεσσαλωμ τὰ κακὰ πάντα	καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ καὶ πᾶς ἀνὴρ ᾿Ισραήλ· ἀγαθὴ ἡ βουλὴ Χουσὶ τοῦ ᾿Αραχὶ ὑπὲρ τὴν βουλὴν ᾿Αχιτόφελ· καὶ Κύριος ἐνετείλατο διασκεδάσαι τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ ᾿Αχιτόφελ τὴν ἀγαθήν, ὅπως ἂν ἐπαγάγῃ Κύριος ἐπὶ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ τὰ κακὰ πάντα
2 Reigns 17:14 (NETS)	2 Kings 17:14 (English Elpenor)
And Abessalom, and every man of Israel said, “The counsel of Chousi the Arachi is better than the counsel Achitophel.” And the Lord commanded to scatter abroad the good counsel of Achitophel so that the Lord might bring all evil upon Abessalom.	And Abessalom, and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Chusi the Arachite [is] better than the counsel of Achitophel. For the Lord ordained to disconcert the good counsel of Achitophel, that the Lord might bring all evil upon Abessalom.

2 Samuel 17:1 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 17:1 (KJV)	2 Samuel 17:1 (NET)
Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom: ‘Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night;	Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night:	Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me pick out 12,000 men. Then I will go and pursue David this very night.

2 Samuel 17:1 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 17:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Αχιτοφελ πρὸς Αβεσσαλωμ ἐπιλέξω δὴ ἐμαυτῷ δώδεκα χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν καὶ ἀναστήσομαι καὶ καταδιώξω ὀπίσω Δαυιδ τὴν νύκτα	ΚΑΙ εἶπεν ᾿Αχιτόφελ πρὸς ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· ἐπιλέξω δὴ ἐμαυτῷ δώδεκα χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν καὶ ἀναστήσομαι καὶ καταδιώξω ὀπίσω Δαυὶδ τὴν νύκτα
2 Reigns 17:1 (NETS)	2 Kings 17:1 (English Elpenor)
And Achitophel said to Abessaom, “I will now choose for myself twelve thousand men, and I will set out and pursue closely after Dauid tonight.	And Achitophel said to Abessalom, Let me now choose out for myself twelve thousand men, and I will arise and follow after David this night:

2 Samuel 17:2 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 17:2 (KJV)	2 Samuel 17:2 (NET)
and I will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed, and will make him afraid; and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only;	And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only:	When I catch up with him he will be exhausted and worn out. I will rout him, and the entire army that is with him will flee. I will kill only the king

2 Samuel 17:2 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 17:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐπελεύσομαι ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν καὶ αὐτὸς κοπιῶν καὶ ἐκλελυμένος χερσίν καὶ ἐκστήσω αὐτόν καὶ φεύξεται πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ὁ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ πατάξω τὸν βασιλέα μονώτατον	καὶ ἐπελεύσομαι ἐπ’ αὐτόν, καὶ αὐτὸς κοπιῶν καὶ ἐκλελυμένος χερσί, καὶ ἐκστήσω αὐτόν, καὶ φεύξεται πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ὁ μετ’ αὐτοῦ, καὶ πατάξω τὸν βασιλέα μονώτατον
2 Reigns 17:2 (NETS)	2 Kings 17:2 (English Elpenor)
And I will come suddenly upon him, and he will be weary and faint in hands, and I will astound him, and all the people who are with him shall flee, and I will strike only the king all alone,	and I will come upon him when he [is] weary and weak-handed, and I will strike him with terror; and all the people with him shall flee, and I will smite the king only of all.

2 Samuel 17:3 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 17:3 (KJV)	2 Samuel 17:3 (NET)
and I will bring back all the people unto thee; when all shall have returned, save the man whom thou seekest, all the people will be in peace.’	And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace.	and will bring the entire army back to you. In exchange for the life of the man you are seeking, you will get back everyone. The entire army will return unharmed.”

2 Samuel 17:3 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 17:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐπιστρέψω πάντα τὸν λαὸν πρὸς σέ ὃν τρόπον ἐπιστρέφει ἡ νύμφη πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς πλὴν ψυχὴν ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς σὺ ζητεῗς καὶ παντὶ τῷ λαῷ ἔσται εἰρήνη	καὶ ἐπιστρέψω πάντα τὸν λαὸν πρός σε, ὃν τρόπον ἐπιστρέφει ἡ νύμφη πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς· πλὴν ψυχὴν ἀνδρὸς ἑνὸς σὺ ζητεῖς καὶ παντὶ τῷ λαῷ ἔσται εἰρήνη
2 Reigns 17:3 (NETS)	2 Kings 17:3 (English Elpenor)
and I will turn all the people back to you, as a bride turns back to her husband. You seek only the life of one man, and there shall be peace for all the people.”	And I will bring back all the people to thee, as a bride returns to her husband: only thou seekest the life of one man, and all the people shall have peace.

2 Samuel 23:15 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 23:15 (KJV)	2 Samuel 23:15 (NET)
And David longed, and said: ‘Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate!’	And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!	David was thirsty and said, “How I wish someone would give me some water to drink from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate!”

2 Samuel 23:15 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 23:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐπεθύμησεν Δαυιδ καὶ εἶπεν τίς ποτιεῗ με ὕδωρ ἐκ τοῦ λάκκου τοῦ ἐν Βαιθλεεμ τοῦ ἐν τῇ πύλῃ τὸ δὲ σύστημα τῶν ἀλλοφύλων τότε ἐν Βαιθλεεμ	καὶ ἐπεθύμησε Δαυὶδ καὶ εἶπε· τίς ποτιεῖ με ὕδωρ ἐκ τοῦ λάκκου τοῦ ἐν Βηθλεὲμ τοῦ ἐν τῇ πύλῃ; τὸ δὲ σύστημα τῶν ἀλλοφύλων τότε ἐν Βηθλεέμ.
2 Reigns 23:15 (NETS)	2 Kings 23:15 (English Elpenor)
And Dauid longed and said, “Who will give me water to drink from the cistern that is in Baithleem, that is by the gate?”	And David longed, and said, Who will give me water to drink out of the well that is in Bethleem by the gate? now the band of the Philistines [was] then in Bethleem.

2 Samuel 23:16 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 23:16 (KJV)	2 Samuel 23:16 (NET)
And the three mighty men broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David; but he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto HaShem.	And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.	So the three elite warriors broke through the Philistine forces and drew some water from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate. They carried it back to David, but he refused to drink it. He poured it out as a drink offering to the Lord

2 Samuel 23:16 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 23:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ διέρρηξαν οἱ τρεῗς δυνατοὶ ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων καὶ ὑδρεύσαντο ὕδωρ ἐκ τοῦ λάκκου τοῦ ἐν Βαιθλεεμ τοῦ ἐν τῇ πύλῃ καὶ ἔλαβαν καὶ παρεγένοντο πρὸς Δαυιδ καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν πιεῗν αὐτὸ καὶ ἔσπεισεν αὐτὸ τῷ κυρίῳ	καὶ διέρρηξαν οἱ τρεῖς δυνατοὶ ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων καὶ ὑδρεύσαντο ὕδωρ ἐκ τοῦ λάκκου τοῦ ἐν Βηθλεὲμ τοῦ ἐν τῇ πύλῃ καὶ ἔλαβαν καὶ παρεγένοντο πρὸς Δαυίδ, καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησε πιεῖν αὐτὸ καὶ ἔσπεισεν αὐτὸ τῷ Κυρίῳ
2 Reigns 23:16 (NETS)	2 Kings 23:16 (English Elpenor)
And the three powerful men broke through into the camp of the allophyles and drew water from the cistern that was in Baithleem that was by the gate and took it and came to Dauid. But he did not want to drink it, and he poured it out as a libation to the Lord	And the three mighty men broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well that was in Bethleem in the gate: and they took it, and brought it to David, and he would not drink it, but poured it out before the Lord.

2 Samuel 23:17 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 23:17 (KJV)	2 Samuel 23:17 (NET)
And he said: ‘Be it far from me, O HaShem, that I should do this; shall I drink the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives?’ therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.	And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.	and said, “O Lord, I will not do this! It is equivalent to the blood of the men who risked their lives by going.” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three elite warriors.

2 Samuel 23:17 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 23:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ἵλεώς μοι κύριε τοῦ ποιῆσαι τοῦτο εἰ αἷμα τῶν ἀνδρῶν τῶν πορευθέντων ἐν ταῗς ψυχαῗς αὐτῶν πίομαι καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν πιεῗν αὐτό ταῦτα ἐποίησαν οἱ τρεῗς δυνατοί	καὶ εἶπεν· ἵλεώς μοι, Κύριε, τοῦ ποιῆσαι τοῦτο, εἰ αἷμα τῶν ἀνδρῶν τῶν πορευθέντων ἐν ταῖς ψυχαῖς αὐτῶν πίομαι· καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησε πιεῖν αὐτό. ταῦτα ἐποίησαν οἱ τρεῖς δυνατοί
2 Reigns 23:17 (NETS)	2 Kings 23:17 (English Elpenor)
and said, “Be gracious to me, O Lord, for doing this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went by their lives?” And he did not want to drink it. The three powerful men did these things.	And he said, O Lord, forbid that I should do this, that I should drink of the blood of the men who went at [the risk of] their lives: and he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

2 Samuel 23:8 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 23:8 (KJV)	2 Samuel 23:8 (NET)
These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite; he lifted up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.	These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.	These are the names of David’s warriors: Josheb Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was head of the officers. He killed 800 men with his spear in one battle.

2 Samuel 23:8 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 23:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ταῦτα τὰ ὀνόματα τῶν δυνατῶν Δαυιδ Ιεβοσθε ὁ Χαναναῗος ἄρχων τοῦ τρίτου ἐστίν Αδινων ὁ Ασωναῗος οὗτος ἐσπάσατο τὴν ῥομφαίαν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ ὀκτακοσίους τραυματίας εἰς ἅπαξ	Ταῦτα τὰ ὀνόματα τῶν δυνατῶν Δαυίδ· ᾿Ιεβοσθὲ ὁ Χαναναῖος, ἄρχων τοῦ τρίτου ἐστίν, ᾿Αδινὼν ὁ ᾿Ασωναῖος· οὗτος ἐσπάσατο τὴν ῥομφαίαν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ ὀκτακοσίους στρατιώτας εἰσάπαξ
2 Reigns 23:8 (NETS)	2 Kings 23:8 (English Elpenor)
These are the names of the powerful men of Dauid: Iebosthe the Chananite is commander of the Third—Adino the Asonite—he drew his sword against eight hundred casualties at once.	These [are] the names of the mighty men of David: Jebosthe the Chananite is a captain of the third [part]: Adinon the Asonite, he drew his sword against eight hundred soldiers at once.

2 Samuel 23:9 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 23:9 (KJV)	2 Samuel 23:9 (NET)
And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they jeoparded their lives against the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away;	And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:	Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo, the son of Ahohi. He was one of the three warriors who were with David when they defied the Philistines who were assembled there for battle. When the men of Israel retreated,

2 Samuel 23:9 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 23:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ μετ᾽ αὐτὸν Ελεαζαρ υἱὸς πατραδέλφου αὐτοῦ υἱὸς Σουσίτου ἐν τοῗς τρισὶν δυνατοῗς οὗτος ἦν μετὰ Δαυιδ ἐν Σερραν καὶ ἐν τῷ ὀνειδίσαι αὐτὸν ἐν τοῗς ἀλλοφύλοις συνήχθησαν ἐκεῗ εἰς πόλεμον καὶ ἀνέβησαν ἀνὴρ Ισραηλ	καὶ μετ’ αὐτὸν ᾿Ελεανὰν υἱὸς πατραδέλφου αὐτοῦ υἱὸς Δουδὶ ἐν τοῖς τρισὶ δυνατοῖς. οὗτος μετὰ Δαυὶδ ἦν ἐν Σερράν, καὶ ἐν τῷ ὀνειδίσαι αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς ἀλλοφύλοις συνήχθησαν ἐκεῖ εἰς πόλεμον, καὶ ἀνέβησαν ἀνὴρ ᾿Ισραήλ
2 Reigns 23:9 (NETS)	2 Kings 23:9 (English Elpenor)
And after him was Eleaszar, son of his father’s brother, son of Sousites, among the three powerful men. He was with David in Serran, and when he approached among the allophyles, they gathered for battle, and they went up, a man of Israel.	And after him Eleanan the son of his uncle, son of Dudi who was among the three mighty men with David; and when he defied the Philistines they were gathered there to war, and the men of Israel went up.

2 Samuel 23:10 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 23:10 (KJV)	2 Samuel 23:10 (NET)
he stood firm, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand did cleave unto the sword; and HaShem wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to strip the slain.	He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.	he stood his ground and fought the Philistines until his hand grew so tired that it seemed stuck to his sword. The Lord gave a great victory on that day. When the army returned to him, the only thing left to do was to plunder the corpses.

2 Samuel 23:10 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 23:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
αὐτὸς ἀνέστη καὶ ἐπάταξεν ἐν τοῗς ἀλλοφύλοις ἕως οὗ ἐκοπίασεν ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ καὶ προσεκολλήθη ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὴν μάχαιραν καὶ ἐποίησεν κύριος σωτηρίαν μεγάλην ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ καὶ ὁ λαὸς ἐκάθητο ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ πλὴν ἐκδιδύσκειν	αὐτὸς ἀνέστη καὶ ἐπάταξεν ἐν τοῖς ἀλλοφύλοις, ἕως οὗ ἐκοπίασεν ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ καὶ προσεκολλήθη ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὴν μάχαιραν, καὶ ἐποίησε Κύριος σωτηρίαν μεγάλην ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ· καὶ ὁ λαὸς ἐκάθητο ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ πλὴν ἐκδιδύσκειν
2 Reigns 23:10 (NETS)	2 Kings 23:10 (English Elpenor)
He stood up and struck among the allophyles until his hand grew weary and his hand stuck to the dagger, and the Lord brought about a great deliverance in that day. And the people were encamped behind him—only to despoil.	He arose and smote the Philistines, until his hand was weary, and his hand clave to the sword: and the Lord wrought a great salvation in that day, and the people rested behind him only to strip [the slain].

2 Samuel 23:11 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 23:11 (KJV)	2 Samuel 23:11 (NET)
And after him was Shammah the son of Age the Ararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines.	And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.	Next in command was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines assembled at Lehi, where there happened to be an area of a field that was full of lentils, the army retreated before the Philistines.

2 Samuel 23:11 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 23:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ μετ᾽ αὐτὸν Σαμαια υἱὸς Ασα ὁ Αρουχαῗος καὶ συνήχθησαν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι εἰς Θηρία καὶ ἦν ἐκεῗ μερὶς τοῦ ἀγροῦ πλήρης φακοῦ καὶ ὁ λαὸς ἔφυγεν ἐκ προσώπου ἀλλοφύλων	καὶ μετ’ αὐτὸν Σαμαΐα υἱὸς ᾿Ασὰ ὁ ᾿Αρουχαῖος. καὶ συνήχθησαν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι εἰς Θηρία, καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ μερὶς τοῦ ἀγροῦ πλήρης φακοῦ, καὶ ὁ λαὸς ἔφυγεν ἐκ προσώπου ἀλλοφύλων
2 Reigns 23:11 (NETS)	2 Kings 23:11 (English Elpenor)
And after him was Samaia son of Asa, the Harouchite. And the allophyles gathered together at Wild Beasts, and there was there a portion of the field full of lewntil, and the people fled from before allophyles.	And after him Samaia the son of Asa the Arachite: and the Philistines were gathered to Theria; and there was there a portion of ground full of lentils; and the people fled before the Philistines.

2 Samuel 23:12 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 23:12 (KJV)	2 Samuel 23:12 (NET)
But he stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and slew the Philistines; and HaShem wrought a great victory.	But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.	But he made a stand in the middle of that area. He defended it and defeated the Philistines; the Lord gave them a great victory.

2 Samuel 23:12 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 23:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐστηλώθη ἐν μέσῳ τῆς μερίδος καὶ ἐξείλατο αὐτὴν καὶ ἐπάταξεν τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους καὶ ἐποίησεν κύριος σωτηρίαν μεγάλην	καὶ ἐστηλώθη ἐν μέσῳ τῆς μερίδος καὶ ἐξείλατο αὐτὴν καὶ ἐπάταξε τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους, καὶ ἐποίησε Κύριος σωτηρίαν μεγάλην.
2 Reigns 23:12 (NETS)	2 Kings 23:12 (English Elpenor)
And he was made a stele in the middle of the portion and delivered it and struck the allophyles, and the Lord brought about a great deliverance.	And he stood firm in the midst of the portion, and rescued it, and smote the Philistines; and the Lord wrought a great deliverance.

2 Samuel 18:1 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 18:1 (KJV)	2 Samuel 18:1 (NET)
And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.	And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.	David assembled the army that was with him. He appointed leaders of thousands and leaders of hundreds.

2 Samuel 18:1 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 18:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐπεσκέψατο Δαυιδ τὸν λαὸν τὸν μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ κατέστησεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῶν χιλιάρχους καὶ ἑκατοντάρχους	ΚΑΙ ἐπεσκέψατο Δαυὶδ τὸν λαὸν τὸν μετ’ αὐτοῦ καὶ κατέστησεν ἐπ’ αὐτῶν χιλιάρχους καὶ ἑκατοντάρχους
2 Reigns 18:1 (NETS)	2 Kings 18:1 (English Elpenor)
And Dauid inspected the people who were with him and set over them officers of thousands and officers of hundreds.	And David numbered the people with him, and set over them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds.

2 Samuel 18:3 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 18:3 (KJV)	2 Samuel 18:3 (NET)
But the people said: ‘Thou shalt not go forth; for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us; but thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou be ready to succour us out of the city.’	But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou succour us out of the city.	But the soldiers replied, “You should not do this! For if we should have to make a rapid retreat, they won’t be concerned about us. Even if half of us should die, they won’t be concerned. But you are like 10,000 of us! So it is better if you remain in the city for support.”

2 Samuel 18:3 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 18:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπαν οὐκ ἐξελεύσῃ ὅτι ἐὰν φυγῇ φύγωμεν οὐ θήσουσιν ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς καρδίαν καὶ ἐὰν ἀποθάνωμεν τὸ ἥμισυ ἡμῶν οὐ θήσουσιν ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς καρδίαν ὅτι σὺ ὡς ἡμεῗς δέκα χιλιάδες καὶ νῦν ἀγαθὸν ὅτι ἔσῃ ἡμῗν ἐν τῇ πόλει βοήθεια τοῦ βοηθεῗν	καὶ εἶπαν· οὐκ ἐξελεύσῃ, ὅτι ἐὰν φυγῇ φύγωμεν, οὐ θήσουσιν ἐφ’ ἡμᾶς καρδίαν, καὶ ἐὰν ἀποθάνωμεν τὸ ἥμισυ ἡμῶν, οὐ θήσουσιν ἐφ’ ἡμᾶς καρδίαν, ὅτι σὺ ὡς ἡμεῖς δέκα χιλιάδες· καὶ νῦν ἀγαθὸν ὅτι ἔσῃ ἡμῖν ἐν τῇ πόλει βοήθεια τοῦ βοηθεῖν
2 Reigns 18:3 (NETS)	2 Kings 18:3 (English Elpenor)
And they said, “You shall not go out. For if in flight we should flee, they will not set heart upon us. And if we should die, even half of us, they will not set heart upon us; for you are as we are, ten thousand, and now it is good that you will be a help for us in the city to help.”	And they said, Thou shalt not go out: for if we should indeed flee, they will not care for us; and if half of us should die, they will not mind us; for thou [art] as ten thousand of us: and now [it is] well that thou shalt be to us an aid to help us in the city.

2 Samuel 17:4 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 17:4 (KJV)	2 Samuel 17:4 (NET)
And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.	And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.	This seemed like a good idea to Absalom and to all the leaders of Israel.

2 Samuel 17:4 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 17:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εὐθὴς ὁ λόγος ἐν ὀφθαλμοῗς Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῗς πάντων τῶν πρεσβυτέρων Ισραηλ	καὶ εὐθὴς ὁ λόγος ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ καὶ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς πάντων τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ᾿Ισραήλ
2 Reigns 17:4 (NETS)	2 Kings 17:4 (English Elpenor)
And the saying was right in the sight of Abessalom and in the sight of all the elders of Israel.	And the saying [was] right in the eyes of Abessalom, and in the eyes of all the elders of Israel.

2 Samuel 17:7 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 17:7 (KJV)	2 Samuel 17:7 (NET)
And Hushai said unto Absalom: ‘The counsel that Ahithophel hath given this time is not good.’	And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time.	Hushai replied to Absalom, “Ahithophel’s advice is not sound this time.”

2 Samuel 17:7 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 17:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Χουσι πρὸς Αβεσσαλωμ οὐκ ἀγαθὴ αὕτη ἡ βουλή ἣν ἐβουλεύσατο Αχιτοφελ τὸ ἅπαξ τοῦτο	καὶ εἶπε Χουσὶ πρὸς ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· οὐκ ἀγαθὴ αὕτη ἡ βουλή, ἣν ἐβουλεύσατο ᾿Αχιτόφελ τὸ ἅπαξ τοῦτο
2 Reigns 17:7 (NETS)	2 Kings 17:7 (English Elpenor)
And Chousi said to Abessalom, “This counsel, that Achitphel counseled this one time, is not good.”	And Chusi said to Abessalom, This counsel which Achitophel has counseled this one time [is] not good.

2 Samuel 17:8 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 17:8 (KJV)	2 Samuel 17:8 (NET)
Hushai said moreover: ‘Thou knowest thy father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are embittered in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field; and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.	For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.	Hushai went on to say, “You know your father and his men—they are soldiers and are as dangerous as a bear out in the wild that has been robbed of her cubs. Your father is an experienced soldier; he will not stay overnight with the army.

2 Samuel 17:8 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 17:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Χουσι σὺ οἶδας τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας αὐτοῦ ὅτι δυνατοί εἰσιν σφόδρα καὶ κατάπικροι τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτῶν ὡς ἄρκος ἠτεκνωμένη ἐν ἀγρῷ καὶ ὡς ὗς τραχεῗα ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου ἀνὴρ πολεμιστὴς καὶ οὐ μὴ καταλύσῃ τὸν λαόν	καὶ εἶπε Χουσί· σὺ οἶδας τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας αὐτοῦ, ὅτι δυνατοί εἰσι σφόδρα καὶ κατάπικροι τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτῶν, ὡς ἄρκος ἠτεκνωμένη ἐν ἀγρῷ καὶ ὡς ὗς τραχεῖα ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ, καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου ἀνὴρ πολεμιστὴς καὶ οὐ μὴ καταλύσῃ τὸν λαόν
2 Reigns 17:8 (NETS)	2 Kings 17:8 (English Elpenor)
And Chousi said, “You know your father and his men, that they are very powerful and downright bitter in their spirit, as a bear robbed of her young in a field and as a savage sow in the plain. And your father is a man of war, and he shall not lodge with the people.	And Chusi said, Thou knowest thy father and his men, that they are very mighty, and bitter in their spirit, as a bereaved bear in the field, [and as a wild boar in the plain]: and thy father [is] a man of war, and will not give the people rest.

2 Samuel 17:9 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 17:9 (KJV)	2 Samuel 17:9 (NET)
Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some place; and it will come to pass, when they fall upon them at the first, and whosoever heareth it shall say: There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom;	Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place: and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown at the first, that whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom.	At this very moment he is hiding out in one of the caves or in some other similar place. If it should turn out that he attacks our troops first, whoever hears about it will say, ‘Absalom’s army has been slaughtered!’

2 Samuel 17:9 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 17:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἰδοὺ γὰρ αὐτὸς νῦν κέκρυπται ἐν ἑνὶ τῶν βουνῶν ἢ ἐν ἑνὶ τῶν τόπων καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῷ ἐπιπεσεῗν αὐτοῗς ἐν ἀρχῇ καὶ ἀκούσῃ ὁ ἀκούων καὶ εἴπῃ ἐγενήθη θραῦσις ἐν τῷ λαῷ τῷ ὀπίσω Αβεσσαλωμ	ἰδοὺ γὰρ αὐτὸς νῦν κέκρυπται ἐν ἑνὶ τῶν βουνῶν ἢ ἐν ἑνὶ τῶν τόπων, καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῷ ἐπιπεσεῖν αὐτοῖς ἐν ἀρχῇ καὶ ἀκούσῃ ὁ ἀκούων καὶ εἴπῃ· ἐγενήθη θραῦσις ἐν τῷ λαῷ τῷ ὀπίσω ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ,
2 Reigns 17:9 (NETS)	2 Kings 17:9 (English Elpenor)
For behold, he himself is now hidden in one of the hills or in one of the places. And it shall be, when he falls upon them at first, and if the hearer hears and says, ‘There had been a slaughter among the people who are behind Abessalom,’	For, behold, he is now hidden in one of the hills or in some [other] place: and it shall come to pass when he falls upon them at the beginning, that [some one] will certainly hear, and say, There has been a slaughter among the people that follow after Abessalom.

2 Samuel 17:10 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 17:10 (KJV)	2 Samuel 17:10 (NET)
then even he that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, will utterly melt; for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they that are with him are valiant men.	And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt: for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they which be with him are valiant men.	If that happens even the bravest soldier—one who is lion-hearted—will virtually melt away. For all Israel knows that your father is a warrior and that those who are with him are brave.

2 Samuel 17:10 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 17:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καί γε αὐτὸς υἱὸς δυνάμεως οὗ ἡ καρδία καθὼς ἡ καρδία τοῦ λέοντος τηκομένη τακήσεται ὅτι οἶδεν πᾶς Ισραηλ ὅτι δυνατὸς ὁ πατήρ σου καὶ υἱοὶ δυνάμεως οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ	καί γε αὐτὸς υἱὸς δυνάμεως, οὗ ἡ καρδία καθὼς ἡ καρδία τοῦ λέοντος, τηκομένη τακήσεται, ὅτι οἶδε πᾶς ᾿Ισραὴλ ὅτι δυνατὸς ὁ πατήρ σου καὶ υἱοὶ δυνάμεως οἱ μετ’ αὐτοῦ
2 Reigns 17:10 (NETS)	2 Kings 17:10 (English Elpenor)
and indeed a son of power himself, whose heart is like the heart of a lion—melting it shall melt away, for all Israel knows that your father is powerful, and those who are with him are sons of power.	Then even he [that is] strong, whose heart is as the heart of a lion,– it shall utterly melt: for all Israel knows that thy father [is] mighty, and they that are with him [are] mighty men.

2 Samuel 17:11 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 17:11 (KJV)	2 Samuel 17:11 (NET)
But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together unto thee, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.	Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.	My advice therefore is this: Let all Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba—in number like the sand by the sea—be mustered to you, and you lead them personally into battle.

2 Samuel 17:11 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 17:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι οὕτως συμβουλεύων ἐγὼ συνεβούλευσα καὶ συναγόμενος συναχθήσεται ἐπὶ σὲ πᾶς Ισραηλ ἀπὸ Δαν καὶ ἕως Βηρσαβεε ὡς ἡ ἄμμος ἡ ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης εἰς πλῆθος καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν σου πορευόμενον ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν	ὅτι οὕτως συμβουλεύων ἐγὼ συνεβούλευσα, καὶ συναγόμενος συναχθήσεται ἐπὶ σὲ πᾶς ᾿Ισραὴλ ἀπὸ Δὰν καὶ ἕως Βηρσαβεὲ ὡς ἡ ἄμμος ἡ ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης εἰς πλῆθος, καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν σου πορευόμενον ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν
2 Reigns 17:11 (NETS)	2 Kings 17:11 (English Elpenor)
For in advising I so advised, that all Israel being gathered, shall be gathered together to you, from Dan even to Bersabee, as the sand by the sea for multitude, and your face going in their midst.	For thus I have surely given counsel, that all Israel be generally gathered to thee from Dan even to Bersabee, as the sand that is upon the sea-shore for multitude: and that thy presence go in the midst of them.

1 Samuel 18:7 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 18:7 (KJV)	1 Samuel 18:7 (NET)
And the women sang one to another in their play, and said: Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.	And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.	The women who were playing the music sang, “Saul has struck down his thousands, but David his tens of thousands!”

1 Samuel 18:7 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 18:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐξῆρχον αἱ γυναῗκες καὶ ἔλεγον ἐπάταξεν Σαουλ ἐν χιλιάσιν αὐτοῦ καὶ Δαυιδ ἐν μυριάσιν αὐτοῦ	καὶ ἐξῆρχον αἱ γυναῖκες καὶ ἔλεγον· ἐπάταξε Σαοὺλ ἐν χιλιάσιν αὐτοῦ καὶ Δαυὶδ ἐν μυριάσιν αὐτοῦ
1 Reigns 18:7 (NETS)	1 Kings 18:7 (English Elpenor)
And the women began and were saying, “Saoul killed amongst his thousands, and Dauid amongst his ten thousands.”	And the women began [the strain], and said, Saul has smitten his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

2 Samuel 17:12 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 17:12 (KJV)	2 Samuel 17:12 (NET)
So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground; and of him and of all the men that are with him we will not leave so much as one.	So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one.	We will come against him wherever he happens to be found. We will descend on him like the dew falls on the ground. Neither he nor any of the men who are with him will be spared alive—not one of them!

2 Samuel 17:12 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 17:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἥξομεν πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰς ἕνα τῶν τόπων οὗ ἐὰν εὕρωμεν αὐτὸν ἐκεῗ καὶ παρεμβαλοῦμεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν ὡς πίπτει ἡ δρόσος ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ οὐχ ὑπολειψόμεθα ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ τοῗς ἀνδράσιν τοῗς μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ καί γε ἕνα	καὶ ἥξομεν πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰς ἕνα τῶν τόπων, οὗ ἐὰν εὕρωμεν αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ, καὶ παρεμβαλοῦμεν ἐπ’ αὐτόν, ὡς πίπτει δρόσος ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ οὐχ ὑπολειψόμεθα ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ τοῖς ἀνδράσι τοῖς μετ’ αὐτοῦ καί γε ἕνα
2 Reigns 17:12 (NETS)	2 Kings 17:12 (English Elpenor)
And we shall come to him in one of the places where we may find him there, and we shall encamp against him, as the dew falls on the ground, and we shall not leave behind among him and the men who are with him indeed one.	And we will come upon him in one of the places where we shall find him, and we will encamp against him, as the dew falls upon the earth; and we will not leave of him and of his men so much as one.

2 Samuel 17:13 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 17:13 (KJV)	2 Samuel 17:13 (NET)
Moreover, if he withdraw himself into a city, then shall all Israel bring up ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the valley until there be not one small stone found there.’	Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there.	If he regroups in a city, all Israel will take up ropes to that city and drag it down to the valley, so that not a single pebble will be left there!”

2 Samuel 17:13 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 17:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐὰν εἰς πόλιν συναχθῇ καὶ λήμψεται πᾶς Ισραηλ πρὸς τὴν πόλιν ἐκείνην σχοινία καὶ συροῦμεν αὐτὴν ἕως εἰς τὸν χειμάρρουν ὅπως μὴ καταλειφθῇ ἐκεῗ μηδὲ λίθος	καὶ ἐὰν εἰς τὴν πόλιν συναχθῇ, καὶ λήψεται πᾶς ᾿Ισραὴλ πρὸς τὴν πόλιν ἐκείνην σχοινία καὶ συροῦμεν αὐτὴν ἕως εἰς τὸν χειμάρρουν, ὅπως μὴ καταλειφθῇ ἐκεῖ μηδὲ λίθος
2 Reigns 17:13 (NETS)	2 Kings 17:13 (English Elpenor)
And if he is gathered into a city, then all Israel will take ropes to that city, and we shall drag it as far as the wadi in order that not even one stone may be left behind there.”	And if he shall have taken refuge with his army in a city, then shall all Israel take ropes to that city, and we will draw it even into the river, that there may not be left there even a stone.

2 Samuel 17:23 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 17:23 (KJV)	2 Samuel 17:23 (NET)
And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and got him home, unto his city, and set his house in order, and strangled himself; and he died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.	And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.	When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and returned to his house in his hometown. After setting his household in order, he hanged himself. So he died and was buried in the grave of his father.

2 Samuel 17:23 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 17:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ Αχιτοφελ εἶδεν ὅτι οὐκ ἐγενήθη ἡ βουλὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπέσαξεν τὴν ὄνον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνέστη καὶ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν πόλιν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐνετείλατο τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπήγξατο καὶ ἀπέθανεν καὶ ἐτάφη ἐν τῷ τάφῳ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ	καὶ ᾿Αχιτόφελ εἶδεν ὅτι οὐκ ἐγενήθη ἡ βουλὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπέσαξε τὴν ὄνον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀνέστη καὶ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν πόλιν αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐνετείλατο τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπήγξατο καὶ ἀπέθανε καὶ ἐτάφη ἐν τῷ τάφῳ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ
2 Reigns 17:23 (NETS)	2 Kings 17:23 (English Elpenor)
And Achitophel saw that his counsel did not come to pass, and he saddled his donkey and set out and departed to his house into his city. And he commanded his household and hanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his father.	And Achitophel saw that his counsel was not followed, and he saddled his ass, and rose and departed to his house into his city; and he gave orders to his household, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

David’s Forgiveness, Part 12

Back to Atonement, Part 1

¹ 2 Samuel 17:14b (NET)

² 2 Samuel 17:1 (NET)

³ 2 Samuel 17:2a (NET)

⁴ 2 Samuel 17:2b, 3a (NET)

⁵ 2 Samuel 23:15 (NET)

⁶ 2 Samuel 23:16 (NET)

⁷ 2 Samuel 23:16b, 17a (NET)

⁸ 2 Samuel 17:3b (NET)

⁹ 2 Samuel 23:8 (NET) [Addendum 5/13/2021: I assume that Adino the Eznite (Tanakh, KJV) was another name for Josheb Basshebeth, equivalent to Adino the Asonite (BLB Septuagint; Elpenor: Adinon) and Iebosthe the Chananite (BLB Septuagint; Elpenor: Jebosthe).]

¹⁰ 2 Samuel 23:9, 10 (NET)

¹¹ 2 Samuel 23:11, 12 (NET)

¹² 2 Samuel 18:1 (NET)

¹³ 2 Samuel 18:3 (NET)

¹⁴ 2 Samuel 17:4 (NET)

¹⁵ 2 Samuel 17:7 (NET)

¹⁶ 2 Samuel 17:8a (NET)

¹⁷ 2 Samuel 17:8b, 9a (NET)

¹⁸ 2 Samuel 17:9b, 10 (NET)

¹⁹ 2 Samuel 17:11 (NET)

²⁰ 1 Samuel 18:7 (NET)

²¹ 2 Samuel 17:12, 13 (NET)

²² 2 Samuel 17:14a (NET)

²³ 2 Samuel 17:23 (NET)

David’s Forgiveness, Part 10

Posted on August 31, 2012 by admin

David’s friend Hushai arrived in the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.¹ Absalom was suspicious of Hushai at first, Do you call this loyalty [See Addendum below] to your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?² Hushai lied or told such a cleverly concealed truth that Absalom failed to unravel the riddle. No, I will be loyal to the one whom the Lord, these people, and all the men of Israel have chosen. Moreover, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.³ And so Hushai was established as both a spy and false counselor.

Absalom turned to Ahithophel for advice, What should we do?⁴ In those days Ahithophel’s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation. Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel.⁵ But when he learned that his trusted adviser had defected to Absalom, David had prayed, Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish (sâkal, סַכֶּל), O Lord!⁶ Samuel defined the word foolish for Saul: Then Samuel said to Saul, “You have made a foolish (sâkal, נִסְכָּ֑לְתָּ) choice! You have not obeyed the commandment that the Lord your God gave you. Had you done that, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever!”⁷

Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Have sex with your father’s concubines whom he left to care for the palace. All Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive to your father. Then your followers will be motivated to support you.”⁸ I turned to the Jewish Virtual Library online to see if I could gain some insight how David might have felt about these women. I still don’t know if they were mistresses or chambermaids he bed a time or two. But I did find out something about Ahithophel’s advice.

“To lie with a monarch’s concubine was tantamount to usurpation of the throne (II Sam. 3:7; 16:21–22). For this reason Abner took Rizpah (II Sam. 3:7). The same concept stands behind Ahitophel’s advice to Absalom, to ‘go into his father’s concubines’ (16:21)…”⁹ So Ahithophel’s advice may or may not have been advantageous on the horizontal plane. Personally, I think it is sort of an open question how Absalom’s followers might have responded. On the vertical plane, however, Ahithophel advised a usurper of the throne, one not anointed nor chosen by God, to do a foolish thing and disobey one of his commandments¹⁰ publicly as his first royal act.

So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom had sex with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.¹¹ The Jewish Virtual Library article I quoted disagrees that this was a violation of God’s law regarding a father’s wife (a capital offence, by the way). “Nor does living with a man as his concubine create a kinship as an impediment to marriage between herself and any of the man’s relatives, or between the man and her relatives, as would be the case if she would be considered to be his wife (Rosh, Resp. no. 32:1; Oẓar ha-Posekim, EH26, n. 3).”¹² The problem I see with this analysis is that there is no legislation concerning concubines in the Bible. The only way to know what a concubine was and what rights or obligations she had was from foreign law. Both the Assyrian Code and the Code of Hammurapi are referenced as sources for determining the legal status of a concubine in the above mentioned article.

God prophesied to David [See Addendum below], I will take your wives (Septuagint: γυναῖκάς, a form of γυνή) and hand them over to your companion. He will have sexual relations with your wives (Septuagint: γυναικῶν, another form of γυνή) in broad daylight! Although you have acted in secret, I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight.¹³ I am using the Greek here simply because I recognize the Greek alphabet better than the Hebrew. (In other words, I don’t know Greek a whole lot less than I don’t know Hebrew.) Both γυναῖκάς and γυναικῶν are plural forms of γυνή. Both instances are the same Hebrew word, too, according to the concordance. Both words can be translated wives or women.

In Ephesians 5:28 (NET) γυναικας was translated wives, In the same way husbands ought¹⁴ to love their wives (γυναικας) as their own bodies. In Matthew 14:21 (NET) γυναικων was translated women, Not counting women (γυναικων) and children, there were about five thousand men who ate. I won’t make an issue of whether 2 Samuel 12:11 should have been translated wives or women, because γυναικὸς in Leviticus 18:8 (NET) [See Addendum below] was translated wife, You must not have sexual intercourse with your father’s wife (Septuagint: γυναικὸς); she is your father’s nakedness, and in Leviticus 20:11 (NET) [See Addendum below], If a man has sexual intercourse with his father’s wife (Septuagint: γυναικὸς), he has exposed his father’s nakedness. Both of them must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.

Again, γυναικὸς is a singular form of gunē (γυνή), and the Hebrew word is also the same according to the concordance. In Matthew 19:10 (NET) [Table] γυναικος was translated wife, The¹⁵ disciples said to him, “If this is the case of a husband with a wife (γυναικος), it is better not to marry!” In John 4:9 (NET) γυνη and γυναικος were both translated woman, So the Samaritan¹⁶ woman (γυνη) said to him, “How can you – a Jew – ask me, a Samaritan¹⁷ woman (γυναικος), for water to drink?”¹⁸

So whether 2 Samuel 12:11 should have been translated David’s wives or women is immaterial, since the same word, both in Greek and Hebrew, was used in Leviticus 18:8 and 20:11. Since God was apparently satisfied when Absalom had sex with David’s concubines that Nathan’s prophesy about David’s wives or women was fulfilled, and since the only other way to distinguish David’s concubines from his wives or his women was by foreign law, I am going to assume that the category called concubine referred to a traditional practice that probably should not have been part of the thought of the kingdom of Israel.

That being said, however, it seems very likely that what God called Saul’s wives through Nathan the prophet were perceived by many in Israel as the concubines of David’s father-in-law:¹⁹ I gave you your master’s house, and put your master’s wives (Septuagint: γυναῖκάς) into your arms,²⁰ when Nathan confronted David on God’s behalf. It puts some perspective on Absalom’s willingness to fall in with Ahithophel’s advice. He wanted his father’s concubines just like his father got his father-in-law’s concubines when David received the kingdom after Saul’s death. It makes me wonder what Absalom heard of his father’s life.

I assume Absalom was told all the stories about David. But what he heard seems to have been something less than the sum total of what he was told. He did not hear for instance that David was chosen (anointed) by God when Saul was rejected for his disobedience to God. Oh, perhaps he heard it in part. Maybe he assumed that David was, or should have been, rejected by God when he took Bathsheba and murdered Uriah, or if not then, perhaps when he failed to avenge Tamar, as Absalom himself had done. He certainly heard that Samuel used sacrifices to God as the cover to anoint David as king while Saul yet lived. He imitated that scene faithfully, minus of course the sanction of God or the presence of his prophet. He did not hear how his father David respected the Lord’s chosen or anointed one even after he was rejected by God, or he would have behaved differently toward his father. In fact, if he had any faith whatsoever in God or his choice, Absalom would not have challenged David at all.

The irony here was, though he was born a son of David, though he did everything he could to imitate David’s career outwardly, Absalom proved to be a man after Saul’s own heart: So Saul feared David, because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.²¹ And Absalom, like Saul before him, set himself to the task of finding a way to kill David.

Addendum: April 28, 2021
I won’t make too much of it since Absalom was speaking, but I was intrigued by loyalty:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
2 Samuel 16:17 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 16:17 (NET)	2 Reigns 16:17 (NETS)	2 Kings 16:17 (English Elpenor)
And Absalom said to Hushai: ‘Is this thy kindness (חַסְדְּךָ֖) to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?’	Absalom said to Hushai, “Do you call this loyalty (ḥeseḏ, חסדך) to your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?”	And Abessalom said to Chousi, “Is this your mercy (ἔλεός) with your companion? Why did you not go away with your companion?”	And Abessalom said to Chusi, [Is] this thy kindness (ἔλεός) to thy friend? why wentest thou not forth with thy friend?

That kindness and mercy are joined in חַסְדְּךָ֖ (ḥeseḏ) makes perfect sense, though I’m not sure I could have accessed it that concretely. To hear kindness and mercy as loyalty, or faithfulness, is a minor revolution and a great relief in my thinking. I am too often tempted that I should be tougher than that.

A comparison of 2 Samuel 12:11 translated from the Hebrew of the Masoretic text and the Greek of the Septuagint follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
2 Samuel 12:11 (Tanakh) Table	2 Samuel 12:11 (NET)	2 Reigns 12:11 (NETS)	2 Kings 12:11 (English Elpenor)
Thus saith HaShem: Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives (נָשֶׁ֙יךָ֙) before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives (נָשֶׁ֔יךָ) in the sight of this sun.	This is what the Lord has said: ‘I am about to bring disaster on you from inside your own household! Right before your eyes I will take your wives (‘iššâ, נשיך) and hand them over to your companion. He will go to bed with your wives (‘iššâ, נשיך) in broad daylight!	This is what the Lord says: Behold, I am raising up trouble against you out of your own house, and I will take your wives (γυναῗκάς) before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives (γυναικῶν) before this sun.	Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will raise up against thee evil out of thy house, and I will take thy wives (γυναῖκάς) before thine eyes, and will give them to thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives (γυναικῶν) in the sight of this sun.

A comparison of Leviticus 18:8 translated from the Hebrew of the Masoretic text and the Greek of the Septuagint follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 18:8 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 18:8 (NET)	Leviticus 18:8 (NETS)	Leviticus 18:8 (English Elpenor)
The nakedness of thy father’s wife (אֵֽשֶׁת) shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness.	You must not have sexual relations with your father’s wife (‘iššâ, אשת); she is your father’s nakedness.	You shall not uncover the shame of your father’s wife (γυναικὸς); it is the shame of your father.	Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s wife (γυναικὸς); it is thy father’s nakedness.

A comparison of Leviticus 20:11 translated from the Hebrew of the Masoretic text and the Greek of the Septuagint follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 20:11 (Tanakh) Table	Leviticus 20:11 (NET)	Leviticus 20:11 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:11 (English Elpenor)
And the man that lieth with his father’s wife (אֵ֣שֶׁת)–he hath uncovered his father’s nakedness–both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.	If a man goes to bed with his father’s wife (‘iššâ, אשת), he has exposed his father’s nakedness. Both of them must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.	And if anyone lies with his father’s wife (γυναικὸς), he has uncovered his father’s shame; let both of them by death be put to death; they are liable.	And if any one should lie with his father’s wife (γυναικὸς), he has uncovered his father’s nakedness: let them both die the death, they are guilty.

Tables comparing 2 Samuel 15:37; 16:17; 16:18; 16:19; 16:20; 16:23; 1 Samuel 13:13; 2 Samuel 16:21; 16:22; Leviticus 18:8 and 1 Samuel 18:12 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 15:37; 16:17; 16:18; 16:19; 16:20; 16:23; 1 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 13:13; 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 16:21; 16:22; Leviticus 18:8 and 1 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 18:12 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Ephesians 5:28 and John 4:9 in the NET and KJV follow.

2 Samuel 15:37 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:37 (KJV)	2 Samuel 15:37 (NET)
So Hushai David’s friend came into the city; and Absalom was at the point of coming into Jerusalem.	So Hushai David’s friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.	So David’s friend Hushai arrived in the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 15:37 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 15:37 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Χουσι ὁ ἑταῗρος Δαυιδ εἰς τὴν πόλιν καὶ Αβεσσαλωμ εἰσεπορεύετο εἰς Ιερουσαλημ	καὶ εἰσῆλθε Χουσὶ ὁ ἑταῖρος Δαυὶδ εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ ἄρτι εἰσεπορεύετο εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλήμ
2 Reigns 15:37 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:37 (English Elpenor)
And Chousi, the companion of Dauid, entered into the city, and Abessalom was going into Ierousalem.	So Chusi the friend of David went into the city, and Abessalom was lately gone into Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 16:17 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 16:17 (KJV)	2 Samuel 16:17 (NET)
And Absalom said to Hushai: ‘Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?’	And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?	Absalom said to Hushai, “Do you call this loyalty to your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?”

2 Samuel 16:17 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 16:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς Χουσι τοῦτο τὸ ἔλεός σου μετὰ τοῦ ἑταίρου σου ἵνα τί οὐκ ἀπῆλθες μετὰ τοῦ ἑταίρου σου	καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πρὸς Χουσί· τοῦτο τὸ ἔλεός σου μετὰ τοῦ ἑταίρου σου; ἱνατί οὐκ ἀπῆλθες μετὰ τοῦ ἑταίρου σου
2 Reigns 16:17 (NETS)	2 Kings 16:17 (English Elpenor)
And Abessalom said to Chousi, “Is this your mercy with your companion? Why did you not go away with your companion?”	And Abessalom said to Chusi, [Is] this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not forth with thy friend?

2 Samuel 16:18 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 16:18 (KJV)	2 Samuel 16:18 (NET)
And Hushai said unto Absalom: ‘Nay; but whom HaShem, and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I be, and with him will I abide.	And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.	Hushai replied to Absalom, “No, I will be loyal to the one whom the Lord, these people, and all the men of Israel have chosen.

2 Samuel 16:18 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 16:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Χουσι πρὸς Αβεσσαλωμ οὐχί ἀλλὰ κατόπισθεν οὗ ἐξελέξατο κύριος καὶ ὁ λαὸς οὗτος καὶ πᾶς ἀνὴρ Ισραηλ αὐτῷ ἔσομαι καὶ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ καθήσομαι	καὶ εἶπε Χουσὶ πρὸς ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· οὐχί, ἀλλὰ κατόπισθεν οὗ ἐξελέξατο Κύριος καὶ ὁ λαὸς οὗτος καὶ πᾶς ἀνὴρ ᾿Ισραήλ, αὐτῷ ἔσομαι καὶ μετὰ αὐτοῦ καθήσομαι
2 Reigns 16:18 (NETS)	2 Kings 16:18 (English Elpenor)
And Chousi said to Abessalom, “No, but hereafter he whom the Lord and this people and every man of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will sit.	And Chusi said to Abessalom, Nay, but following whom the Lord, and this people, and all Israel have chosen,– his will I be, and with him I will dwell.

2 Samuel 16:19 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 16:19 (KJV)	2 Samuel 16:19 (NET)
And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father’s presence, so will I be in thy presence.’	And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father’s presence, so will I be in thy presence.	Moreover, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.”

2 Samuel 16:19 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 16:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ τὸ δεύτερον τίνι ἐγὼ δουλεύσω οὐχὶ ἐνώπιον τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ καθάπερ ἐδούλευσα ἐνώπιον τοῦ πατρός σου οὕτως ἔσομαι ἐνώπιόν σου	καὶ τὸ δεύτερον, τίνι ἐγὼ δουλεύσω; οὐχὶ ἐνώπιον τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ; καθάπερ ἐδούλευσα ἐνώπιον τοῦ πατρός σου, οὕτως ἔσομαι ἐνώπιόν σου
2 Reigns 16:19 (NETS)	2 Kings 16:19 (English Elpenor)
And secondly, to whom will I be subject? Is it not in the presence of his son? Just as I was subject in the presence of your father, so I will be in your presence.”	And again, whom shall I serve? should I not in the presence of his son? As I served in the sight of thy father, so will I be in thy presence.

2 Samuel 16:20 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 16:20 (KJV)	2 Samuel 16:20 (NET)
Then said Absalom to Ahithophel: ‘Give your counsel what we shall do.’	Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.	Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?”

2 Samuel 16:20 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 16:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς Αχιτοφελ φέρετε ἑαυτοῗς βουλὴν τί ποιήσωμεν	καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πρὸς ᾿Αχιτόφελ· φέρετε ἑαυτοῖς βουλὴν τί ποιήσωμεν
2 Reigns 16:20 (NETS)	2 Kings 16:20 (English Elpenor)
And Abessalom said to Achitophel, “Bring forth counsel among yourselves, what we should do.”	And Abessalom said to Achitophel, Deliberate among yourselves concerning what we should do.

2 Samuel 16:23 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 16:23 (KJV)	2 Samuel 16:23 (NET)
Now the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man inquired of the word of G-d; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.	And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.	In those days Ahithophel’s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation. Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel.

2 Samuel 16:23 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 16:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἡ βουλὴ Αχιτοφελ ἣν ἐβουλεύσατο ἐν ταῗς ἡμέραις ταῗς πρώταις ὃν τρόπον ἐπερωτήσῃ ἐν λόγῳ τοῦ θεοῦ οὕτως πᾶσα ἡ βουλὴ τοῦ Αχιτοφελ καί γε τῷ Δαυιδ καί γε τῷ Αβεσσαλωμ	καὶ ἡ βουλὴ ᾿Αχιτόφελ, ἣν ἐβουλεύσατο ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταῖς πρώταις, ὃν τρόπον ἐπερωτήσῃ τις ἐν λόγῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, οὕτως πᾶσα ἡ βουλὴ τοῦ ᾿Αχιτόφελ καί γε τῷ Δαυὶδ καί γε τῷ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ
2 Reigns 16:23 (NETS)	2 Kings 16:23 (English Elpenor)
And the counsel of Achitophel, which he counseled in the former days, was as if one were to inquire by a word of God; so was all the counsel of Achitophel, and indeed to Dauid and indeed to Abessalom.	And the counsel of Achitophel, which he counseled in former days, [was] as if one should enquire of the word of God: so [was] all the counsel of Achitophel both to David and also to Abessalom.

1 Samuel 13:13 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 13:13 (KJV)	1 Samuel 13:13 (NET)
And Samuel said to Saul: ‘Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept the commandment of HaShem thy G-d, which He commanded thee; for now would HaShem have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.	And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.	Then Samuel said to Saul, “You have made a foolish choice! You have not obeyed the commandment that the Lord your God gave you. Had you done that, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

1 Samuel 13:13 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 13:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ πρὸς Σαουλ μεματαίωταί σοι ὅτι οὐκ ἐφύλαξας τὴν ἐντολήν μου ἣν ἐνετείλατό σοι κύριος ὡς νῦν ἡτοίμασεν κύριος τὴν βασιλείαν σου ἕως αἰῶνος ἐπὶ Ισραηλ	καὶ εἶπε Σαμουὴλ πρὸς Σαούλ· μεματαίωταί σοι, ὅτι οὐκ ἐφύλαξας τὴν ἐντολήν μου, ἣν ἐνετείλατό σοι Κύριος, ὡς νῦν ἡτοίμασε Κύριος τὴν βασιλείαν σου ἐπὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἕως αἰῶνος
1 Reigns 13:13 (NETS)	1 Kings 13:13 (English Elpenor)
And Samouel said to Saoul, “You have done foolishly, for you did did not keep my commandment, which the Lord commanded you. As just now the Lord prepared your kingdom over Israel forever,	And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly; for thou hast not kept my command, which the Lord commanded thee, as now the Lord would have confirmed thy kingdom over Israel for ever.

2 Samuel 16:21 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 16:21 (KJV)	2 Samuel 16:21 (NET)
And Ahithophel said unto Absalom: ‘Go in unto thy father’s concubines, that he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that thou art abhorred of thy father; then will the hands of all that are with thee be strong.’	And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.	Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to care for the palace. All Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive to your father. Then your followers will be motivated to support you.”

2 Samuel 16:21 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 16:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Αχιτοφελ πρὸς Αβεσσαλωμ εἴσελθε πρὸς τὰς παλλακὰς τοῦ πατρός σου ἃς κατέλιπεν φυλάσσειν τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀκούσεται πᾶς Ισραηλ ὅτι κατῄσχυνας τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ ἐνισχύσουσιν αἱ χεῗρες πάντων τῶν μετὰ σοῦ	καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αχιτόφελ πρὸς ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· εἴσελθε πρὸς τὰς παλλακὰς τοῦ πατρός σου, ἃς κατέλιπε φυλάσσειν τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀκούσεται πᾶς ᾿Ισραὴλ ὅτι κατῄσχυνας τὸν πατέρα σου, καὶ ἐνισχύσουσιν αἱ χεῖρες πάντων τῶν μετὰ σοῦ
2 Reigns 16:21 (NETS)	2 Kings 16:21 (English Elpenor)
And Achitophel said to Abessalom, “Go in to the concubines of your father, whom he left behind to keep his house, and all Israel will hear that you put your father to shame, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”	And Achitophel said to Abessalom, Go in to thy father’s concubines, whom he left to keep his house; and all Israel shall hear that thou hast dishonoured thy father; and the hands of all that are with thee shall be strengthened.

2 Samuel 16:22 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 16:22 (KJV)	2 Samuel 16:22 (NET)
So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.–	So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.	So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

2 Samuel 16:22 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 16:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔπηξαν τὴν σκηνὴν τῷ Αβεσσαλωμ ἐπὶ τὸ δῶμα καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς τὰς παλλακὰς τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ κατ᾽ ὀφθαλμοὺς παντὸς Ισραηλ	καὶ ἔπηξαν τὴν σκηνὴν τῷ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ ἐπὶ τὸ δῶμα, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πρὸς τὰς παλλακὰς τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ κατ ὀφθαλμοὺς παντὸς ᾿Ισραήλ
2 Reigns 16:22 (NETS)	2 Kings 16:22 (English Elpenor)
And they pitched the tent for Abessalom upon the roof, and Abessalom went in to the concubines of his father in the sight of all Israel.	And they pitched a tent for Abessalom on the roof, and Abessalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

Leviticus 18:8 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 18:8 (KJV)	Leviticus 18:8 (NET)
The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness.	The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness.	You must not have sexual relations with your father’s wife; she is your father’s nakedness.

Leviticus 18:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 18:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀσχημοσύνην γυναικὸς πατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις ἀσχημοσύνη πατρός σού ἐστιν	ἀσχημοσύνην γυναικὸς πατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις, ἀσχημοσύνη πατρὸς σού ἐστιν
Leviticus 18:8 (NETS)	Leviticus 18:8 (English Elpenor)
You shall not uncover the shame of your father’s wife; it is the shame of your father.	Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s wife; it is thy father’s nakedness.

1 Samuel 18:12 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 18:12 (KJV)	1 Samuel 18:12 (NET)
And Saul was afraid of David, because HaShem was with him, and was departed from Saul.	And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.	So Saul feared David, because the Lord was with David but had departed from Saul.

1 Samuel 18:12 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 18:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐφοβήθη Σαουλ ἀπὸ προσώπου Δαυιδ	καὶ ἐφοβήθη Σαοὺλ ἀπὸ προσώπου Δαυίδ
1 Reigns 18:12 (NETS)	1 Kings 18:12 (English Elpenor)
And Saoul was afraid from before Dauid,	And Saul was alarmed on account of David.

Ephesians 5:28 (NET)	Ephesians 5:28 (KJV)
In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.	So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
οὕτως ὀφείλουσιν [καὶ] οἱ ἄνδρες ἀγαπᾶν τὰς ἑαυτῶν γυναῖκας ὡς τὰ ἑαυτῶν σώματα. ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἑαυτὸν ἀγαπᾷ	ουτως οφειλουσιν οι ανδρες αγαπαν τας εαυτων γυναικας ως τα εαυτων σωματα ο αγαπων την εαυτου γυναικα εαυτον αγαπα	ουτως οφειλουσιν οι ανδρες αγαπαν τας εαυτων γυναικας ως τα εαυτων σωματα ο αγαπων την εαυτου γυναικα εαυτον αγαπα

John 4:9 (NET)	John 4:9 (KJV)
So the Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you—a Jew—ask me, a Samaritan woman, for water to drink?” (For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.)	Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
λέγει οὖν αὐτῷ ἡ γυνὴ ἡ Σαμαρῖτις· πῶς σὺ Ἰουδαῖος ὢν παρ᾿ ἐμοῦ πεῖν αἰτεῖς γυναικὸς Σαμαρίτιδος οὔσης; \|(οὐ γὰρ συγχρῶνται Ἰουδαῖοι Σαμαρίταις.)\|	λεγει ουν αυτω η γυνη η σαμαρειτις πως συ ιουδαιος ων παρ εμου πιειν αιτεις ουσης γυναικος σαμαρειτιδος ου γαρ συγχρωνται ιουδαιοι σαμαρειταις	λεγει ουν αυτω η γυνη η σαμαρειτις πως συ ιουδαιος ων παρ εμου πιειν αιτεις ουσης γυναικος σαμαρειτιδος ου γαρ συγχρωνται ιουδαιοι σαμαρειταις

David’s Forgiveness, Part 11

Back to Atonement, Part 1

Back to My Reasons and My Reason, Part 6

Back to Romans, Part 55

Back to Adultery in the Law, Part 3

Back to Christianity, Part 11

¹ 2 Samuel 15:37 (NET)

² 2 Samuel 16:17 (NET)

³ 2 Samuel 16:18, 19 (NET) See: David’s command to Hushai, 2 Samuel 15:34 (NET).

⁴ 2 Samuel 16:20b (NET)

⁵ 2 Samuel 16:23 (NET)

⁶ 2 Samuel 15:31 (NET) Table

⁷ 1 Samuel 13:13 (NET)

⁸ 2 Samuel 16:21 (NET)

⁹ CONCUBINE, marital companion of inferior status to a wife.

¹⁰ Leviticus 18:8 Table; 20:11 (NET) Table

¹¹ 2 Samuel 16:22 (NET)

¹² CONCUBINE, marital companion of inferior status to a wife.

¹³ 2 Samuel 12:11 (NET) Table

¹⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καὶ (possibly also) following ought. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

¹⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA²⁸ had αὐτοῦ (KJV: His) here. The NET parallel Greek text did not.

¹⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Σαμαρῖτις here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had σαμαρειτις.

¹⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Σαμαρίτιδος here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had σαμαρειτιδος.

¹⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had πεῖν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πιειν.

¹⁹ 1 Samuel 18:17-29 (NET)

²⁰ 2 Samuel 12:8 (NET) Table

²¹ 1 Samuel 18:12 (NET)

David’s Forgiveness, Part 9

Posted on August 28, 2012 by admin

When David allowed Joab to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem after three years of self-imposed exile for murdering Amnon, he said, Let him go over to his own house. He may not see my face.¹ This seems like an attempt to balance his role as a loving and merciful father with David’s responsibilities for the administration of justice. Absalom put up with this silent treatment for about two years. Then Absalom sent a message to Joab asking him to send him to the king, but Joab was not willing to come to him. So he sent a second message to him, but he still was not willing to come.²

Then Absalom got creative. Look, Joab has a portion of field adjacent to mine, he told his servants, and he has some barley there. Go and set it on fire.³ That got Joab’s attention. He complained to Absalom. Absalom said to Joab, “Look, I sent a message to you saying, ‘Come here so that I can send you to the king with this message: “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there.”’ Let me now see the face of the king. If I am at fault, let him put me to death!”⁴

Joab took this message to King David. David summoned Absalom. Absalom bowed down before the king with his face toward the ground and the king kissed him.⁵ Now in all Israel everyone acknowledged that there was no man as handsome as Absalom. From the sole of his feet to the top of his head he was perfect in appearance.⁶ And I’m beginning to catch on to David.

One of the Proverbs of Solomon Collected by Hezekiah, says, If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink [Table], for you will heap coals of fire on his head,⁷ and the Lord will reward you [Table].⁸ David had no access to these words, but obviously understood them before they were written. He knew then that Absalom was an excellent actor. Absalom always knew what words to say and what actions to perform. David couldn’t tell if Absalom was his repentant and obedient son or his enemy. So he forgave him.

It was the best way to treat a repentant and obedient son, and the best way to treat an unrepentant enemy, like heaping coals of fire on his head, which a note in the NET indicates is a euphemism for a “searing conscience.” If Absalom was already David’s repentant and obedient son, so much the better. If not, and everything worked out, David’s unrepentant enemy would become his repentant and obedient son. If it didn’t, the Lord would reward David as the, yet to be written, Proverb said. Likewise, Absalom—with his conscience seared by David’s love, mercy and forgiveness—could ease that pain by repenting before God like his father David, or by striving harder to justify himself before God and the people like Jephthah.

Absalom acquired a chariot and horses, and fifty men to serve as his royal guard. He got up early and stood by the side of the road leading to the city gate. When people came to King David with a complaint for arbitration, Absalom called them aside, looked at their petition and said, “Look, your claims are legitimate and appropriate. But there is no representative of the king who will listen to you…If only they would make me a judge in the land! Then everyone who had a judicial complaint could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement.”⁹

Absalom played the part of a populist egalitarian. When someone approached to bow before him, Absalom would extend his hand and embrace him and kiss him. Absalom acted this way toward everyone in Israel who came to the king for justice. In this way Absalom won the loyalty of the citizens of Israel.¹⁰ Who can tell if he was sincere or not?

After four years [See Addendum below] of this Absalom said to his father David, the Lord’s chosen or anointed king, “Let me go and repay my vow that I made to the Lord while I was in Hebron. For I made this vow when I was living in Geshur in Aram: ‘If the Lord really does allow me to return to Jerusalem, I will serve the Lord.’”¹¹ David gave him leave. Absalom went to Hebron where his father had begun his reign as king. Then Absalom sent spies through all the tribes of Israel who said, “When you hear the sound of the horn, you may assume that Absalom rules in Hebron.”¹²

Absalom’s conspiracy seems to have been an ill-conceived bluff. Two hundred of the men who accompanied him from Jerusalem thought they had been invited for free food and drink. While he was offering sacrifices, Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s adviser, to come from his city, Giloh. A note in the NET explains that the text is not clear whether Asbalom or Ahithopel was offering sacrifices when Absalom sent for Ahithophel. It’s also not clear whether Ahithophel knew why he was being summoned. Nevertheless with the king’s advisor coming over to Absalom the conspiracy was gaining momentum, and the people were starting to side with Absalom.¹³

I think it conceivable that Absalom’s true intent was merely to stir up enough trouble to bargain for a judgeship. But when David heard the report, “The men of Israel are loyal to Absalom!” the king himself ratcheted things up a notch. “Come on! Let’s escape!” David said, “Otherwise no one will be delivered from Absalom! Go immediately, or else he will quickly overtake us and bring disaster on us and kill the city’s residents with the sword.”¹⁴ I believe wholeheartedly that David’s first concern was to protect the lives of those loyal to him while not subjecting the inhabitants of Jerusalem to a siege. But David’s next command decision offers another clue.

As David and all his household, royal court, servants, loyal warriors fled from Jerusalem (all but ten of David’s concubines who were left to attend to the palace) he noticed and spoke to Ittai the Gittite who had six hundred warriors from Gath. “Why should you come with us? Go back and stay with the new king, for you are a foreigner and an exile from your own country. It seems like you arrived just yesterday. Today should I make you wander around by going with us? I go where I must go. But as for you, go back and take your men with you. May genuine loyal love protect you!”¹⁵

I don’t doubt David’s sincere concern for Ittai and his six hundred men. And I don’t doubt that David was uncertain of the loyalty of these men, and of any men had he remained in Jerusalem. Fleeing as he did was as good an impromptu loyalty test as any, and Ittai the Gittite passed the test. As surely as the Lord lives, Ittai replied, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether dead or alive, there I will be as well!¹⁶

Zadok the priest would have brought the ark of the covenant of God and all the Levites who were with him along with David. Take the ark of God back to the city, David said. If I find favor in the Lord’s sight he will bring me back and enable me to see both it and his dwelling place again. However, if he should say, “I do not take pleasure in you,” then he will deal with me in a way that he considers appropriate.¹⁷ Again, I don’t doubt David’s sincerity. The ark of the covenant of God belonged to Israel, not to David, not even to the king. But David was not shy about asking Zadok for intelligence either. I will be waiting at the fords of the desert until word from you reaches me.¹⁸

When David heard that his adviser had gone over to Absalom, he prayed, Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish, O Lord!¹⁹ When Hushai the Arkite met him at the top of the hill where he used to worship God, David had an inspired thought, “If you leave with me you will be a burden to me. But you will be able to counter the advice of Ahithophel if you go back to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king! Previously I was your father’s servant, and now I will be your servant.’”²⁰ He also instructed Hushai to pass on any intelligence he gathered to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met them with food and drink. Mephibosheth was a son of David’s friend Jonathan the son of Saul. When David became king he began to care for Mephibosheth to show his kindness to Jonathan after Jonathan died in battle against the Philistines. David inquired about Mephibosheth. He remains in Jerusalem, Ziba said, for he said, “Today the house of Israel will give back to me my grandfather’s kingdom.” The king said to Ziba, “Everything that was Mephibosheth’s now belongs to you.”²¹ (As I said before, it is possible that Ziba lied.)

As they walked on a relative of King Saul’s named Shimei cursed at David and threw stones. The Lord has punished you for all the spilled blood of the house of Saul,²² Shimei said. One of David’s men, Abishai son of Zeruiah, practically begged David for leave to kill Shimei (2 Samuel 16:10-12 NET).

But the king said, “What do we have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? If he curses because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David!’, who can say to him, ‘Why have you done this?’” Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son, my very own flesh and blood, is trying to take my life. So also now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone so that he can curse, for the Lord has spoken to him. Perhaps the Lord will notice my affliction and this day grant me good in place of his curse.”

Addendum: April 6, 2021
NET note 10 reads:

The MT has here “forty,” but this is presumably a scribal error for “four.” The context will not tolerate a period of forty years prior to the rebellion of Absalom. The Lucianic Greek recension (τέσσαρα ἔτη, tessara etē), the Syriac Peshitta (ʾarbaʿ sanin), and Vulgate (post quattuor autem annos) in fact have the expected reading “four years.” Most English translations follow the versions in reading “four” here, although some (e.g. KJV, ASV, NASB, NKJV), following the MT, read “forty.”

Apparently I took this note at face value, but the Masoretic text and the Septuagint agree here:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
2 Samuel 15:7 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:7 (NET)	2 Reigns 15:7 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:7 (English Elpenor)
And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that Absalom said unto the king: ‘I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto HaShem, in Hebron.	After four years Absalom said to the king, “Let me go and repay my vow that I made to the Lord while I was in Hebron.	And it happened at the end of forty years, that Abessalom said to his father, “I will go now and pay my my vows that I vowed to the Lord, in Chebron.	And it came to pass after forty years, that Abessalom said to his father, I will go now, and pay my vows, which I vowed to the Lord in Chebron.

My assessment of Absalom’s intentions was based on the assumption that he was still a relatively young man, handsome, a clever actor, playing with a power he didn’t fully understand, not unlike a young woman flirting. But if he continued this plot for forty years, he grew to understand exactly what he was doing. I do find it difficult, to say the least, to fit an additional thirty-six years into David’s life and reign at this point.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
2 Samuel 5:4, 5 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 5:4, 5 (NET)	2 Reigns 5:4, 5 (NETS)	2 Kings 5:4, 5 (English Elpenor)
David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.	David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for forty years.	Dauid was a son of thirty years when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years,	David [was] thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.	In Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned for thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.	seven years and six months he reigned at Chebron over Ioudas, and thirty-three years he reigned over all Israel and Ioudas at Ierousalem.	Seven years and six months he reigned in Chebron over Juda, and thirty-three years he reigned over all Israel and Juda in Jerusalem.

Tables comparing 2 Samuel 14:24; 14:29; 14:30; 14:32; 14:33; 14:25; 15:1; 15:3; 15:4; 15:5; 15:6; 15:7; 15:8; 15:10; 15:12; 15:13; 15:14; 15:19; 15:20; 15:21; 15:25; 15:26; 15:28; 15:31; 15:33; 15:34; 16:3; 16:4; 16:8; 16:10; 16:11; 16:12; 5:4 and 5:5 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 14:24; 14:29; 14:30; 14:32; 14:33; 14:25; 15:1; 15:3; 15:4; 15:5; 15:6; 15:7; 15:8; 15:10; 15:12; 15:13; 15:14; 15:19; 15:20; 15:21; 15:25; 15:26; 15:28; 15:31; 15:33; 15:34; 16:3; 16:4; 16:8; 16:10; 16:11; 16:12; 5:4 and 5:5 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

2 Samuel 14:24 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 14:24 (KJV)	2 Samuel 14:24 (NET)
And the king said: ‘Let him turn to his own house, but let him not see my face.’ So Absalom turned to his own house, and saw not the king’s face.	And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king’s face.	But the king said, “Let him go over to his own house. He may not see my face.” So Absalom went over to his own house; he did not see the king’s face.

2 Samuel 14:24 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 14:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς ἀποστραφήτω εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν μου μὴ βλεπέτω καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν Αβεσσαλωμ εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ βασιλέως οὐκ εἶδεν	καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς· ἀποστραφήτω εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν μου μὴ βλεπέτω καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ βασιλέως οὐκ εἶδε
2 Reigns 14:24 (NETS)	2 Kings 14:24 (English Elpenor)
And the king said, “Let him return to his house and not see my face.” And Abessalom returned to his house and did not see the face of the king.	And the king said, Let him return to his house, and not see my face. And Abessalom returned to his house, and saw not the king’s face

2 Samuel 14:29 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 14:29 (KJV)	2 Samuel 14:29 (NET)
Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king; but he would not come to him; and he sent again a second time, but he would not come.	Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to have sent him to the king; but he would not come to him: and when he sent again the second time, he would not come.	Then Absalom sent a message to Joab asking him to send him to the king, but Joab was not willing to come to him. So he sent a second message to him, but he still was not willing to come.

2 Samuel 14:29 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 14:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς Ιωαβ τοῦ ἀποστεῗλαι αὐτὸν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν ἐλθεῗν πρὸς αὐτόν καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἐκ δευτέρου πρὸς αὐτόν καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν παραγενέσθαι	καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πρὸς ᾿Ιωὰβ ἀποστεῖλαι αὐτὸν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν ἐλθεῖν πρὸς αὐτόν· καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἐκ δευτέρου πρὸς αὐτόν, καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησε παραγενέσθαι
2 Reigns 14:29 (NETS)	2 Kings 14:29 (English Elpenor)
And Abessalom sent to Ioab to send him to the king, but he did not want to come to him. And he sent a second time to him, but he did not want to come.	And Abessalom sent to Joab to bring him in to the king, and he would not come to him: and he sent to him the second time, and he would not come.

2 Samuel 14:30 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 14:30 (KJV)	2 Samuel 14:30 (NET)
Therefore he said unto his servants: ‘See, Joab’s field is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire.’ And Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.	Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab’s field is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire. And Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.	So he said to his servants, “Look, Joab has a portion of field adjacent to mine and he has some barley there. Go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set Joab’s portion of the field on fire.

2 Samuel 14:30 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 14:30 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς τοὺς παῗδας αὐτοῦ ἴδετε ἡ μερὶς ἐν ἀγρῷ τοῦ Ιωαβ ἐχόμενά μου καὶ αὐτῷ κριθαὶ ἐκεῗ πορεύεσθε καὶ ἐμπρήσατε αὐτὴν ἐν πυρί καὶ ἐνέπρησαν αὐτὰς οἱ παῗδες Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ παραγίνονται οἱ δοῦλοι Ιωαβ πρὸς αὐτὸν διερρηχότες τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν καὶ εἶπαν ἐνεπύρισαν οἱ δοῦλοι Αβεσσαλωμ τὴν μερίδα ἐν πυρί	καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πρὸς τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ· ἴδετε, ἡ μερὶς ἐν ἀγρῷ τοῦ ᾿Ιωὰβ ἐχόμενά μου, καὶ αὐτῷ ἐκεῖ κριθαί, πορεύεσθε καὶ ἐμπρήσατε αὐτὴν ἐν πυρί· καὶ ἐνέπρησαν οἱ παῖδες ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ τὴν μερίδα. καὶ παραγίνονται οἱ δοῦλοι ᾿Ιωὰβ πρὸς αὐτὸν διερρηχότες τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν καὶ εἶπον· ἐνεπύρισαν οἱ δοῦλοι ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ τὴν μερίδα ἐν πυρί.
2 Reigns 14:30 (NETS)	2 Kings 14:30 (English Elpenor)
And Abessalom said to his servants, “Look, the portion in Ioab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there; go, and burn it with fire.” And the servants of Abessalom set them on fire. And the slaves of Ioab came to him with their clothes torn and said, “The slaves of Abessalom burned your portion with fire.”	And Abessalom said to his servants, Behold, Joab’s portion in the field [is] next to mine, and he has in it barley; go and set it on fire. And the servants of Abessalom set the field on fire: and the servants of Joab come to him with their clothes rent, and they said to him, The servants of Abessalom have set the field on fire.

2 Samuel 14:32 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 14:32 (KJV)	2 Samuel 14:32 (NET)
And Absalom answered Joab: ‘Behold, I sent unto thee, saying: Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say: Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it were better for me to be there still; now therefore let me see the king’s face; and if there be iniquity in me, let him kill me.’	And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it had been good for me to have been there still: now therefore let me see the king’s face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me.	Absalom said to Joab, “Look, I sent a message to you saying, ‘Come here so that I can send you to the king with this message: “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there.”’ Let me now see the face of the king. If I am at fault, let him put me to death!”

2 Samuel 14:32 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 14:32 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς Ιωαβ ἰδοὺ ἀπέστειλα πρὸς σὲ λέγων ἧκε ὧδε καὶ ἀποστελῶ σε πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα λέγων ἵνα τί ἦλθον ἐκ Γεδσουρ ἀγαθόν μοι ἦν τοῦ ἔτι εἶναί με ἐκεῗ καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ βασιλέως οὐκ εἶδον εἰ δέ ἐστιν ἐν ἐμοὶ ἀδικία καὶ θανάτωσόν με	καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πρὸς ᾿Ιωάβ· ἰδοὺ ἀπέστειλα πρός σε λέγων· ἦκε ὧδε, καὶ ἀποστελῶ σε πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα λέγων· ἱνατί ἦλθον ἐκ Γεδσούρ; ἀγαθόν μοι ἦν εἶναι ἐκεῖ· καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ βασιλέως οὐκ εἶδον· εἰ δέ ἐστιν ἐν ἐμοὶ ἀδικία, καὶ θανάτωσόν με
2 Reigns 14:32 (NETS)	2 Kings 14:32 (English Elpenor)
And Abessalom said to Ioab, “Behold, I sent to you, saying: Come here, and I will send you to the king, saying, ‘Why did I come from Gedsour? It were good for me to be there still. And now, behold, I have not seen the face of the king, but if there is injustice in me, just put me to death!’”	And Abessalom said to Joab, Behold, I sent to thee, saying, Come hither, and I will send thee to the king, saying, Why did I come out of Gedsur? it would have been better for me to have remained there: and now, behold, I have not seen the face of the king; but if there is iniquity in me, then put me to death.

2 Samuel 14:33 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 14:33 (KJV)	2 Samuel 14:33 (NET)
So Joab came to the king, and told him; and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Absalom.	So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.	So Joab went to the king and informed him. The king summoned Absalom, and he came to the king. Absalom bowed down before the king with his face toward the ground and the king kissed him.

2 Samuel 14:33 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 14:33 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Ιωαβ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τὸν Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ εἰσῆλθεν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ καὶ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν κατὰ πρόσωπον τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ κατεφίλησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸν Αβεσσαλωμ	καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ᾿Ιωὰβ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸν ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ. καὶ εἰσῆλθε πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ καὶ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν κατὰ πρόσωπον τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ κατεφίλησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸν ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ
2 Reigns 14:33 (NETS)	2 Kings 14:33 (English Elpenor)
And Ioab went in to the king and told him, and he summoned Abessalom. And he went in to the king and did obeisance to him and fell on his face on the ground in front of the king, and the king kissed Abessalom.	And Joab went in to the king, and brought him word: and he called Abessalom, and he went in to the king, and did him obeisance, and fell upon his face to the ground, even in the presence of the king; and the king kissed Abessalom.

2 Samuel 14:25 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 14:25 (KJV)	2 Samuel 14:25 (NET)
Now in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty; from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.	But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.	Now in all Israel everyone acknowledged that there was no man as handsome as Absalom. From the soles of his feet to the top of his head he was perfect in appearance.

2 Samuel 14:25 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 14:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ὡς Αβεσσαλωμ οὐκ ἦν ἀνὴρ ἐν παντὶ Ισραηλ αἰνετὸς σφόδρα ἀπὸ ἴχνους ποδὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἕως κορυφῆς αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἦν ἐν αὐτῷ μῶμος	καὶ ὡς ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ οὐκ ἦν ἀνὴρ ἐν παντὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ αἰνετὸς σφόδρα, ἀπὸ ἴχνους ποδὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἕως κορυφῆς αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἦν ἐν αὐτῷ μῶμος
2 Reigns 14:25 (NETS)	2 Kings 14:25 (English Elpenor)
And in all Israel there was no man quite so praiseworthy as Abessalom; from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.	And there was not a man in Israel so very comely as Abessalom: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

2 Samuel 15:1 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:1 (KJV)	2 Samuel 15:1 (NET)
And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.	And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.	Some time later Absalom managed to acquire a chariot and horses, as well as 50 men to serve as his royal guard.

2 Samuel 15:1 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 15:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ Αβεσσαλωμ ἅρματα καὶ ἵππους καὶ πεντήκοντα ἄνδρας παρατρέχειν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ	ΚΑΙ ἐγένετο μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ ἅρματα καὶ ἵππους καὶ πεντήκοντα ἄνδρας παρατρέχειν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ
2 Reigns 15:1 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:1 (English Elpenor)
And it happened after this that Abessalom got himself chariots and horses and fifty men to run along before him.	And it came to pass after this that Abessalom prepared for himself chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

2 Samuel 15:3 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:3 (KJV)	2 Samuel 15:3 (NET)
And Absalom said unto him: ‘See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.’	And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.	Absalom would then say to him, “Look, your claims are legitimate and appropriate. But there is no representative of the king who will listen to you.”

2 Samuel 15:3 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 15:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν Αβεσσαλωμ ἰδοὺ οἱ λόγοι σου ἀγαθοὶ καὶ εὔκολοι καὶ ἀκούων οὐκ ἔστιν σοι παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως	καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· ἰδοὺ οἱ λόγοι σου ἀγαθοὶ καὶ εὔκολοι, καὶ ὁ ἀκούων οὐκ ἔστι σοι παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως
2 Reigns 15:3 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:3 (English Elpenor)
And Abessalom said to him, “Behold, your claims are good and easy, and there is no one from the king to hear you.”	And Abessalom said to him, See, thy affairs [are] right and clear, yet thou hast no one [appointed] of the king to hear thee.

2 Samuel 15:4 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:4 (KJV)	2 Samuel 15:4 (NET)
Absalom said moreover: ‘Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!’	Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!	Absalom would then say, “If only they would make me a judge in the land! Then everyone who had a judicial complaint could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement.”

2 Samuel 15:4 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 15:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ τίς με καταστήσει κριτὴν ἐν τῇ γῇ καὶ ἐπ᾽ ἐμὲ ἐλεύσεται πᾶς ἀνήρ ᾧ ἐὰν ᾖ ἀντιλογία καὶ κρίσις καὶ δικαιώσω αὐτόν	καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· τίς με καταστήσει κριτὴν ἐν τῇ γῇ, καὶ ἐπ’ ἐμὲ ἐλεύσεται πᾶς ἀνήρ, ᾧ ἐὰν ᾖ ἀντιλογία καὶ κρίσις, καὶ δικαιώσω αὐτόν
2 Reigns 15:4 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:4 (English Elpenor)
And Abessalom said, “Who will make me a judge in the land? And every man who may have a dispute and a judgment will come to me, and I will give him justice.”	And Abessalom said, O that one would make me a judge in the land; then every man who had a dispute or a cause would come to me, and I would judge him!

2 Samuel 15:5 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:5 (KJV)	2 Samuel 15:5 (NET)
And it was so, that when any man came nigh to prostrate himself before him, he put forth his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him.	And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.	When someone approached to bow before him, Absalom would extend his hand and embrace him and kiss him.

2 Samuel 15:5 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 15:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἐγγίζειν ἄνδρα τοῦ προσκυνῆσαι αὐτῷ καὶ ἐξέτεινεν τὴν χεῗρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπελαμβάνετο αὐτοῦ καὶ κατεφίλησεν αὐτόν	καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἐγγίζειν ἄνδρα τοῦ προσκυνῆσαι αὐτῷ καὶ ἐξέτεινε τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπελαμβάνετο αὐτοῦ καὶ κατεφίλησεν αὐτόν
2 Reigns 15:5 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:5 (English Elpenor)
And it happened, when a man came near to do obeisance to him, that he would stretch out his hand and take hold of him, and he kissed him.	And it came to pass when a man came near to do him obeisance, that he stretched out his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him.

2 Samuel 15:6 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:6 (KJV)	2 Samuel 15:6 (NET)
And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.	And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.	Absalom acted this way toward everyone in Israel who came to the king for justice. In this way Absalom won the loyalty of the citizens of Israel.

2 Samuel 15:6 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 15:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐποίησεν Αβεσσαλωμ κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο παντὶ Ισραηλ τοῗς παραγινομένοις εἰς κρίσιν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ ἰδιοποιεῗτο Αβεσσαλωμ τὴν καρδίαν ἀνδρῶν Ισραηλ	καὶ ἐποίησεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο παντὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ τοῖς παραγινομένοις εἰς κρίσιν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ ἰδιοποιεῖτο ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ τὴν καρδίαν ἀνδρῶν ᾿Ισραήλ
2 Reigns 15:6 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:6 (English Elpenor)
And Abessalom did according to this thing to all Israel, to those who came to the king for judgment, and Abessalom made the heart of the men of Israel his own.	And Abessalom did after this manner to all Israel that came to the king for judgment; and Abessalom gained the hearts of the men of Israel.

2 Samuel 15:7 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:7 (KJV)	2 Samuel 15:7 (NET)
And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that Absalom said unto the king: ‘I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto HaShem, in Hebron.	And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron.	After four years Absalom said to the king, “Let me go and repay my vow that I made to the Lord while I was in Hebron.

2 Samuel 15:7 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 15:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγένετο ἀπὸ τέλους τεσσαράκοντα ἐτῶν καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ πορεύσομαι δὴ καὶ ἀποτείσω τὰς εὐχάς μου ἃς ηὐξάμην τῷ κυρίῳ ἐν Χεβρων	καὶ ἐγένετο ἀπὸ τέλους τεσσαράκοντα ἐτῶν καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ· πορεύσομαι δὴ καὶ ἀποτίσω τὰς εὐχάς μου, ἃς ηὐξάμην τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐν Χεβρών
2 Reigns 15:7 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:7 (English Elpenor)
And it happened at the end of forty years, that Abessalom said to his father, “I will go now and pay my my vows that I vowed to the Lord, in Chebron.	And it came to pass after forty years, that Abessalom said to his father, I will go now, and pay my vows, which I vowed to the Lord in Chebron.

2 Samuel 15:8 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:8 (KJV)	2 Samuel 15:8 (NET)
For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Aram, saying: If HaShem shall indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve HaShem.’	For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.	For I made this vow when I was living in Geshur in Aram: ‘If the Lord really does allow me to return to Jerusalem, I will serve the Lord.’”

2 Samuel 15:8 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 15:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι εὐχὴν ηὔξατο ὁ δοῦλός σου ἐν τῷ οἰκεῗν με ἐν Γεδσουρ ἐν Συρίᾳ λέγων ἐὰν ἐπιστρέφων ἐπιστρέψῃ με κύριος εἰς Ιερουσαλημ καὶ λατρεύσω τῷ κυρίῳ	ὅτι εὐχὴν ηὔξατο ὁ δοῦλός σου ἐν τῷ οἰκεῖν με ἐν Γεδσοὺρ ἐν Συρίᾳ λέγων· ἐὰν ἐπιστρέφων ἐπιστρέψῃ με Κύριος εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ λατρεύσω τῷ Κυρίῳ
2 Reigns 15:8 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:8 (English Elpenor)
For your slave vowed a vow when I lived in Gedsour in Syria, saying, ‘If by returning the Lord should return me to Ierousalem, then I will serve the Lord.’”	For thy servant vowed a vow when I dwelt at Gedsur in Syria, saying, If the Lord should indeed restore me to Jerusalem, then will I serve the Lord.

2 Samuel 15:10 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:10 (KJV)	2 Samuel 15:10 (NET)
But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying: ‘As soon as ye hear the sound of the horn, then ye shall say: Absalom is king in Hebron.’	But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron.	Then Absalom sent spies through all the tribes of Israel who said, “When you hear the sound of the horn, you may assume that Absalom rules in Hebron.”

2 Samuel 15:10 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 15:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Αβεσσαλωμ κατασκόπους ἐν πάσαις φυλαῗς Ισραηλ λέγων ἐν τῷ ἀκοῦσαι ὑμᾶς τὴν φωνὴν τῆς κερατίνης καὶ ἐρεῗτε βεβασίλευκεν βασιλεὺς Αβεσσαλωμ ἐν Χεβρων	καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ κατασκόπους ἐν πάσαις φυλαῖς ᾿Ισραὴλ λέγων· ἐν τῷ ἀκοῦσαι ὑμᾶς τὴν φωνὴν τῆς κερατίνης καὶ ἐρεῖτε· βεβασίλευκε βασιλεὺς ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ ἐν Χεβρών
2 Reigns 15:10 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:10 (English Elpenor)
And Abessalom sent spies among all the tribes of Israel, saying, “When you hear the sound of the horn, they you will say, ‘Abessalom has been crowned king in Chebron!’”	And Abessalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, When ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then shall ye say, Abessalom is become king in Chebron.

2 Samuel 15:12 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:12 (KJV)	2 Samuel 15:12 (NET)
And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.	And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.	While he was offering sacrifices, Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s adviser, to come from his city, Giloh. The conspiracy was gaining momentum, and the people were starting to side with Absalom.

2 Samuel 15:12 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 15:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τὸν Αχιτοφελ τὸν Γελμωναῗον τὸν σύμβουλον Δαυιδ ἐκ τῆς πόλεως αὐτοῦ ἐκ Γωλα ἐν τῷ θυσιάζειν αὐτόν καὶ ἐγένετο σύστρεμμα ἰσχυρόν καὶ ὁ λαὸς πορευόμενος καὶ πολὺς μετὰ Αβεσσαλωμ	καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸν ᾿Αχιτόφελ τὸν Γελμωναῖον τὸν σύμβουλον Δαυὶδ ἐκ τῆς πόλεως αὐτοῦ ἐκ Γωλὰ ἐν τῷ θυσιάζειν αὐτόν. καὶ ἐγένετο σύστρεμμα ἰσχυρόν, καὶ ὁ λαὸς ὁ πορευόμενος καὶ πολὺς μετὰ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ
2 Reigns 15:12 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:12 (English Elpenor)
And Abessalom sent and summond Achitophel the Gelmonite, the counselor of Dauid, from his city, from Gola, when he was offering sacrifices. And the conspiracy became strong, and the people, going in great number, were with Abessalom.	And Abessalom sent to Achitophel the Theconite,* the counsellor of David, from his city, from Gola, where he was sacrificing: and there was a strong conspiracy; and the people with Abessalom were increasingly numerous.

2 Samuel 15:13 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:13 (KJV)	2 Samuel 15:13 (NET)
And there came a messenger to David, saying: ‘The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.’	And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.	Then a messenger came to David and reported, “The men of Israel are loyal to Absalom!”

2 Samuel 15:13 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 15:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ παρεγένετο ὁ ἀπαγγέλλων πρὸς Δαυιδ λέγων ἐγενήθη ἡ καρδία ἀνδρῶν Ισραηλ ὀπίσω Αβεσσαλωμ	καὶ παρεγένετο ὁ ἀπαγγέλλων πρὸς Δαυὶδ λέγων· ἐγενήθη ἡ καρδία ἀνδρῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ ὀπίσω ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ
2 Reigns 15:13 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:13 (English Elpenor)
And the messenger came to Dauid, saying, “The heart of the men of Israel has gone after Abessalom.”	And there came a messenger to David, saying, the heart of the men of Israel is gone after Abessalom.

2 Samuel 15:14 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:14 (KJV)	2 Samuel 15:14 (NET)
And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem: ‘Arise, and let us flee; for else none of us shall escape from Absalom; make speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.’	And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.	So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come on! Let’s escape! Otherwise no one will be delivered from Absalom! Go immediately, or else he will quickly overtake us and bring disaster on us and kill the city’s residents with the sword.”

2 Samuel 15:14 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 15:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ πᾶσιν τοῗς παισὶν αὐτοῦ τοῗς μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ τοῗς ἐν Ιερουσαλημ ἀνάστητε καὶ φύγωμεν ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῗν σωτηρία ἀπὸ προσώπου Αβεσσαλωμ ταχύνατε τοῦ πορευθῆναι ἵνα μὴ ταχύνῃ καὶ καταλάβῃ ἡμᾶς καὶ ἐξώσῃ ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς τὴν κακίαν καὶ πατάξῃ τὴν πόλιν στόματι μαχαίρης	καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ πᾶσι τοῖς παισὶν αὐτοῦ τοῖς μετ’ αὐτοῦ τοῖς ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ· ἀνάστητε καὶ φύγωμεν, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν σωτηρία ἀπὸ προσώπου ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· ταχύνατε τοῦ πορευθῆναι, ἵνα μὴ ταχύνῃ καὶ καταλάβῃ ἡμᾶς καὶ ἐξώσῃ ἐφ’ ἡμᾶς τὴν κακίαν καὶ πατάξῃ τὴν πόλιν ἐν στόματι μαχαίρας
2 Reigns 15:14 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:14 (English Elpenor)
And Dauid said to all his servants who were with him in Ierousalem, “Get up, and let us flee, for there is no deliverance for us from before Abessalom. Be quick to go so that he might not be quick and overtake us and thrust out evil upon us and strike the city with the dagger’s edge.”	And David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, Rise, and let us flee, for we have no refuge from Abessalom: make haste and go, lest he overtake us speedily, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.

2 Samuel 15:19 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:19 (KJV)	2 Samuel 15:19 (NET)
Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite: ‘Wherefore goest thou also with us? return, and abide with the king; for thou art a foreigner, and also an exile from thine own place.	Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile.	Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you come with us? Go back and stay with the new king, for you are a foreigner and an exile from your own country.

2 Samuel 15:19 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 15:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς Εθθι τὸν Γεθθαῗον ἵνα τί πορεύῃ καὶ σὺ μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν ἐπίστρεφε καὶ οἴκει μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ὅτι ξένος εἶ σὺ καὶ ὅτι μετῴκηκας σὺ ἐκ τοῦ τόπου σου	καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς ᾿Εθὶ τὸν Γεθθαῖον· ἱνατί πορεύῃ καὶ σὺ μεθ’ ἡμῶν; ἐπίστρεφε καὶ οἴκει μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως, ὅτι ξένος εἶ σὺ καὶ ὅτι μετῴκησας σὺ ἐκ τοῦ τόπου σου
2 Reigns 15:19 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:19 (English Elpenor)
And the king said to Eththi the Geththite, “Why are you also going with us? Turn back, and live with the king, because you are a stranger and because you have changed your abode from your place.	And the king said to Ethi, the Gittite, Why dost thou also go with us? return, and dwell with the king, for thou art a stranger, and thou hast come forth as a sojourner out of thy place.

2 Samuel 15:20 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:20 (KJV)	2 Samuel 15:20 (NET)
Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us, seeing I go whither I may? return thou, and take back thy brethren with thee in kindness and truth.’	Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee.	It seems as if you arrived just yesterday. Today should I make you wander around by going with us? I go where I must go. But as for you, go back and take your men with you. May genuine loyal love protect you!”

2 Samuel 15:20 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 15:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἰ ἐχθὲς παραγέγονας καὶ σήμερον κινήσω σε μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν καί γε μεταναστήσεις τὸν τόπον σου ἐχθὲς ἡ ἐξέλευσίς σου καὶ σήμερον μετακινήσω σε μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν τοῦ πορευθῆναι καὶ ἐγὼ πορεύσομαι οὗ ἂν ἐγὼ πορευθῶ ἐπιστρέφου καὶ ἐπίστρεψον τοὺς ἀδελφούς σου μετὰ σοῦ καὶ κύριος ποιήσει μετὰ σοῦ ἔλεος καὶ ἀλήθειαν	εἰ ἐχθὲς παραγέγονας, καὶ σήμερον κινήσω σε μεθ’ ἡμῶν; καί γε μεταναστήσεις τὸν τόπον σου; ἐχθὲς ἡ ἐξέλευσίς σου, καὶ σήμερον μετακινήσω σε μεθ’ ἡμῶν τοῦ πορευθῆναι; καὶ ἐγὼ πορεύσομαι οὗ ἐὰν ἐγὼ πορευθῶ. ἐπιστρέφου καὶ ἐπίστρεψον τοὺς ἀδελφούς σου μετὰ σοῦ, καὶ Κύριος ποιήσει μετὰ σοῦ ἔλεος καὶ ἀλήθειαν
2 Reigns 15:20 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:20 (English Elpenor)
If you had come yesterday, shall I even today move you with us, and indeed will you evade your place? Yesterday was your going out, and today shall I remove you to go with us? And I will go wherever I go. Turn back, and turn back your brothers with you, and the Lord will do mercy and truth with you.”	Whereas thou camest yesterday, shall I to-day cause thee to travel with us, and shalt thou [thus] change thy place? thou didst come forth yesterday, and to-day shall I set thee in motion to go along with us? I indeed will go whithersoever I may go: return then, and cause thy brethren to return with thee, and may the Lord deal mercifully and truly with thee.

2 Samuel 15:21 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:21 (KJV)	2 Samuel 15:21 (NET)
And Ittai answered the king, and said: ‘As HaShem liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, even there also will thy servant be.’	And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.	But Ittai replied to the king, “As surely as the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether it means death or life, there I will be as well!”

2 Samuel 15:21 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 15:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Εθθι τῷ βασιλεῗ καὶ εἶπεν ζῇ κύριος καὶ ζῇ ὁ κύριός μου ὁ βασιλεύς ὅτι εἰς τὸν τόπον οὗ ἐὰν ᾖ ὁ κύριός μου καὶ ἐὰν εἰς θάνατον καὶ ἐὰν εἰς ζωήν ὅτι ἐκεῗ ἔσται ὁ δοῦλός σου	καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ᾿Εθθὶ τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ εἶπε· ζῇ Κύριος καὶ ζῇ ὁ κύριός μου ὁ βασιλεύς, ὅτι εἰς τὸν τόπον, οὗ ἐὰν ᾖ ὁ κύριός μου, καὶ ἐὰν εἰς θάνατον καὶ ἐὰν εἰς ζωήν, ὅτι ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ δοῦλός σου
2 Reigns 15:21 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:21 (English Elpenor)
And Eththi answered the king and said, “The Lord lives, and my lord the king lives, for in the place wherever my lord may be, both if it be for death and if it be for life, for there your slave will be.”	And Ethi answered the king and said, [As] the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, in the place wheresoever my lord shall be, whether it be for death or life, there shall thy servant be.

2 Samuel 15:25 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:25 (KJV)	2 Samuel 15:25 (NET)
And the king said unto Zadok: ‘Carry back the ark of G-d into the city; if I shall find favour in the eyes of HaShem, He will bring me back, and show me both it, and His habitation;	And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation:	Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back to the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s sight he will bring me back and enable me to see both it and his dwelling place again.

2 Samuel 15:25 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 15:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Σαδωκ ἀπόστρεψον τὴν κιβωτὸν τοῦ θεοῦ εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἐὰν εὕρω χάριν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῗς κυρίου καὶ ἐπιστρέψει με καὶ δείξει μοι αὐτὴν καὶ τὴν εὐπρέπειαν αὐτῆς	καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς τὸν Σαδώκ· ἀπόστρεψον τὴν κιβωτὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς τὴν πόλιν· ἐὰν εὕρω χάριν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς Κυρίου, καὶ ἐπιστρέψει με καὶ δείξει μοι αὐτήν καὶ τὴν εὐπρέπειαν αὐτῆς
2 Reigns 15:25 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:25 (English Elpenor)
And the king said to Sadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, then he will bring me back and show me it and its beauty.	And the king said to Sadoc, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I should find favour in the eyes of the Lord, then will he bring me back, and he will shew me it and its beauty.

2 Samuel 15:26 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:26 (KJV)	2 Samuel 15:26 (NET)
but if He say thus: I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let Him do to me as seemeth good unto Him.’	But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.	However, if he should say, ‘I do not take pleasure in you,’ then he will deal with me in a way that he considers appropriate.”

2 Samuel 15:26 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 15:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐὰν εἴπῃ οὕτως οὐκ ἠθέληκα ἐν σοί ἰδοὺ ἐγώ εἰμι ποιείτω μοι κατὰ τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῗς αὐτοῦ	καὶ ἐὰν εἴπῃ οὕτως· οὐκ ἠθέληκα ἐν σοί, ἰδοὺ ἐγώ εἰμι, ποιείτω μοι κατὰ τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ
2 Reigns 15:26 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:26 (English Elpenor)
And if he says thus, ‘I have no want in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me according to what is good in his eyes.”	But if he should say thus, I have no pleasure in thee; behold, [here] I am, let him do to me according to that which is good in his eyes.

2 Samuel 15:28 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:28 (KJV)	2 Samuel 15:28 (NET)
See, I will tarry in the plains of the wilderness, until there come word from you to announce unto me.’	See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me.	Look, I will be waiting at the fords of the desert until word from you reaches me.”

2 Samuel 15:28 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 15:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἴδετε ἐγώ εἰμι στρατεύομαι ἐν Αραβωθ τῆς ἐρήμου ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῗν ῥῆμα παρ᾽ ὑμῶν τοῦ ἀπαγγεῗλαί μοι	ἴδετε, ἐγώ εἰμι στρατεύομαι ἐν ᾿Αραβὼθ τῆς ἐρήμου ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῖν ρῆμα παρ’ ὑμῶν τοῦ ἀπαγγεῖλαί μοι
2 Reigns 15:28 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:28 (English Elpenor)
Look, I am—I am at arms in araboth of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”	Behold, I continue in arms in Araboth of the desert, until there come tidings from you to report to me.

2 Samuel 15:31 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:31 (KJV)	2 Samuel 15:31 (NET)
And one told David, saying: ‘Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.’ And David said: ‘O HaShem, I pray Thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.’	And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.	Now David had been told, “Ahithophel has sided with the conspirators who are with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish, O Lord.”

2 Samuel 15:31 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 15:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀνηγγέλη Δαυιδ λέγοντες καὶ Αχιτοφελ ἐν τοῗς συστρεφομένοις μετὰ Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ διασκέδασον δὴ τὴν βουλὴν Αχιτοφελ κύριε ὁ θεός μου	καὶ ἀνηγγέλη Δαυὶδ λέγοντες· καὶ ᾿Αχιτόφελ ἐν τοῖς συστρεφομένοις μετὰ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· καὶ εἶπε Δαυίδ· διασκέδασον δὴ τὴν βουλὴν ᾿Αχιτόφελ, Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου
2 Reigns 15:31 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:31 (English Elpenor)
And it was told Dauid, saying, “Even Achitophel is among the conspirators with Abessalom.” And Dauid said, “Do scatter abroad the counsel of Achitophel, O Lord my God.”	And it was reported to David, saying, Achitophel also [is] among the conspirators with Abessalom. And David said, O Lord my God, disconcert, I pray thee, the counsel of Achitophel.

2 Samuel 15:33 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:33 (KJV)	2 Samuel 15:33 (NET)
And David said unto him: ‘If thou passest on with me, then thou wilt be a burden unto Me;	Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me:	David said to him, “If you leave with me you will be a burden to me.

2 Samuel 15:33 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 15:33 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Δαυιδ ἐὰν μὲν διαβῇς μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ καὶ ἔσῃ ἐπ᾽ ἐμὲ εἴς βάσταγμα	καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Δαυίδ· ἐὰν μὲν διαβῇς μετ’ ἐμοῦ, καὶ ἔσῃ ἐπ’ ἐμὲ εἰς βάσταγμα
2 Reigns 15:33 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:33 (English Elpenor)
And Dauid said to him, “If you cross over with me, then you will be for a burden on me.	And David said to him, If thou shouldest go over with me, then wilt thou be a burden to me;

2 Samuel 15:34 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 15:34 (KJV)	2 Samuel 15:34 (NET)
but if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom: I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father’s servant in time past, so will I now be thy servant; then wilt thou defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.	But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father’s servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.	But you will be able to counter the advice of Ahithophel if you go back to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king! Previously I was your father’s servant, and now I will be your servant.’

2 Samuel 15:34 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 15:34 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐὰν εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἐπιστρέψῃς καὶ ἐρεῗς τῷ Αβεσσαλωμ διεληλύθασιν οἱ ἀδελφοί σου καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς κατόπισθέν μου διελήλυθεν ὁ πατήρ σου καὶ νῦν παῗς σού εἰμι βασιλεῦ ἔασόν με ζῆσαι παῗς τοῦ πατρός σου ἤμην τότε καὶ ἀρτίως καὶ νῦν ἐγὼ δοῦλος σός καὶ διασκεδάσεις μοι τὴν βουλὴν Αχιτοφελ	καὶ ἐὰν ἐπιστρέψῃς ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν, καὶ ἐρεῖς τῷ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· διεληλύθασιν οἱ ἀδελφοί σου, καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς κατόπισθέν μου διελήλυθεν ὁ πατήρ σου, καὶ νῦν παῖς σού εἰμι, βασιλεῦ, ἔασόν με ζῆσαι, παῖς τοῦ πατρός σου ἤμην τότε καὶ ἀρτίως, καὶ νῦν ἐγὼ δοῦλος σός· καὶ διασκεδάσεις μοι τὴν βουλὴν ᾿Αχιτόφελ
2 Reigns 15:34 (NETS)	2 Kings 15:34 (English Elpenor)
And if you return to the city and will say to Abessalom, ‘Your brothers have passed through, and your father the king has passed through behind me, and now I am your servant, O king, permit me to live; I was a servant of your father in the past and recently, and now I am a slave of yours,’ then you will scatter abroad for me the counsel of Achitophel.	but if thou shall return to the city, and shalt say to Abessalom, Thy brethren are passed over, and the king thy father is passed over after me: and now I am thy servant, O king, suffer me to live: at one time even of late I was the servant of thy father, and now I [am] thy humble servant– so shalt thou disconcert for me, the counsel of Achitophel.

2 Samuel 16:3 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 16:3 (KJV)	2 Samuel 16:3 (NET)
And the king said: ‘And where is thy master’s son?’ And Ziba said unto the king: ‘Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem; for he said: To-day will the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.’	And the king said, And where is thy master’s son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.	The king asked, “Where is your master’s grandson?” Ziba replied to the king, “He remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give back to me my grandfather’s kingdom.’”

2 Samuel 16:3 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 16:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς καὶ ποῦ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ κυρίου σου καὶ εἶπεν Σιβα πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα ἰδοὺ κάθηται ἐν Ιερουσαλημ ὅτι εἶπεν σήμερον ἐπιστρέψουσίν μοι ὁ οἶκος Ισραηλ τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ πατρός μου	καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς· καὶ ποῦ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ κυρίου σου; καὶ εἶπε Σιβὰ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα· ἰδοὺ κάθηται ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, ὅτι εἶπε· σήμερον ἐπιστρέψουσί μοι οἶκος ᾿Ισραὴλ τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ πατρός μου
2 Reigns 16:3 (NETS)	2 Kings 16:3 (English Elpenor)
And the king said, “And where is the son of your master?” And Siba said to the king, “Behold, he sits in Ierousalem, for he said, “Today the house of Israel will return to me the kingdom of my father.’”	And the king said, And where [is] the son of thy master? and Siba said to the king, Behold, he remains in Jerusalem; for he said, To-day shall the house of Israel restore to me the kingdom of my father.

2 Samuel 16:4 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 16:4 (KJV)	2 Samuel 16:4 (NET)
Then said the king to Ziba: ‘Behold, thine is all that pertaineth unto Mephibosheth.’ And Ziba said: ‘I prostrate myself; let me find favour in thy sight, my lord, O king.’	Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.	The king said to Ziba, “Everything that was Mephibosheth’s now belongs to you.” Ziba replied, “I bow before you. May I find favor in your sight, my lord the king.”

2 Samuel 16:4 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 16:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Σιβα ιδοὺ σοὶ πάντα ὅσα ἐστὶν τῷ Μεμφιβοσθε καὶ εἶπεν Σιβα προσκυνήσας εὕροιμι χάριν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῗς σου κύριέ μου βασιλεῦ	καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Σιβά· ἰδού σοι πάντα, ὅσα ἐστὶ Μεμφιβοσθέ. καὶ εἶπε Σιβὰ προσκυνήσας· εὕροιμι χάριν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς σου, κύριέ μου βασιλεῦ
2 Reigns 16:4 (NETS)	2 Kings 16:4 (English Elpenor)
And the king said to Siba, “Behold, everything is yours that belongs to Memphibosthe.” And doing obeisance Siba said, “May I find favor in your sight, my lord O king.”	And the king said to Siba, Behold, all Memphibosthe’s property [is] thine. And Siba did obeisance and said, My lord, O king, let me find grace in thine eyes.

2 Samuel 16:8 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 16:8 (KJV)	2 Samuel 16:8 (NET)
HaShem hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and HaShem hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son; and, behold, thou art taken in thine own mischief, because thou art a man of blood.’	The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.	The Lord has punished you for all the spilled blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you rule. Now the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. Disaster has overtaken you, for you are a man of bloodshed!”

2 Samuel 16:8 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 16:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπέστρεψεν ἐπὶ σὲ κύριος πάντα τὰ αἵματα τοῦ οἴκου Σαουλ ὅτι ἐβασίλευσας ἀντ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔδωκεν κύριος τὴν βασιλείαν ἐν χειρὶ Αβεσσαλωμ τοῦ υἱοῦ σου καὶ ἰδοὺ σὺ ἐν τῇ κακίᾳ σου ὅτι ἀνὴρ αἱμάτων σύ	ἐπέστρεψεν ἐπὶ σὲ Κύριος πάντα τὰ αἵματα τοῦ οἴκου Σαούλ, ὅτι ἐβασίλευσας ἀνταὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔδωκε Κύριος τὴν βασιλείαν ἐν χειρὶ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ τοῦ υἱοῦ σου· καὶ ἰδοὺ σὺ ἐν τῇ κακίᾳ σου, ὅτι ἀνὴρ αἱμάτων σύ
2 Reigns 16:8 (NETS)	2 Kings 16:8 (English Elpenor)
The Lord returned on you all the blood of the house of Saoul, for you became king in his stead, and the Lord gave the kingdom into the hand of Abessalom your son. And behold, you are in your bad state, for you are a man of blood.”	The Lord has returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, because thou hast reigned in his stead; and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of Abessalom thy son: and, behold, thou [art taken] in thy mischief, because thou [art] a bloody man.

2 Samuel 16:10 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 16:10 (KJV)	2 Samuel 16:10 (NET)
And the king said: ‘What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because HaShem hath said unto him: Curse David; who then shall say: Wherefore hast thou done so?’	And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?	But the king said, “What do we have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? If he curses because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David!,’ who can say to him, ‘Why have you done this?’”

2 Samuel 16:10 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 16:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς τί ἐμοὶ καὶ ὑμῗν υἱοὶ Σαρουιας ἄφετε αὐτὸν καὶ οὕτως καταράσθω ὅτι κύριος εἶπεν αὐτῷ καταρᾶσθαι τὸν Δαυιδ καὶ τίς ἐρεῗ ὡς τί ἐποίησας οὕτως	καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς· τί ἐμοὶ καὶ ὑμῖν, υἱοὶ Σαρουΐας; ἄφετε αὐτὸν καὶ οὕτως καταράσθω, ὅτι Κύριος εἶπεν αὐτῷ καταρᾶσθαι τὸν Δαυίδ, καὶ τίς ἐρεῖ, ὡς τί ἐποίησας οὕτως
2 Reigns 16:10 (NETS)	2 Kings 16:10 (English Elpenor)
And the king said, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Sarouia? Leave him alone, and so let him curse, because the Lord told him to curse Dauid, and who shall say, ‘To what end did you do so?’”	And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Saruia? even let him alone, and so let him curse, for the Lord has told him to curse David: and who shall say, Why hast thou done thus?

2 Samuel 16:11 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 16:11 (KJV)	2 Samuel 16:11 (NET)
And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants: ‘Behold, my son, who came forth of my body, seeketh my life; how much more this Benjamite now? let him alone, and let him curse; for HaShem hath bidden him.	And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.	Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son, my very own flesh and blood, is trying to take my life. So also now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone so that he can curse, for the Lord has spoken to him.

2 Samuel 16:11 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 16:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ πρὸς Αβεσσα καὶ πρὸς πάντας τοὺς παῗδας αὐτοῦ ἰδοὺ ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἐξελθὼν ἐκ τῆς κοιλίας μου ζητεῗ τὴν ψυχήν μου καὶ προσέτι νῦν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Ιεμινι ἄφετε αὐτὸν καταρᾶσθαι ὅτι εἶπεν αὐτῷ κύριος	καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ πρὸς ᾿Αβεσσὰ καὶ πρὸς πάντας τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ· ἰδοὺ ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἐξελθὼν ἐκ τῆς κοιλίας μου ζητεῖ τὴν ψυχήν μου, καὶ προσέτι νῦν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ᾿Ιεμινί· ἄφετε αὐτὸν καταρᾶσθαι, ὅτι εἶπεν αὐτῷ Κύριος
2 Reigns 16:11 (NETS)	2 Kings 16:11 (English Elpenor)
And Dauid said to Abessa and to all his servants, “Behold, my son who came out of my belly seeks my life, and now besides, the son of the Iemini! Leave him alone to curse, because the Lord told him.	And David said to Abessa and to all his servants, Behold, my son who came forth out of my bowels seeks my life; still more now may the son of Benjamin: let him curse, because the Lord has told him.

2 Samuel 16:12 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 16:12 (KJV)	2 Samuel 16:12 (NET)
It may be that HaShem will look on mine eye, and that HaShem will requite me good for his cursing of me this day.’	It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.	Perhaps the Lord will notice my affliction and this day grant me good in place of his curse.”

2 Samuel 16:12 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 16:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἴ πως ἴδοι κύριος ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει μου καὶ ἐπιστρέψει μοι ἀγαθὰ ἀντὶ τῆς κατάρας αὐτοῦ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ	εἴπως ἴδοι Κύριος ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει μου καὶ ἐπιστρέψει μοι ἀγαθὰ ἀντὶ τῆς κατάρας αὐτοῦ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ
2 Reigns 16:12 (NETS)	2 Kings 16:12 (English Elpenor)
If somehow the Lord may look on my humiliation, then he will return to me good things in place of his curse this day.”	If by any means the Lord may look on my affliction, thus shall he return me good for his cursing this day.

2 Samuel 5:4 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 5:4 (KJV)	2 Samuel 5:4 (NET)
David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.	David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.	David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for forty years.

2 Samuel 5:4 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 5:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
υἱὸς τριάκοντα ἐτῶν Δαυιδ ἐν τῷ βασιλεῦσαι αὐτὸν καὶ τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη ἐβασίλευσεν	υἱὸς τριάκοντα ἐτῶν Δαυὶδ ἐν τῷ βασιλεῦσαι αὐτὸν καὶ τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη ἐβασίλευσεν
2 Reigns 5:4 (NETS)	2 Kings 5:4 (English Elpenor)
Dauid was a son of thirty years when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years,	David [was] thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.

2 Samuel 5:5 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 5:5 (KJV)	2 Samuel 5:5 (NET)
In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.	In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.	In Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned for thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

2 Samuel 5:5 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 5:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἑπτὰ ἔτη καὶ ἓξ μῆνας ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν Χεβρων ἐπὶ τὸν Ιουδαν καὶ τριάκοντα τρία ἔτη ἐβασίλευσεν ἐπὶ πάντα Ισραηλ καὶ Ιουδαν ἐν Ιερουσαλημ	ἑπτὰ ἔτη καὶ μῆνας ἓξ ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν Χεβρὼν ἐπὶ τὸν ᾿Ιούδαν καὶ τριάκοντα τρία ἔτη ἐβασίλευσεν ἐπὶ πάντα ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ᾿Ιούδαν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ
2 Reigns 5:5 (NETS)	2 Kings 5:5 (English Elpenor)
seven years and six months he reigned at Chebron over Ioudas, and thirty-three years he reigned over all Israel and Ioudas at Ierousalem.	Seven years and six months he reigned in Chebron over Juda, and thirty-three years he reigned over all Israel and Juda in Jerusalem.

David’s Forgiveness, Part 10

Back to David’s Forgiveness, Part 11

Back to David’s Forgiveness, Part 12

Back to Romans, Part 76

Back to Atonement, Part 1

Back to Forgiven or Passed Over? Part 1

¹ 2 Samuel 14:24 (NET)

² 2 Samuel 14:29 (NET)

³ 2 Samuel 14:30 (NET)

⁴ 2 Samuel 14:32 (NET)

⁵ 2 Samuel 14:33 (NET)

⁶ 2 Samuel 14:25 (NET)

⁷ NET Note: “The imagery of the ‘burning coals’ represents pangs of conscience, more readily effected by kindness than by violence. These coals produce the sharp pain of contrition through regret (e.g., 18:19; 20:22; 24:17; Gen 42-45; 1 Sam 24:18-20; Rom 12:20). The coals then would be an implied comparison with a searing conscience.”

⁸ Proverbs 25:21, 22 (NET)

⁹ 2 Samuel 15:3, 4 (NET)

¹⁰ 2 Samuel 15:5, 6 (NET)

¹¹ 2 Samuel 15:7, 8 (NET)

¹² 2 Samuel 15:10 (NET)

¹³ 2 Samuel 15:12 (NET)

¹⁴ 2 Samuel 15:13, 14 (NET)

¹⁵ 2 Samuel 15:19, 20 (NET)

¹⁶ 2 Samuel 15:21 (NET)

¹⁷ 2 Samuel 15:25, 26 (NET)

¹⁸ 2 Samuel 15:28 (NET)

¹⁹ 2 Samuel 15:31 (NET)

²⁰ 2 Samuel 15:33, 34 (NET)

²¹ 2 Samuel 16:3, 4 (NET)

²² 2 Samuel 16:8 (NET)

David’s Forgiveness, Part 8

Posted on August 22, 2012 by admin

When I studied the Bible looking for rules to obey I was the project, and I was in charge of my reform efforts. I determined which rules to obey and which didn’t apply to me. I didn’t necessarily see it that way at the time. I thought I was doing it all for God’s sake. But when I began to study the Bible to know Him, and Jesus Christ whom He sent,¹ I was distracted. I couldn’t stay so focused on myself. Oh, I’m still the project. But now I’m God’s project and He is in charge of the reform effort. Here is a case in point.

In the last essay I began to consider whether I could believe that David exercised some form of Do not judge so that you will not be judged² with his son when he suspected something amiss in Absalom’s request regarding Amnon. I wondered if the Lord regarded that as something after his own heart.³ But the more I thought about it, the more I disliked the idea. In my resistance to it I was unmasked. The main reason I don’t want to believe that David exercised some form of Do not judge so that you will not be judged with Absalom was that it didn’t work. Absalom killed Amnon anyway. And I know the rest of the story. It didn’t even work in the long run on Absalom. It didn’t deliver the goods.

I don’t want to be like [my] Father in heaven, [who] causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous,⁴ not really, not if it doesn’t work out. And I want to see it work out. I don’t want to walk by faith on something like this. And, frankly, I didn’t know that about myself when I began the previous essay. I don’t know how to change that about myself now.

I know that I used to object to not judging others because those “others” would think they were putting something over on me, that I didn’t know what they were really thinking. They would think I was stupid, and I’d, you know, come off like a dolt. I probably still feel that way somewhere inside, considering the way I analyzed David’s actions or inactions. I just can’t muster whatever it would take to use that as an objection anymore.

Whether Absalom thought he was right to kill Amnon or not, once the deed was done he fled and went to King Talmai son of Ammihud of Geshur,⁵ his mother Maacah’s father. David grieved for another firstborn son, his actual firstborn, Amnon born to Ahinoam the Jezreelite. Absalom was banished to Geshur for three years. David longed to go to Absalom, for he had since been consoled over the death of Amnon.⁶

This longing was certainly something dear to God’s heart. [Addendum 3/12/2021: In the Septuagint this is described as the easing of a longing against Absalom.] Ephraim is my firstborn son,⁷ God spoke through Jeremiah. This is the name used by the prophets to personify the northern kingdom of Israel that rebelled against Solomon’s son Rehoboam. Ephraim has attached himself to idols; Do not go near him!⁸ The Lord had a lot to say about Ephraim.

I know Ephraim all too well; the evil of Israel is not hidden from me. For you have engaged in prostitution (Septuagint: ἐξεπόρνευσεν, a form of ἐκπορνεύω), O Ephraim; Israel has defiled itself. Their wicked deeds do not allow them to return to their God; because a spirit of idolatry (Septuagint: πορνείας) controls their heart, and they do not acknowledge the Lord.⁹ Within sixty-five years Ephraim will no longer exist as a nation.¹⁰ Ephraim will be ruined in the day of judgment!¹¹ Ephraim will be oppressed, crushed under judgment, because he was determined to pursue worthless idols.¹²

Whenever I want to heal Israel, the Lord continued, the sin of Ephraim is revealed, and the evil deeds of Samaria [the capital of the northern kingdom] are exposed. For they do what is wrong; thieves break into houses, and gangs rob people out in the streets. They do not realize that I remember all of their wicked deeds. Their evil deeds have now surrounded them; their sinful deeds are always before me.¹³ Although Ephraim has built many altars for sin offerings, these have become altars for sinning! I spelled out my law for him in great detail, but they regard it as something totally unknown to them!¹⁴

I can’t imagine a parent who can’t hear God’s hurt and yearning, it was I who led Ephraim, I took them by the arm; but they did not acknowledge that I had healed them.¹⁵ How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I surrender you, O Israel?…I have had a change of heart! All my tender compassions are aroused!¹⁶

Just as Jonadab couldn’t bear to see Amnon’s longing without offering him advice to ensnare Tamar,¹⁷ Joab was so moved by David’s longing for Absalom he hired an actress. Pretend to be in mourning, Joab instructed her, and put on garments for mourning. Don’t anoint yourself with oil. Instead, act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for some time. Go to the king and speak to him in the following fashion.¹⁸

The actress claimed to be a widow who had two sons. They got into a fight out in the field where no one could separate them. One killed the other. Now the entire family has risen up against your servant, saying, “Turn over the one who struck down his brother, so that we can execute him and avenge the death of his brother whom he killed.”¹⁹ There would be no one then to carry on the name of her husband. Go to your home, David said. I will give instructions concerning your situation.²⁰

The actress wasn’t satisfied with his answer. She pressed him further, and David said, Bring to me whoever speaks to you, and he won’t bother you again!²¹ Still, the actress wasn’t satisfied, In that case, let the king invoke the name of the Lord your God so that the avenger of blood may not kill! She wanted David to swear an oath. So David said, As surely as the Lord lives, not a single hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground.²² Then she blamed David for Absalom’s exile (2 Samuel 14:13-17 NET).

Why have you devised something like this against God’s people? When the king speaks in this fashion, he makes himself guilty, for the king has not brought back the one he has banished. Certainly we must die, and are like water spilled on the ground that cannot be gathered up again. But God does not take away life; instead he devises ways for the banished to be restored. I have now come to speak with my lord the king about this matter, because the people have made me fearful. But your servant said, “I will speak to the king! Perhaps the king will do what his female servant asks. Yes! The king may listen and deliver his female servant from the hand of the man who seeks to remove both me and my son from the inheritance God has given us!” So your servant said, “May the word of my lord the king be my security, for my lord the king is like the angel of God when it comes to deciding between right and wrong! May the Lord your God be with you!”

Joab schemed with the actress to trap and trick David as Nathan had done. Nathan was sent by God so that David would acknowledge and repent of his sin. The actress was sent by Joab so that David would follow his longing for Absalom to its logical conclusion. Did Joab put you up to all of this?²³ David asked the actress. When he learned the truth he wasn’t angry with Joab or the actress. He said to Joab, All right! I will do this thing! Go and bring back the young man Absalom!²⁴

Again, though David may appear foolish, he was a man after God’s own heart. He had an uncanny ability to see through all the commandments, laws, crimes and punishments to God’s loyal love and great compassion. A thousand years or so before Jesus spoke the parable, David demonstrated that he was not like the evil slave who was forgiven a great debt by his Lord but would not forgive his fellow slave a lesser debt. I forgave you all that debt because you begged me! Should you not have shown mercy to your fellow slave, just as I showed it to you?²⁵

Addendum: March 13, 2021
Tables comparing 2 Samuel 13:37; 13:39; Jeremiah 31:9; Hosea 4:17; 5:3; 5:4; Isaiah 7:8; Hosea 5:9; 5:11; 7:1; 7:2; 8:11; 8:12; 11:3; 11:8; 2 Samuel 14:2; 14:3; 14:7; 14:8; 14:10; 14:11; 14:13; 14:14; 14:15; 14:16; 14:17; 14:19 and 14:21 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 13:37; 13:39; Jeremiah 31:9 (38:9); Hosea 4:17; 5:3; 5:4; Isaiah 7:8; Hosea 5:9; 5:11; 7:1; 7:2; 8:11; 8:12; 11:3; 11:8; 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 14:2; 14:3; 14:7; 14:8; 14:10; 14:11; 14:13; 14:14; 14:15; 14:16; 14:17; 14:19 and 14:21 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

2 Samuel 13:37 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:37 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:37 (NET)
But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.	But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.	But Absalom fled and went to King Talmai son of Ammihud of Geshur. And David grieved over his son every day.

2 Samuel 13:37 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:37 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ Αβεσσαλωμ ἔφυγεν καὶ ἐπορεύθη πρὸς Θολμαι υἱὸν Εμιουδ βασιλέα Γεδσουρ εἰς γῆν Μαχαδ καὶ ἐπένθησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Δαυιδ ἐπὶ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας	καὶ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ ἔφυγε καὶ ἐπορεύθη πρὸς Θολμὶ υἱὸν ᾿Εμιοὺδ βασιλέα Γεδσοὺρ εἰς γῆν Μαχάδ. καὶ ἐπένθησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Δαυὶδ ἐπὶ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας
2 Reigns 13:37 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:37 (English Elpenor)
And Abessalom fled and went to Tholmai son of Emioud, king of Gedsour, to the land of Machad. And King Dauid mourned for his son all the days.	But Abessalom fled, and went to Tholmi son of Emiud the king of Gedsur to the land of Chamaachad: and king David mourned for his son continually.

2 Samuel 13:39 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:39 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:39 (NET)
And the soul of king David failed with longing for Absalom; for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.	And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.	The king longed to go to Absalom, for he had since been consoled over the death of Amnon.

2 Samuel 13:39 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:39 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐκόπασεν τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ βασιλέως τοῦ ἐξελθεῗν ὀπίσω Αβεσσαλωμ ὅτι παρεκλήθη ἐπὶ Αμνων ὅτι ἀπέθανεν	καὶ ἐκόπασε τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ βασιλέως τοῦ ἐξελθεῖν ὀπίσω ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ, ὅτι παρεκλήθη ἐπὶ ᾿Αμνὼν ὅτι ἀπέθανε
2 Reigns 13:39 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:39 (English Elpenor)
And the spirit of the king ceased to go after Abessalom, for he was consoled over Amnon, that he had died.	And king David ceased to go out after Abessalom, for he was comforted concerning Amnon, touching his death.

Jeremiah 31:9 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 31:9 (KJV)	Jeremiah 31:9 (NET)
They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.	They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.	They will come back shedding tears of contrition. I will bring them back praying prayers of repentance. I will lead them besides streams of water, along smooth paths where they will never stumble. I will do this because I am Israel’s father; Ephraim is my firstborn son.’

Jeremiah 31:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 38:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν κλαυθμῷ ἐξῆλθον καὶ ἐν παρακλήσει ἀνάξω αὐτοὺς αὐλίζων ἐπὶ διώρυγας ὑδάτων ἐν ὁδῷ ὀρθῇ καὶ οὐ μὴ πλανηθῶσιν ἐν αὐτῇ ὅτι ἐγενόμην τῷ Ισραηλ εἰς πατέρα καὶ Εφραιμ πρωτότοκός μού ἐστιν	ἐν κλαυθμῷ ἐξῆλθον, καὶ ἐν παρακλήσει ἀνάξω αὐτοὺς αὐλίζων ἐπὶ διώρυγας ὑδάτων ἐν ὁδῷ ὀρθῇ, καὶ οὐ μὴ πλανηθῶσιν ἐν αὐτῇ· ὅτι ἐγενόμην τῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ εἰς πατέρα, καὶ ᾿Εφραὶμ πρωτότοκός μού ἐστιν
Jeremiah 38:9 (NETS)	Jeremiah 38:9 (English Elpenor)
With weeping they went out, and with consolation I will bring them up, making them lodge by canals of waters in a straight road, and they shall not wander in it, because I became a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.	They went forth with weeping, and I will bring them back with consolation, causing them to lodge by the channels of waters in a straight way, and they shall not err in it: for I am become a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first-born.

Hosea 4:17 (Tanakh)	Hosea 4:17 (KJV)	Hosea 4:17 (NET)
Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.	Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.	Ephraim has attached himself to idols; Do not go near him!

Hosea 4:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Hosea 4:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μέτοχος εἰδώλων Εφραιμ ἔθηκεν ἑαυτῷ σκάνδαλα	μέτοχος εἰδώλων ᾿Εφραὶμ ἔθηκεν ἑαυτῷ σκάνδαλα,
Hosea 4:17 (NETS)	Hosea 4:17 (English Elpenor)
Ephraim, an associate of idols, placed stumbling blocks against himself.	Ephraim, joined with idols, has laid stumbling-blocks in his own way.

Hosea 5:3 (Tanakh)	Hosea 5:3 (KJV)	Hosea 5:3 (NET)
I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled.	I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled.	I know Ephraim all too well; the evil of Israel is not hidden from me. For you have engaged in prostitution, O Ephraim; Israel has defiled itself.

Hosea 5:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Hosea 5:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγὼ ἔγνων τὸν Εφραιμ καὶ Ισραηλ οὐκ ἄπεστιν ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ διότι νῦν ἐξεπόρνευσεν Εφραιμ ἐμιάνθη Ισραηλ	ἐγὼ ἔγνων τὸν ᾿Εφραίμ, καὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ οὐκ ἀπέστη ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ· διότι νῦν ἐξεπόρνευσεν ᾿Εφραίμ, ἐμιάνθη ᾿Ισραήλ
Hosea 5:3 (NETS)	Hosea 5:3 (English Elpenor)
I knew Ephraim, and Israel is not far from me; for now Ephraim has gone after whores; Israel has been defiled.	I know Ephraim, and Israel is not far from me: for now Ephraim has gone grievously a-whoring, Israel is defiled.

Hosea 5:4 (Tanakh)	Hosea 5:4 (KJV)	Hosea 5:4 (NET)
They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD.	They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD.	Their wicked deeds do not allow them to return to their God; for a spirit of idolatry is in them, and they do not acknowledge the Lord.

Hosea 5:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Hosea 5:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐκ ἔδωκαν τὰ διαβούλια αὐτῶν τοῦ ἐπιστρέψαι πρὸς τὸν θεὸν αὐτῶν ὅτι πνεῦμα πορνείας ἐν αὐτοῗς ἐστιν τὸν δὲ κύριον οὐκ ἐπέγνωσαν	οὐκ ἔδωκαν τὰ διαβούλια αὐτῶν τοῦ ἐπιστρέψαι πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν αὐτῶν, ὅτι πνεῦμα πορνείας ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐστι, τὸν δὲ Κύριον οὐκ ἐπέγνωσαν
Hosea 5:4 (NETS)	Hosea 5:4 (English Elpenor)
Their deliberations did not grant them to turn to their God, because a spirit of whoredom is within them, and they did not know the Lord.	They have not framed their counsels to return to their God, for the spirit of fornication is in them, and they have not known the Lord.

Isaiah 7:8 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 7:8 (KJV)	Isaiah 7:8 (NET)
For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people.	For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people.	For Syria’s leader is Damascus, and the leader of Damascus is Rezin. Within 65 years Ephraim will no longer exist as a nation.

Isaiah 7:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 7:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀλλ᾽ ἡ κεφαλὴ Αραμ Δαμασκός ἀλλ᾽ ἔτι ἑξήκοντα καὶ πέντε ἐτῶν ἐκλείψει ἡ βασιλεία Εφραιμ ἀπὸ λαοῦ	ἀλλ᾿ ἡ κεφαλὴ ᾿Αρὰμ Δαμασκὸς καὶ ἡ κεφαλὴ Δαμασκοῦ Ῥασεὶμ – ἀλλ᾿ ἔτι ἑξήκοντα καὶ πέντε ἐτῶν ἐκλείψει ἡ βασιλεία ᾿Εφραὶμ ἀπὸ λαοῦ
Isaiah 7:8 (NETS)	Isaiah 7:8 (English Elpenor)
But the head of Aram is Damascus, but yet within sixty-five years the kingdom of Ephraim will cease from being people.	But the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus, Rasim; and yet within sixty and five years the kingdom of Ephraim shall cease from [being] a people.

Hosea 5:9 (Tanakh)	Hosea 5:9 (KJV)	Hosea 5:9 (NET)
Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.	Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.	Ephraim will be ruined in the day of judgment. What I am declaring to the tribes of Israel will certainly take place!

Hosea 5:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Hosea 5:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
Εφραιμ εἰς ἀφανισμὸν ἐγένετο ἐν ἡμέραις ἐλέγχου ἐν ταῗς φυλαῗς τοῦ Ισραηλ ἔδειξα πιστά	Εφραὶμ εἰς ἀφανισμὸν ἐγένετο ἐν ἡμέραις ἐλέγχου· ἐν ταῖς φυλαῖς τοῦ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἔδειξα πιστά
Hosea 5:9 (NETS)	Hosea 5:9 (English Elpenor)
Ephraim has become an annihilation in the days of reproof; among the tribes of Israel, I have demonstrated things that are sure.	Ephraim has come to nought in the days of reproof: in the tribes of Israel I have shown faithful [dealings].

Hosea 5:11 (Tanakh)	Hosea 5:11 (KJV)	Hosea 5:11 (NET)
Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment.	Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment.	Ephraim will be oppressed, crushed under judgment, because he was determined to pursue worthless idols.

Hosea 5:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Hosea 5:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
κατεδυνάστευσεν Εφραιμ τὸν ἀντίδικον αὐτοῦ κατεπάτησεν κρίμα ὅτι ἤρξατο πορεύεσθαι ὀπίσω τῶν ματαίων	κατεδυνάστευσεν ᾿Εφραὶμ τὸν ἀντίδικον αὐτοῦ, κατεπάτησε κρίμα, ὅτι ἤρξατο πορεύεσθαι ὀπίσω τῶν ματαίων
Hosea 5:11 (NETS)	Hosea 5:11 (English Elpenor)
Ephraim has overpowered his opponent; he has trampled judgment, because he began to go after the vain things.	Ephraim has come to nought in the days of reproof: in the tribes of Israel I have shown faithful [dealings].

Hosea 7:1 (Tanakh)	Hosea 7:1 (KJV)	Hosea 7:1 (NET)
When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.	When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.	whenever I want to heal Israel, the sin of Ephraim is revealed, and the evil deeds of Samaria are exposed. For they do what is wrong; thieves break into houses, and gangs rob people out in the streets.

Hosea 7:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Hosea 6:11b-7:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν τῷ ἰάσασθαί με τὸν Ισραηλ καὶ ἀποκαλυφθήσεται ἡ ἀδικία Εφραιμ καὶ ἡ κακία Σαμαρείας ὅτι ἠργάσαντο ψευδῆ καὶ κλέπτης πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰσελεύσεται ἐκδιδύσκων λῃστὴς ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ αὐτοῦ	6:11 ἐν τῷ ἰάσασθαί με τὸν ᾿Ισραήλ. 7:1 ΚΑΙ ἀποκαλυφθήσεται ἡ ἀδικία ᾿Εφραὶμ καὶ ἡ κακία Σαμαρείας, ὅτι εἰργάσαντο ψευδῆ· καὶ κλέπτης πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰσελεύσεται, ἐκδιδύσκων λῃστὴς ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ αὐτοῦ
Hosea 7:1 (NETS)	Hosea 6:11b-7:1 (English Elpenor)
when I heal Israel. And the injustice of Ephraim will be revealed, and the wickedness of Samaria, because they have performed lies. And a thief will come in to him, a bandit plundering in his way.	6:11 when I have healed Israel. 7:1 Then shall the iniquity of Ephraim be revealed, and the wickedness of Samaria; for they have wrought falsehood: and a thief shall come in to him, [even] a robber spoiling in his way;

Hosea 7:2 (Tanakh)	Hosea 7:2 (KJV)	Hosea 7:2 (NET)
And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.	And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.	They do not realize that I remember all their wicked deeds. Their evil deeds have now surrounded them; their sinful deeds are always before me.

Hosea 7:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Hosea 7:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅπως συνᾴδωσιν ὡς συνᾴδοντες τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῶν πάσας τὰς κακίας αὐτῶν ἐμνήσθην νῦν ἐκύκλωσεν αὐτοὺς τὰ διαβούλια αὐτῶν ἀπέναντι τοῦ προσώπου μου ἐγένοντο	ὅπως συνᾴδωσιν ὡς ᾄδοντες τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῶν. πάσας τὰς κακίας αὐτῶν ἐμνήσθην· νῦν ἐκύκλωσαν αὐτοὺς τὰ διαβούλια αὐτῶν, ἀπέναντι τοῦ προσώπου μου ἐγένοντο
Hosea 7:2 (NETS)	Hosea 7:2 (English Elpenor)
that they might sing together like those who sing together with their heart. Now their deliberations have surrounded them; they came before my face.	that they may concert together as [men] singing in their heart: I remember all their wickedness: now have their own counsels compassed them about; they came before my face.

Hosea 8:11 (Tanakh)	Hosea 8:11 (KJV)	Hosea 8:11 (NET)
Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin.	Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin.	Although Ephraim has built many altars for sin offerings, these have become altars for sinning.

Hosea 8:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Hosea 8:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι ἐπλήθυνεν Εφραιμ θυσιαστήρια εἰς ἁμαρτίας ἐγένοντο αὐτῷ θυσιαστήρια ἠγαπημένα	ὅτι ἐπλήθυνεν ᾿Εφραὶμ θυσιαστήρια, εἰς ἁμαρτίας ἐγένοντο αὐτῷ θυσιαστήρια ἠγαπημένα
Hosea 8:11 (NETS)	Hosea 8:11 (English Elpenor)
Because Ephraim multiplied altars, beloved altars became sins to him.	Because Ephraim has multiplied altars, [his] beloved altars are become sins to him.

Hosea 8:12 (Tanakh)	Hosea 8:12 (KJV)	Hosea 8:12 (NET)
I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing.	I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing.	I spelled out my law for him in great detail, but they regard it as something totally unknown to them.

Hosea 8:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Hosea 8:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καταγράψω αὐτῷ πλῆθος καὶ τὰ νόμιμα αὐτοῦ εἰς ἀλλότρια ἐλογίσθησαν θυσιαστήρια τὰ ἠγαπημένα	καταγράψω αὐτῷ πλῆθος καὶ τὰ νόμιμα αὐτοῦ, εἰς ἀλλότρια ἐλογίσθησαν θυσιαστήρια τὰ ἠγαπημένα
Hosea 8:12 (NETS)	Hosea 8:12 (English Elpenor)
I shall engrave for him a multitude, even his precepts; the beloved altars were reckoned as foreign.	I will write down a multitude [of commands] for him; but his statutes are accounted strange things, [even] the beloved altars.

Hosea 11:3 (Tanakh)	Hosea 11:3 (KJV)	Hosea 11:3 (NET)
I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.	I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.	Yet it was I who led Ephraim; I took them by the arm, but they did not acknowledge that I had healed them.

Hosea 11:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Hosea 11:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγὼ συνεπόδισα τὸν Εφραιμ ἀνέλαβον αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸν βραχίονά μου καὶ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν ὅτι ἴαμαι αὐτούς	καὶ ἐγὼ συνεπόδισα τὸν ᾿Εφραίμ, ἀνέλαβον αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸν βραχίονά μου, καὶ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν ὅτι ἴαμαι αὐτούς
Hosea 11:3 (NETS)	Hosea 11:3 (English Elpenor)
And it was I who bound the feet of Ephraim, took him upon my arm; and they did not know that I had healed them.	Yet I bound the feet of Ephraim, I took him on my arm; but they knew not that I healed them.

Hosea 11:8 (Tanakh)	Hosea 11:8 (KJV)	Hosea 11:8 (NET)
How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.	How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.	“How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I surrender you, O Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboyim? I have had a change of heart. All my tender compassions are aroused.

Hosea 11:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Hosea 11:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τί σε διαθῶ Εφραιμ ὑπερασπιῶ σου Ισραηλ τί σε διαθῶ ὡς Αδαμα θήσομαί σε καὶ ὡς Σεβωιμ μετεστράφη ἡ καρδία μου ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ συνεταράχθη ἡ μεταμέλειά μου	τί σε διαθῶμαι, ᾿Εφραίμ; ὑπερασπιῶ σου, ᾿Ισραήλ; τί σε διαθῷ; ὡς ᾿Αδαμὰ θήσομαί σε καὶ ὡς Σεβνείμ; μετεστράφη ἡ καρδία μου ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ, συνεταράχθη ἡ μεταμέλειά μου
Hosea 11:8 (NETS)	Hosea 11:8 (English Elpenor)
How am I to deal with you, O Ephraim? Shall I shield you, O Israel? How am I to deal with you? Shall I make you like Adama and like Seboim? My heart has changed together; my sense of regret was disturbed.	How shall I deal with thee, Ephraim? [how] shall I protect thee, Israel? what shall I do with thee? I will make thee as Adama, and as Seboim; my heart is turned at once, my repentance is powerfully excited.

2 Samuel 14:2 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 14:2 (KJV)	2 Samuel 14:2 (NET)
And Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her: ‘I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel, I pray thee, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead;	And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:	So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He told her, “Pretend to be in mourning and put on garments for mourning. Don’t anoint yourself with oil. Instead, act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for some time.

2 Samuel 14:2 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 14:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Ιωαβ εἰς Θεκωε καὶ ἔλαβεν ἐκεῗθεν γυναῗκα σοφὴν καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτήν πένθησον δὴ καὶ ἔνδυσαι ἱμάτια πενθικὰ καὶ μὴ ἀλείψῃ ἔλαιον καὶ ἔσῃ ὡς γυνὴ πενθοῦσα ἐπὶ τεθνηκότι τοῦτο ἡμέρας πολλὰς	καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ᾿Ιωὰβ εἰς Θεκωέ, καὶ ἔλαβεν ἐκεῖθεν γυναῖκα σοφὴν καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτήν· πένθησον δὴ καὶ ἔνδυσαι ἱμάτια πενθικὰ καὶ μὴ ἀλείψῃ ἔλαιον καὶ ἔσῃ ὡς γυνὴ πενθοῦσα ἐπὶ τεθνηκότι τοῦτο ἡμέρας πολλὰς
2 Reigns 14:2 (NETS)	2 Kings 14:2 (English Elpenor)
And Joab sent to Thekoe and took from there a wise woman and said to her, “Do mourn, and put on mourning garments, and do not anoint yourself with oil, and you shall be as a woman mourning over one who has been dead here many days,	And Joab sent to Thecoe, and took thence a cunning woman, and said to her, Mourn, I pray thee, and put on mourning apparel, and anoint thee not with oil, and thou shalt be as a woman mourning for one that is dead thus for many days.

2 Samuel 14:3 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 14:3 (KJV)	2 Samuel 14:3 (NET)
and go in to the king, and speak on this manner unto him.’ So Joab put the words in her mouth.	And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.	Go to the king and speak to him in the following fashion.” Then Joab told her what to say.

2 Samuel 14:3 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 14:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐλεύσῃ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ λαλήσεις πρὸς αὐτὸν κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο καὶ ἔθηκεν Ιωαβ τοὺς λόγους ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτῆς	καὶ ἐλεύσῃ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ λαλήσεις πρὸς αὐτὸν κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο· καὶ ἔθηκεν ᾿Ιωὰβ τοὺς λόγους ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτῆς
2 Reigns 14:3 (NETS)	2 Kings 14:3 (English Elpenor)
and you shall go to the king and speak to him according to this matter.” And Ioab put the words into her mouth.	And thou shalt go to the king, and speak to him according to this word. And Joab put the words in her mouth.

2 Samuel 14:7 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 14:7 (KJV)	2 Samuel 14:7 (NET)
And, behold, the whole family is risen against thy handmaid, and they said: Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he slew, and so destroy the heir also. Thus will they quench my coal which is left, and will leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the face of the earth.’	And, behold, the whole family is risen against thine handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also: and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the earth.	Now the entire family has risen up against your servant, saying, ‘Turn over the one who struck down his brother, so that we can execute him and avenge the death of his brother whom he killed. In so doing we will also destroy the heir.’ They want to extinguish my remaining coal, leaving no one on the face of the earth to carry on the name of my husband.”

2 Samuel 14:7 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 14:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐπανέστη ὅλη ἡ πατριὰ πρὸς τὴν δούλην σου καὶ εἶπαν δὸς τὸν παίσαντα τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ θανατώσομεν αὐτὸν ἀντὶ τῆς ψυχῆς τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ οὗ ἀπέκτεινεν καὶ ἐξαροῦμεν καί γε τὸν κληρονόμον ὑμῶν καὶ σβέσουσιν τὸν ἄνθρακά μου τὸν καταλειφθέντα ὥστε μὴ θέσθαι τῷ ἀνδρί μου κατάλειμμα καὶ ὄνομα ἐπὶ προσώπου τῆς γῆς	καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐπανέστη ὅλη ἡ πατριὰ πρὸς τὴν δούλην σου καὶ εἶπαν· δὸς τὸν παίσαντα τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ θανατώσομεν αὐτὸν ἀντὶ τῆς ψυχῆς τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ, οὗ ἀπέκτεινε, καὶ ἐξαροῦμεν καί γε τὸν κληρονόμον ὑμῶν· καὶ σβέσουσι τὸν ἄνθρακά μου τὸν καταλειφθέντα, ὥστε μὴ θέσθαι τῷ ἀνδρί μου κατάλειμμα καὶ ὄνομα ἐπὶ προσώπου τῆς γῆς
2 Reigns 14:7 (NETS)	2 Kings 14:7 (English Elpenor)
And behold, the whole paternal family rose up against your slave, and they said, ‘Give up the one who struck his brother, and we will put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed, and we will remove indeed your heir.’ And they will quench my ember that is left, so as not to establish for my husband remnant and name on the face of the earth.”	And behold the whole family rose up against thine handmaid, and they said, Give up the one that smote his brother, and we will put him to death for the life of his brother, whom he slew, and we will take away even your heir: so they will quench my coal that is left, so as not to leave my husband remnant or name on the face of the earth.

2 Samuel 14:8 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 14:8 (KJV)	2 Samuel 14:8 (NET)
And the king said unto the woman: ‘Go to thy house, and I will give charge concerning thee.’	And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give charge concerning thee.	Then the king told the woman, “Go to your home. I will give instructions concerning your situation.”

2 Samuel 14:8 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 14:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς ὑγιαίνουσα βάδιζε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου κἀγὼ ἐντελοῦμαι περὶ σοῦ	καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα· ὑγιαίνουσα βάδιζε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου, κἀγὼ ἐντελοῦμαι περὶ σοῦ
2 Reigns 14:8 (NETS)	2 Kings 14:8 (English Elpenor)
And the king said, “Proceed to your house in good health, and I will give command concerning you.”	And the king said to the woman, Go in peace to thy house, and I will give commandment concerning thee.

2 Samuel 14:10 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 14:10 (KJV)	2 Samuel 14:10 (NET)
And the king said: ‘Whosoever saith aught unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.’	And the king said, Whosoever saith ought unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.	The king said, “Bring to me whoever speaks to you, and he won’t bother you again!”

2 Samuel 14:10 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 14:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς τίς ὁ λαλῶν πρὸς σέ καὶ ἄξεις αὐτὸν πρὸς ἐμέ καὶ οὐ προσθήσει ἔτι ἅψασθαι αὐτοῦ	καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς· τίς ὁ λαλῶν πρός σε; καί ἄξεις αὐτὸν πρὸς ἐμέ, καὶ οὐ προσθήσει ἔτι ἅψασθαι αὐτοῦ
2 Reigns 14:10 (NETS)	2 Kings 14:10 (English Elpenor)
And the king said, “Who was speaking to you? You shall also bring him to me, and he shall not any longer touch him.”	And the king said, Who was it that spoke to thee? thou shalt even bring him to me, and [one] shall not touch him any more.

2 Samuel 14:11 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 14:11 (KJV)	2 Samuel 14:11 (NET)
Then said she: ‘I pray thee, let the king remember HaShem thy G-d, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son.’ And he said: ‘As HaShem liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.’	Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember the LORD thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.	She replied, “In that case, let the king invoke the name of the Lord your God so that the avenger of blood may not add to the killing! Then they will not destroy my son!” He replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, not a single hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground.”

2 Samuel 14:11 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 14:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν μνημονευσάτω δὴ ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸν κύριον θεὸν αὐτοῦ πληθυνθῆναι ἀγχιστέα τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ διαφθεῗραι καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐξάρωσιν τὸν υἱόν μου καὶ εἶπεν ζῇ κύριος εἰ πεσεῗται ἀπὸ τῆς τριχὸς τοῦ υἱοῦ σου ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν	καὶ εἶπε· μνημονευσάτω δὴ ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸν Κύριον Θεὸν αὐτοῦ πληθυνθῆναι ἀγχιστέα τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ διαφθεῖραι καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐξάρωσι τὸν υἱόν μου· καὶ εἶπε· ζῇ Κύριος, εἰ πεσεῖται ἀπὸ τῆς τριχὸς τοῦ υἱοῦ σου ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν
2 Reigns 14:11 (NETS)	2 Kings 14:11 (English Elpenor)
And she said, “Do let the king keep the Lord, his God, in mind, that a next of kin of blood succeed in destroying him, and they shall not remove my son.” And he said, “The Lord lives, if a hair of your son shall fall on the ground!”	And she said, Let now the king remember concerning his Lord God in that the avenger of blood is multiplied to destroy, and let them not take away my son. And he said, [As] the Lord lives, not a hair of thy son shall fall to the ground.

2 Samuel 14:13 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 14:13 (KJV)	2 Samuel 14:13 (NET)
And the woman said: ‘Wherefore then hast thou devised such a thing against the people of G-d? for in speaking this word the king is as one that is guilty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished one.	And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God? for the king doth speak this thing as one which is faulty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished.	The woman said, “Why have you devised something like this against God’s people? When the king speaks in this fashion, he makes himself guilty, for the king has not brought back the one he has banished.

2 Samuel 14:13 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 14:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνή ἵνα τί ἐλογίσω τοιοῦτο ἐπὶ λαὸν θεοῦ ἦ ἐκ στόματος τοῦ βασιλέως ὁ λόγος οὗτος ὡς πλημμέλεια τοῦ μὴ ἐπιστρέψαι τὸν βασιλέα τὸν ἐξωσμένον αὐτοῦ	καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνή· ἱνατί ἐλογίσω τοιοῦτο ἐπὶ λαὸν Θεοῦ; ἦ ἐκ στόματος τοῦ βασιλέως ὁ λόγος οὗτος ὡς πλημμέλεια τοῦ μὴ ἐπιστρέψαι τὸν βασιλέα τὸν ἐξωσμένον αὐτοῦ
2 Reigns 14:13 (NETS)	2 Kings 14:13 (English Elpenor)
And the woman said, “Why did you calculate such a thing against God’s people? Is this word out of the king’s mouth an error, inasmuch as the king did not bring back his own banished one?	And the woman said, Why hast thou devised this thing against the people of God? or [is] this word out of the king’s mouth as a transgression, so that the king should not bring back his banished?

2 Samuel 14:14 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 14:14 (KJV)	2 Samuel 14:14 (NET)
For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth G-d respect any person; but let him devise means, that he that is banished be not an outcast from him.	For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.	Certainly we must die, and are like water spilled on the ground that cannot be gathered up again. But God does not take away life; instead he devises ways for the banished to be restored.

2 Samuel 14:14 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 14:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι θανάτῳ ἀποθανούμεθα καὶ ὥσπερ τὸ ὕδωρ τὸ καταφερόμενον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ὃ οὐ συναχθήσεται καὶ λήμψεται ὁ θεὸς ψυχήν καὶ λογιζόμενος τοῦ ἐξῶσαι ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐξωσμένον	ὅτι θανάτῳ ἀποθανούμεθα, καὶ ὥσπερ τὸ ὕδωρ τὸ καταφερόμενον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὃ οὐ συναχθήσεται· καὶ λήψεται ὁ Θεὸς ψυχήν, καὶ λογιζόμενος τοῦ ἐξῶσαι ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ ἐξεωσμένον
2 Reigns 14:14 (NETS)	2 Kings 14:14 (English Elpenor)
For by death we shall die and be as water that is spilled on the ground, which shall not be gathered up. And God shall take a life, even as he calculates to banish a banished one from him.	For we shall surely die, and be as water poured upon the earth, which shall not be gathered up, and God shall take the life, even as he devises to thrust forth from him his outcast.

2 Samuel 14:15 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 14:15 (KJV)	2 Samuel 14:15 (NET)
Now therefore seeing that I am come to speak this word unto my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid; and thy handmaid said: I will now speak unto the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant.	Now therefore that I am come to speak of this thing unto my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and thy handmaid said, I will now speak unto the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his handmaid.	I have now come to speak with my lord the king about this matter, because the people have made me fearful. But your servant said, ‘I will speak to the king! Perhaps the king will do what his female servant asks.

2 Samuel 14:15 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 14:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ νῦν ὃ ἦλθον λαλῆσαι πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα τὸν κύριόν μου τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο ὅτι ὄψεταί με ὁ λαός καὶ ἐρεῗ ἡ δούλη σου λαλησάτω δὴ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα εἴ πως ποιήσει ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸ ῥῆμα τῆς δούλης αὐτοῦ	καὶ νῦν ὃ ἦλθον λαλῆσαι πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα τὸν κύριόν μου τὸ ρῆμα τοῦτο, ὅτι ὄψεταί με ὁ λαός, καὶ ἐρεῖ ἡ δούλη σου· λαλησάτω δὴ πρὸς τὸν κύριόν μου τὸν βασιλέα, εἴπως ποιήσει ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸ ρῆμα τῆς δούλης αὐτοῦ
2 Reigns 14:15 (NETS)	2 Kings 14:15 (English Elpenor)
And now, what I came to say to the king my lord is this word, because the people will see me, and your slave will say, ‘Do let one speak to the king, if somehow the king will enact the word of his slave;	And now whereas I came to speak this word to my lord the king, [the reason is] that the people will see me, and thy handmaid will say, Let one now speak to my lord the king, if peradventure the king will perform the request of his handmaid;

2 Samuel 14:16 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 14:16 (KJV)	2 Samuel 14:16 (NET)
For the king will hear, to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of G-d.	For the king will hear, to deliver his handmaid out of the hand of the man that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.	Yes! The king may listen and deliver his female servant from the hand of the man who seeks to remove both me and my son from the inheritance God has given us!’

2 Samuel 14:16 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 14:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι ἀκούσει ὁ βασιλεὺς ῥύσασθαι τὴν δούλην αὐτοῦ ἐκ χειρὸς τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τοῦ ζητοῦντος ἐξᾶραί με καὶ τὸν υἱόν μου ἀπὸ κληρονομίας θεοῦ	ὅτι ἀκούσει ὁ βασιλεύς· ρυσάσθω τὴν δούλην αὐτοῦ ἐκ χειρὸς τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τοῦ ζητοῦντος ἐξᾶραί με καὶ τὸν υἱόν μου ἀπὸ κληρονομίας Θεοῦ
2 Reigns 14:16 (NETS)	2 Kings 14:16 (English Elpenor)
for the king will hear, and so to deliver his slave from the hand of the man who seeks to remove me and my son from a divine heritage.’”	for the king will hear. Let him rescue his handmaid out of the hand of the man that seeks to cast out me and my son from the inheritance of God.

2 Samuel 14:17 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 14:17 (KJV)	2 Samuel 14:17 (NET)
Then thy handmaid said: Let, I pray thee, the word of my lord the king be for my comfort; for as an angel of G-d, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad; and HaShem thy G-d be with thee.’	Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the LORD thy God will be with thee.	So your servant said, ‘May the word of my lord the king be my security, for my lord the king is like the angel of God when it comes to deciding between right and wrong! May the Lord your God be with you!’”

2 Samuel 14:17 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 14:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνή εἴη δὴ ὁ λόγος τοῦ κυρίου μου τοῦ βασιλέως εἰς θυσίαν ὅτι καθὼς ἄγγελος θεοῦ οὕτως ὁ κύριός μου ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ ἀκούειν τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ τὸ πονηρόν καὶ κύριος ὁ θεός σου ἔσται μετὰ σοῦ	καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνή· εἴη δὴ ὁ λόγος τοῦ κυρίου μου τοῦ βασιλέως εἰς θυσίαν, ὅτι καθὼς ἄγγελος Θεοῦ, οὕτως ὁ κύριός μου ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ ἀκούειν τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ τὸ πονηρόν, καὶ Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου ἔσται μετὰ σοῦ
2 Reigns 14:17 (NETS)	2 Kings 14:17 (English Elpenor)
And the woman said, “May the word of my lord the king indeed be as an offering, for as a divine angel, so is my lord the king, to hear the good and the evil, and the Lord your God shall be with you!”	And the woman said, If now the word of my lord the king be gracious,– [well]: for as an angel of God, so [is] my lord the king, to hear good and evil: and the Lord thy God shall be with thee.

2 Samuel 14:19 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 14:19 (KJV)	2 Samuel 14:19 (NET)
And the king said: ‘Is the hand of Joab with thee in all this?’ And the woman answered and said: ‘As thy soul liveth, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from aught that my lord the king hath spoken; for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thy handmaid;	And the king said, Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, As thy soul liveth, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from ought that my lord the king hath spoken: for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thine handmaid:	The king said, “Did Joab put you up to all of this?” The woman answered, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, there is no deviation to the right or to the left from all that my lord the king has said. For your servant Joab gave me instructions. He has put all these words in your servant’s mouth.

2 Samuel 14:19 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 14:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς μὴ ἡ χεὶρ Ιωαβ ἐν παντὶ τούτῳ μετὰ σοῦ καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνὴ τῷ βασιλεῗ ζῇ ἡ ψυχή σου κύριέ μου βασιλεῦ εἰ ἔστιν εἰς τὰ δεξιὰ ἢ εἰς τὰ ἀριστερὰ ἐκ πάντων ὧν ἐλάλησεν ὁ κύριός μου ὁ βασιλεύς ὅτι ὁ δοῦλός σου Ιωαβ αὐτὸς ἐνετείλατό μοι καὶ αὐτὸς ἔθετο ἐν τῷ στόματι τῆς δούλης σου πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους	καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς· μὴ ἡ χεὶρ ᾿Ιωὰβ ἐν παντὶ τούτῳ μετὰ σοῦ; καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνὴ τῷ βασιλεῖ· ζῇ ἡ ψυχή σου, κύριέ μου βασιλεῦ, εἰ ἔστιν εἰς τὰ δεξιὰ ἢ εἰς τὰ ἀριστερὰ ἐκ πάντων, ὧν ἐλάλησεν ὁ κύριός μου ὁ βασιλεύς, ὅτι ὁ δοῦλός σου ᾿Ιωὰβ αὐτὸς ἐνετείλατό μοι, καὶ αὐτὸς ἔθετο ἐν τῷ στόματι τῆς δούλης σου πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους
2 Reigns 14:19 (NETS)	2 Kings 14:19 (English Elpenor)
And the king said, “The hand of Ioab is not in all this with you, is it?” And the woman said to the king, “Your soul lives, my lord O king, if there is to the right or to the left from anything that my lord the king said! For your slave Ioab himself commanded me, and he himself put all these words in the mouth of your slave.	And the king said, [Is] not the hand of Joab in all this matter with thee? and the woman said to the king, [As] thy soul lives, my lord, O king, there is no turning to the right hand or to the left from all that my lord the king has spoken; for thy servant Joab himself charged me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thine handmaid.

2 Samuel 14:21 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 14:21 (KJV)	2 Samuel 14:21 (NET)
And the king said unto Joab: ‘Behold now, I have granted this request; go therefore, bring the young man Absalom back.’	And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.	Then the king said to Joab, “All right! I will do this thing. Go and bring back the young man Absalom!”

2 Samuel 14:21 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 14:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς Ιωαβ ἰδοὺ δὴ ἐποίησά σοι κατὰ τὸν λόγον σου τοῦτον πορεύου ἐπίστρεψον τὸ παιδάριον τὸν Αβεσσαλωμ	καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς ᾿Ιωάβ· ἰδοὺ δὴ ἐποίησά σοι κατὰ τὸν λόγον σου τοῦτον· πορεύου, ἐπίστρεψον τὸ παιδάριον τὸν ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ
2 Reigns 14:21 (NETS)	2 Kings 14:21 (English Elpenor)
And the king said to Ioab, “Behold now, I acted for you according to this your word; go, bring back the lad Abessalom.”	And the king said to Joab, Behold now, I have done to thee according to this thy word: go, bring back the young man Abessalom.

David’s Forgiveness, Part 9

Back to Romans, Part 12

Back to David’s Forgiveness, Part 12

Back to Atonement, Part 1

Back to Adultery in the Prophets, Part 1

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 7

¹ John 17:3 (NET)

² Matthew 7:1 (NET)

³ Acts 13:22 (NET)

⁴ Matthew 5:45 (NET) Table

⁵ 2 Samuel 13:37 (NET)

⁶ 2 Samuel 13:39 (NET)

⁷ Jeremiah 31:9 (NET)

⁸ Hosea 4:17 (NET)

⁹ Hosea 5:3, 4 (NET)

¹⁰ Isaiah 7:8 (NET)

¹¹ Hosea 5:9 (NET)

¹² Hosea 5:11 (NET)

¹³ Hosea 7:1, 2 (NET)

¹⁴ Hosea 8:11, 12 (NET)

¹⁵ Hosea 11:3 (NET)

¹⁶ Hosea 11:8 (NET)

¹⁷ 2 Samuel 13:3-5 (NET)

¹⁸ 2 Samuel 14:2, 3 (NET)

¹⁹ 2 Samuel 14:7 (NET)

²⁰ 2 Samuel 14:8 (NET)

²¹ 2 Samuel 14:10 (NET)

²² 2 Samuel 14:11 (NET)

²³ 2 Samuel 14:19 (NET)

²⁴ 2 Samuel 14:21 (NET)

²⁵ Matthew 18:32, 33 (NET) Table

David’s Forgiveness, Part 7

Posted on August 16, 2012 by admin

Absalom made David complicit in his scheme to kill Amnon, much like Amnon had done with Tamar. Absalom’s sheepshearers were in Baal Hazor.¹ Sheepshearing was a festive time, called a good day (KJV) or holiday (NET).² Absalom invited all the king’s sons. Then Absalom went to the king and said, “My shearers have begun their work. Let the king and his servants go with me.” But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son. We shouldn’t all go. We shouldn’t burden you in that way.”³

David refused to attend but blessed his son Absalom. If you will not go, Absalom said, then let my brother Amnon go with us. This time David sensed something amiss. Why should he go with you? He asked. But when Absalom pressed him, he sent Amnon and all the king’s sons along with him.⁴

As a warrior and commander of men in the field David was known and feared for being extremely cunning.⁵ Fleeing for his life, exhausted and weeping as he went, David reverted to full battle mode. He made a rapid series of strategic and tactical decisions involving Ittai the Gittite,⁶ Zadok the priest and the ark of God,⁷ Hushai the Arkite,⁸ Ziba and Mephibosheth ⁹ (though Ziba possibly lied),¹⁰ and Shimei.¹¹ In every case David positioned himself advantageously among his allies and enemies on the horizontal plane, even as he positioned himself just as advantageously on the vertical plane with God. Off the battlefield, dealing with his own sons, he comes off like a dolt.

I think I need a little contrast. When King Laius of Thebes received an oracle that he was doomed to perish at the hand of his own son he acted swiftly and decisively. He pinned the child’s ankles together and told Queen Jocasta to kill him. David did not scheme to prove God’s word false, he only fasted and prayed that God would repent regarding the death of his son.

Queen Jocasta turned the task of killing the child over to a servant. The wise servant obeyed his queen by placing the child on a mountain to die of exposure. He neither disobeyed her nor obeyed her so thoroughly that the act couldn’t be repented in the near term. But a shepherd rescued the child and named him “Swollen Feet.” He took the child to Corinth where he was raised by King Polybus and his wife Merope.

When “Swollen Feet” grew up, he suspected that Polybus and Merope were not his real parents, so he asked the Delphic Oracle. The oracle ignored his question but told him that he would kill his father and marry his mother. To forestall that fate “Swollen Feet” (Oedipus, in Greek) fled from Corinth to Thebes. He killed his father on the way and married his mother as a reward for answering the Sphinx’s riddle, because he didn’t know them. It is not that hard to see why God warned Israel not to visit or pay attention to such wicked oracles.

The moral of the story of Oedipus, I suppose, from a parent’s perspective is that having natural affection for one’s children can’t turn out any worse than this. Or, if you want something done right, do it yourself. But the fact that Laius and Jocasta couldn’t kill their son themselves is what makes them credible as human. The contrast between Laius and David helps sharpen my focus.

The things that seem so obvious to me, the things that pleased the people and made David the kind of king who led them in battle and fought their battles for them, were ultimately the things God rejected about David. My son, David said to Solomon, I really wanted to build a temple to honor the Lord my God. But the Lord said to me: “You have spilled a great deal of blood and fought many battles. You must not build a temple to honor me, for you have spilled a great deal of blood on the ground before me.”¹²

If I will not find the things that made David a man after God’s own heart in the sound and fury of his life, perhaps they are in the silence. It makes sense to assume that David was the same man with his sons that he was on a battlefield, that he attempted at least to position himself just as advantageously on the horizontal plane with them as he did on the vertical plane with God. The difference then would be the criteria of advantage.

Was David’s willingness to believe Absalom’s good will toward Amnon an instance of something like Jesus’ saying, Do not judge so that you will not be judged?¹³ I know how distressing it is when a parent assumes the worst about me, even if the worst is closer to the truth. Rather than being entirely deceived by Absalom’s pretense did David make a conscious choice not to treat his son that way? I can see the vertical advantage to that decision. Given the outcome I’m less convinced about the horizontal.

I still fault David for not saying something to Absalom, even taking him aside and talking about Nabal and Abigail. “Absalom, listen, when I was young a man insulted me. I was angry. I thought I was justified taking matters into my own hands. And I would have if not for your brother’s mother Abigail. She came out to me, soothed my anger, fed my men. I’ll never forget something she said to me. ‘Now, my lord, as surely as the Lord lives and as surely as you live, it is the Lord who has kept you from shedding blood and taking matters into your own hands.’¹⁴ She was right. I was on my way to do a foolish thing and the Lord restrained me through her. Her husband, the man who insulted me, died anyway, not by my hand, and Abigail became my wife.”

My imaginary fatherly advice, however, leads me to another concern. Where was Absalom’s Abigail? I’m coming dangerously close to blaming the Lord again, so I want to compare and contrast these two stories in more detail. I’ll start with the question, why did David suppose that he was right to kill Nabal and all his men (KJV: any that pisseth against the wall)?

In the previous chapter David and his men were hiding in a cave, when King Saul, the man who was trying to kill them, entered to relieve himself and didn’t see them in the darkness. But David would not harm the Lord’s chosen one.¹⁵ He stealthily cut off a piece of his robe instead. Afterward David’s conscience bothered him because he had cut off an edge of Saul’s robe.¹⁶ David was also the Lord’s chosen one, anointed by Samuel in Bethlehem.¹⁷

Nabal did not simply reject David’s request to share in some of the food of the sheepshearing festival, he said, Who is David, and who is this son of Jesse? This is a time when many servants are breaking away from their masters! Should I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have slaughtered for my shearers and give them to these men? I don’t even know where they came from!¹⁸

David and his men had been very good to Nabal’s shepherds. They didn’t insult them or take anything from them the entire time they were together in the field. And this was from the mouth of the servant who ran to warn Abigail how her husband had treated a large group of well-armed men: Both night and day they were a protective wall for us the entire time we were with them, while we were tending our flocks.¹⁹ I don’t doubt that when David heard the report from his men he felt like it was Nabal who was pissing on that protective wall. Each of you strap on your sword!²⁰ David said to his men.

Abigail acted immediately. She gathered food and drink and sent them ahead of her by servants to meet David and his army in a manner very reminiscent of how Jacob (Israel) first greeted his brother Esau after many years of exile.²¹ When Abigail arrived she threw herself down before David, and bowed to the ground. Falling at his feet, she said, “My lord, I accept all the guilt! But please let your female servant speak with my lord! Please listen to the words of your servant! My lord should not pay attention to this wicked man Nabal. He simply lives up to his name! His name means ‘fool,’ and he is indeed foolish! But I, your servant, did not see the servants my lord sent.”²²

In other words, she treated David like the Lord’s chosen one, like the king he was soon to be. And David said, Praised be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you this day to meet me! Praised be your good judgment! May you yourself be rewarded for having prevented me this day from shedding blood and taking matters into my own hands!²³

Absalom may have considered himself right as well. Shechem, unlike Amnon, wanted to marry Jacob’s daughter Dinah after he raped her. Her brothers deceived him and his father Hamor. They said that Shechem could marry Dinah and that their clans would trade daughters as wives if the men of Hamor’s clan were all circumcised (Genesis 34:25-29 NET).

In three days, when they were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and went to the unsuspecting city and slaughtered every male. They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword, took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and left. Jacob’s sons killed them and looted the city because their sister had been violated. They took their flocks, herds, and donkeys, as well as everything in the city and in the surrounding fields. They captured as plunder all their wealth, all their little ones, and their wives, including everything in the houses.

Perhaps David recalled this story when he first heard the erroneous report, Absalom has killed all the king’s sons; not one of them is left!²⁴ Jonadab, the man who told Amnon to feign illness to get to Tamar, was apparently still an advisor to the king. He said, My lord should not say, “They have killed all the young men who are the king’s sons.” For only Amnon is dead. This is what Absalom has talked about from the day that Amnon humiliated his sister Tamar.²⁵

So the servant who might have run to warn Absalom’s Abigail apparently kept it secret until it was too late for anyone to act. By the way, Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, the mastermind of Tamar’s rape, does not appear again in the Bible, certainly not as an advisor to the king.

Addendum: January 15, 2021
Tables comparing 2 Samuel 13:23; 1 Samuel 25:8; 2 Samuel 13:24; 13:25; 13:26; 13:27; 1 Chronicles 22:7; 22:8; 1 Samuel 25:26; 24:6 (24:7); 24:5 (24:6); 25:10; 25:11; 25:16; 25:13; 25:23; 25:24; 25:25; 25:32; 25:33; Genesis 34:25; 34:26; 34:27; 34:28; 34:29; 2 Samuel 13:30 and 13:32 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 13:23; 1 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 25:8; 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 13:24; 13:25; 13:26; 13:27; 1 Chronicles (Supplements) 22:7; 22:8; 1 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 25:26; 24:6 (24:7); 24:5 (24:6); 25:10; 25:11; 25:16; 25:13; 25:23; 25:24; 25:25; 25:32; 25:33; Genesis 34:25; 34:26; 34:27; 34:28; 34:29; 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 13:30 and 13:32 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

2 Samuel 13:23 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:23 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:23 (NET)
And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheep-shearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim; and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.	And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.	wo years later Absalom’s sheepshearers were in Baal Hazor, near Ephraim. Absalom invited all the king’s sons.

2 Samuel 13:23 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγένετο εἰς διετηρίδα ἡμερῶν καὶ ἦσαν κείροντες τῷ Αβεσσαλωμ ἐν Βελασωρ τῇ ἐχόμενα Εφραιμ καὶ ἐκάλεσεν Αβεσσαλωμ πάντας τοὺς υἱοὺς τοῦ βασιλέως	Καὶ ἐγένετο εἰς διετηρίδα ἡμερῶν καὶ ἦσαν κείροντες τῷ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ ἐν Βελασὼρ τῇ ἐχόμενα ᾿Εφραίμ, καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πάντας τοὺς υἱοὺς τοῦ βασιλέως
2 Reigns 13:23 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:23 (English Elpenor)
And it happened in a two-year span of days that they were shearing for Abessalom at Belasor, which borders Ephraim, and Abessalom invited all the sons of the king.	And it came to pass at the end of two whole years, that they were shearing [sheep] for Abessalom in Belasor near Ephraim: and Abessalom invited all the king’s sons.

1 Samuel 25:8 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 25:8 (KJV)	1 Samuel 25:8 (NET)
Ask thy young men, and they will tell thee; wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes; for we come on a good day; give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thy hand, unto thy servants, and to thy son David.’	Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.	Ask your own servants; they can tell you! May my servants find favor in your sight, for we have come at the time of a holiday. Please provide us—your servants and your son David—with whatever you can spare.’”

1 Samuel 25:8 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 25:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐρώτησον τὰ παιδάριά σου καὶ ἀπαγγελοῦσίν σοι καὶ εὑρέτωσαν τὰ παιδάρια χάριν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῗς σου ὅτι ἐφ᾽ ἡμέραν ἀγαθὴν ἥκομεν δὸς δὴ ὃ ἐὰν εὕρῃ ἡ χείρ σου τῷ υἱῷ σου τῷ Δαυιδ	ἐρώτησον τὰ παιδάριά σου καὶ ἀπαγγελοῦσί σοι. καὶ εὑρέτωσαν τὰ παιδάρια χάριν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς σου, ὅτι ἐφ᾿ ἡμέραν ἀγαθὴν ἥκομεν· δὸς δὴ ὃ ἐὰν εὕρῃ ἡ χείρ σου τῷ υἱῷ σου τῷ Δαυίδ
1 Reigns 25:8 (NETS)	1 Kings 25:8 (English Elpenor)
Ask your lads, and they will tell you. And let my lads find favor in your sight, for we have come on a good day. Do give whatever your hand finds to your son Dauid’.”	Ask thy servants, and they will tell thee. Let then thy servants find grace in thine eyes, for we are come on a good day; give we pray thee, whatsoever thy hand may find, to thy son David.

2 Samuel 13:24 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:24 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:24 (NET)
And Absalom came to the king, and said: ‘Behold now, thy servant hath sheep-shearers; let the king, I pray thee, and his servants go with thy servant.’	And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go with thy servant.	Then Absalom went to the king and said, “My shearers have begun their work. Let the king and his servants go with me.”

2 Samuel 13:24 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἦλθεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ εἶπεν ἰδοὺ δὴ κείρουσιν τῷ δούλῳ σου πορευθήτω δὴ ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ οἱ παῗδες αὐτοῦ μετὰ τοῦ δούλου σου	καὶ ἦλθεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ εἶπεν· ἰδοὺ δὴ κείρουσι τῷ δούλῳ σου, πορευθήτω δὴ ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ μετὰ τοῦ δούλου σου
2 Reigns 13:24 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:24 (English Elpenor)
And Abessalom came to king and said, “Behold now, they are shearing for your slave; do let the king and his servants go with your slave.”	And Abessalom came to the king, and said, Behold, thy servant has a sheep-shearing; let now the king and his servants go with thy servant.

2 Samuel 13:25 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:25 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:25 (NET)
And the king said to Absalom: ‘Nay, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome unto thee.’ And he pressed him; howbeit he would not go, but blessed him.	And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all now go, lest we be chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but blessed him.	But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son. We shouldn’t all go. We shouldn’t burden you in that way.” Though Absalom pressed him, the king was not willing to go. Instead, David blessed him.

2 Samuel 13:25 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς Αβεσσαλωμ μὴ δή υἱέ μου μὴ πορευθῶμεν πάντες ἡμεῗς καὶ οὐ μὴ καταβαρυνθῶμεν ἐπὶ σέ καὶ ἐβιάσατο αὐτόν καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν τοῦ πορευθῆναι καὶ εὐλόγησεν αὐτόν	καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· μὴ δή, υἱέ μου, μὴ πορευθῶμεν πάντες ἡμεῖς, καὶ οὐ μὴ καταβαρυνθῶμεν ἐπὶ σέ. καὶ ἐβιάσατο αὐτόν, καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησε τοῦ πορευθῆναι καὶ εὐλόγησεν αὐτόν
2 Reigns 13:25 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:25 (English Elpenor)
And the king said to Abessalom, “Surely not my son, let us not all go, and we will not be a burden on you.” And he pressed him, but he did not want to go, and he blessed him.	And Abessalom came to the king, and said, Behold, thy servant has a sheep-shearing; let now the king and his servants go with thy servant.

2 Samuel 13:26 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:26 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:26 (NET)
Then said Absalom: ‘If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us.’ And the king said unto him: ‘Why should he go with thee?’	Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee?	Then Absalom said, “If you will not go, then let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king replied to him, “Why should he go with you?”

2 Samuel 13:26 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ εἰ μή πορευθήτω δὴ μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν Αμνων ὁ ἀδελφός μου καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεύς ἵνα τί πορευθῇ μετὰ σοῦ	καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πρὸς αὐτόν· καὶ εἰ μή, πορευθήτω δὴ μεθ’ ἡμῶν ᾿Αμνὼν ὁ ἀδελφός μου. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεύς· ἱνατί πορευθῇ μετὰ σοῦ
2 Reigns 13:26 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:26 (English Elpenor)
And Abessalom said, “And if not, do let Amnon my brother go with us.” And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you.”	And Abessalom said to him, And if not, let I pray thee, my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with thee?

2 Samuel 13:27 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:27 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:27 (NET)
But Absalom pressed him, and he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.	But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.	But when Absalom pressed him, he sent Amnon and all the king’s sons along with him.

2 Samuel 13:27 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:27 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐβιάσατο αὐτὸν Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ ἀπέστειλεν μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ τὸν Αμνων καὶ πάντας τοὺς υἱοὺς τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ἐποίησεν Αβεσσαλωμ πότον κατὰ τὸν πότον τοῦ βασιλέως	καὶ ἐβιάσατο αὐτὸν ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ, καὶ ἀπέστειλε μετ’ αὐτοῦ τὸν ᾿Αμνὼν καὶ πάντας τοὺς υἱοὺς τοῦ βασιλέως. καὶ ἐποίησεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πότον κατὰ τὸν πότον τοῦ βασιλέως
2 Reigns 13:27 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:27 (English Elpenor)
And Abessalom pressed him, and he sent with him Amnon and all the sons of the king. And Abessalom made a feast according to the feast of the king.	And Abessalom pressed him, and he sent with him Amnon and all the king’s sons; and Abessalom made a banquet like the banquet of the king.

1 Chronicles 22:7 (Tanakh)	1 Chronicles 22:7 (KJV)	1 Chronicles 22:7 (NET)
And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God:	And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God:	David said to Solomon: “My son, I really wanted to build a temple to honor the Lord my God.

1 Chronicles 22:7 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Chronicles 22:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ Σαλωμων τέκνον ἐμοὶ ἐγένετο ἐπὶ ψυχῇ τοῦ οἰκοδομῆσαι οἶκον τῷ ὀνόματι κυρίου θεοῦ	καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ Σαλωμών· τέκνον, ἐμοὶ ἐγένετο ἐπὶ ψυχῇ τοῦ οἰκοδομῆσαι οἶκον τῷ ὀνόματι Κυρίου Θεοῦ
1 Supplements 22:7 (NETS)	1 Chronicles 22:7 (English Elpenor)
And Dauid said to Salomon, “Child, I had it in mind to build a house for the name of the Lord God.	And David said to Solomon, [My] child, it was in my heart to build a house to the name of the Lord God.

1 Chronicles 22:8 (Tanakh)	1 Chronicles 22:8 (KJV)	1 Chronicles 22:8 (NET)
But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.	But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.	But this was the Lord’s message to me: ‘You have spilled a great deal of blood and fought many battles. You must not build a temple to honor me, for you have spilled a great deal of blood on the ground before me.

1 Chronicles 22:8 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Chronicles 22:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγένετο ἐπ᾽ ἐμοὶ λόγος κυρίου λέγων αἷμα εἰς πλῆθος ἐξέχεας καὶ πολέμους μεγάλους ἐποίησας οὐκ οἰκοδομήσεις οἶκον τῷ ὀνόματί μου ὅτι αἵματα πολλὰ ἐξέχεας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐναντίον μου	καὶ ἐγένετό μοι λόγος Κυρίου λέγων· αἷμα εἰς πλῆθος ἐξέχεας καὶ πολέμους μεγάλους ἐποίησας· οὐκ οἰκοδομήσεις οἶκον τῷ ὀνόματί μου, ὅτι αἵματα πολλὰ ἐξέχεας ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἐναντίον μου
1 Supplements 22:8 (NETS)	1 Chronicles 22:8 (English Elpenor)
And a word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘You have shed blood in abundance and have waged great wars; you shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed much blood before me upon the earth.	But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast carried on great wars: thou shalt not build a house to my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth before me.

1 Samuel 25:26 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 25:26 (KJV)	1 Samuel 25:26 (NET)
Now therefore, my lord, as HaShem liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing HaShem hath withholden thee from bloodguiltiness, and from finding redress for thyself with thine own hand, now therefore let thine enemies, and them that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.	Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the LORD hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.	“Now, my lord, as surely as the Lord lives and as surely as you live, it is the Lord who has kept you from shedding blood and taking matters into your own hands. Now may your enemies and those who seek to harm my lord be like Nabal.

1 Samuel 25:26 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 25:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ νῦν κύριε ζῇ κύριος καὶ ζῇ ἡ ψυχή σου καθὼς ἐκώλυσέν σε κύριος τοῦ μὴ ἐλθεῗν εἰς αἷμα ἀθῷον καὶ σῴζειν τὴν χεῗρά σού σοι καὶ νῦν γένοιντο ὡς Ναβαλ οἱ ἐχθροί σου καὶ οἱ ζητοῦντες τῷ κυρίῳ μου κακά	καὶ νῦν, κύριέ μου, ζῇ Κύριος καὶ ζῇ ἡ ψυχή σου,καθὼς ἐκώλυσέ σε Κύριος τοῦ μὴ ἐλθεῖν εἰς αἷμα ἀθῷον καὶ σώζειν τὴν χεῖρά σού σοι, καὶ νῦν γένοιντο ὡς Νάβαλ οἱ ἐχθροί σου καὶ οἱ ζητοῦντες τῷ κυρίῳ μου κακά
1 Reigns 25:26 (NETS)	1 Kings 25:26 (English Elpenor)
“And now, my lord, the Lord lives, and your life lives, since the Lord restrained you from coming against innocent blood, and to save your hand for yourself, even now may your enemies and those who seek evil for my lord be like Nabal.	And now, my lord, [as] the Lord lives, and thy soul lives, as the Lord has kept thee from coming against innocent blood, and from executing vengeance for thyself, now therefore let thine enemies, and those that seek evil against my lord, become as Nabal.

1 Samuel 24:7 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 24:6 (KJV)	1 Samuel 24:6 (NET)
And he said unto his men: ‘The HaShem forbid it me, that I should do this thing unto my lord, HaShem’S anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is HaShem’S anointed.’	And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.	He said to his men, “May the Lord keep me far away from doing such a thing to my lord, who is the Lord’s chosen one, by extending my hand against him. After all, he is the Lord’s chosen one.”

1 Samuel 24:6 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 24:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ πρὸς τοὺς ἄνδρας αὐτοῦ μηδαμῶς μοι παρὰ κυρίου εἰ ποιήσω τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο τῷ κυρίῳ μου τῷ χριστῷ κυρίου ἐπενέγκαι χεῗρά μου ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν ὅτι χριστὸς κυρίου ἐστὶν οὗτος	καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ πρὸς τοὺς ἄνδρας αὐτοῦ· μηδαμῶς μοι παρὰ Κυρίου, εἰ ποιήσω τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο τῷ κυρίῳ μου τῷ χριστῷ Κυρίου ἐπενέγκαι χεῖρά μου ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν, ὅτι χριστὸς Κυρίου ἐστὶν οὗτος
1 Reigns 24:7 (NETS)	1 Kings 24:7 (English Elpenor)
And Dauid said to his men, “Not at all is it to me from the Lord, if I shall do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to bring my hand against him, for this one is the Lord’s anointed.”	And David said to his men, The Lord forbid it me, that I should do this thing to my lord the anointed of the Lord, to lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.

1 Samuel 24:6 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 24:5 (KJV)	1 Samuel 24:5 (NET)
And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.	And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.	Afterward David’s conscience bothered him because he had cut off an edge of Saul’s robe.

1 Samuel 24:5 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 24:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγενήθη μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐπάταξεν καρδία Δαυιδ αὐτόν ὅτι ἀφεῗλεν τὸ πτερύγιον τῆς διπλοΐδος αὐτοῦ	καὶ ἐγενήθη μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐπάταξε καρδία Δαυὶδ αὐτόν, ὅτι ἀφεῖλε τὸ πτερύγιον τῆς διπλοΐδος αὐτοῦ
1 Reigns 24:6 (NETS)	1 Kings 24:6 (English Elpenor)
And it happened after these things that Dauid’s heart smote him, because he had removed the wing of his double-cloak.	And it came to pass after this that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off the skirt of his garment.

1 Samuel 25:10 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 25:10 (KJV)	1 Samuel 25:10 (NET)
And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said: ‘Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there are many servants now-a-days that break away every man from his master;	And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.	But Nabal responded to David’s servants, “Who is David, and who is this son of Jesse? This is a time when many servants are breaking away from their masters!

1 Samuel 25:10 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 25:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Ναβαλ τοῗς παισὶν Δαυιδ καὶ εἶπεν τίς ὁ Δαυιδ καὶ τίς ὁ υἱὸς Ιεσσαι σήμερον πεπληθυμμένοι εἰσὶν οἱ δοῦλοι ἀναχωροῦντες ἕκαστος ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ	καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Νάβαλ τοῖς παισὶ Δαυὶδ καὶ εἶπε· τίς ὁ Δαυὶδ καὶ τίς ὁ υἱὸς ᾿Ιεσσαί; σήμερον πεπληθυμμένοι εἰσὶν οἱ δοῦλοι ἀναχωροῦντες ἕκαστος ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ
1 Reigns 25:10 (NETS)	1 Kings 25:10 (English Elpenor)
and Nabal answered Dauid’s servants and said, “Who is Dauid? And who is the son of Iessai? Slaves have been multiplied today, when they are breaking away each from his master.	And Nabal sprang up, and answered the servants of David, and said, Who [is] David? and who [is] the son of Jessae? Now-a-days there is abundance of servants who depart every one from his master.

1 Samuel 25:11 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 25:11 (KJV)	1 Samuel 25:11 (NET)
shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men of whom I know not whence they are?’	Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?	Should I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have slaughtered for my shearers and give them to these men? I don’t even know where they came from!”

1 Samuel 25:11 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 25:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ λήμψομαι τοὺς ἄρτους μου καὶ τὸν οἶνόν μου καὶ τὰ θύματά μου ἃ τέθυκα τοῗς κείρουσίν μου τὰ πρόβατα καὶ δώσω αὐτὰ ἀνδράσιν οἷς οὐκ οἶδα πόθεν εἰσίν	καὶ λήψομαι τοὺς ἄρτους μου καὶ τὸν οἶνόν μου καὶ τὰ θύματά μου, ἃ τέθυκα τοῖς κείρουσί μου τὰ πρόβατα, καὶ δώσω αὐτὰ ἀνδράσιν, οἷς οὐκ οἶδα πόθεν εἰσί
1 Reigns 25:11 (NETS)	1 Kings 25:11 (English Elpenor)
And shall I take my bread and my wine and my sacrifices, the sheep that I have sacrificed for my shearers, and give them to men who come from I do not know where?”	And shall I take my bread, and my wine, and my beasts that I have slain for my shearers, and shall I give them to men of whom I know not whence they are?

1 Samuel 25:16 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 25:16 (KJV)	1 Samuel 25:16 (NET)
they were a wall unto us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.	They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.	Both night and day they were a protective wall for us the entire time we were with them, while we were tending our flocks.

1 Samuel 25:16 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 25:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡς τεῗχος ἦσαν περὶ ἡμᾶς καὶ τὴν νύκτα καὶ τὴν ἡμέραν πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ἃς ἤμεθα παρ᾽ αὐτοῗς ποιμαίνοντες τὸ ποίμνιον	καὶ ἐν τῷ εἶναι ἡμᾶς ἐν ἀγρῷ ὡς τεῖχος ἦσαν περὶ ἡμᾶς καὶ τὴν νύκτα καὶ τὴν ἡμέραν πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας, ἃς ἤμεθα παρ᾿ αὐτοῖς ποιμαίνοντες τὸ ποίμνιον
1 Reigns 25:16 (NETS)	1 Kings 25:16 (English Elpenor)
they were like a wall around us both by night and by day, during all the days that we were with them keeping the flock.	And when we were in the field, they were as a wall round about us, both by night and by day, all the days that we were with them feeding the flock.

1 Samuel 25:13 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 25:13 (KJV)	1 Samuel 25:13 (NET)
And David said unto his men: ‘Gird ye on every man his sword.’ And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword; and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the baggage.	And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.	Then David instructed his men, “Each of you strap on your sword!” So each one strapped on his sword, and David also strapped on his sword. About 400 men followed David, while 200 stayed behind with the equipment.

1 Samuel 25:13 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 25:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ τοῗς ἀνδράσιν αὐτοῦ ζώσασθε ἕκαστος τὴν ῥομφαίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνέβησαν ὀπίσω Δαυιδ ὡς τετρακόσιοι ἄνδρες καὶ οἱ διακόσιοι ἐκάθισαν μετὰ τῶν σκευῶν	καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ τοῖς ἀνδράσιν αὐτοῦ· ζώσασθε ἕκαστος τὴν ρομφαίαν αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἀνέβησαν ὀπίσω Δαυὶδ ὡς τετρακόσιοι ἄνδρες, καὶ οἱ διακόσιοι ἐκάθισαν μετὰ τῶν σκευῶν
1 Reigns 25:13 (NETS)	1 Kings 25:13 (English Elpenor)
And Dauid said to his men, “Each strap on his sword!” and about four hundred men went up after Dauid, and two hundred remained with the baggage.	And David said to his men, Gird on every man his sword. And they went up after David, about four hundred men: and two hundred abode with the stuff.

1 Samuel 25:23 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 25:23 (KJV)	1 Samuel 25:23 (NET)
And when Abigail saw David, she made haste, and alighted from her ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed down to the ground.	And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,	When Abigail saw David, she got down quickly from the donkey, threw herself facedown before David, and bowed to the ground.

1 Samuel 25:23 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 25:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶδεν Αβιγαια τὸν Δαυιδ καὶ ἔσπευσεν καὶ κατεπήδησεν ἀπὸ τῆς ὄνου καὶ ἔπεσεν ἐνώπιον Δαυιδ ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτῆς καὶ προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν	καὶ εἶδεν ᾿Αβιγαία τὸν Δαυὶδ καὶ ἔσπευσε καὶ κατεπήδησεν ἀπὸ τῆς ὄνου καὶ ἔπεσεν ἐνώπιον Δαυὶδ ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτῆς καὶ προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν
1 Reigns 25:23 (NETS)	1 Kings 25:23 (English Elpenor)
And Abigaia saw Dauid, and she hurried and alighted from the donkey and fell before Dauid on her face and did obeisance to him on the ground	And Abigaia saw David, and she hasted and alighted from her ass; and she fell before David on her face, and did obeisance to him, [bowing] to the ground

1 Samuel 25:24 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 25:24 (KJV)	1 Samuel 25:24 (NET)
And she fell at his feet, and said: ‘Upon me, my lord, upon me be the iniquity; and let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine ears, and hear thou the words of thy handmaid.	And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.	Falling at his feet, she said, “My lord, I accept all the guilt! But please let your female servant speak to you! Please listen to the words of your servant!

1 Samuel 25:24 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 25:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπὶ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν ἐν ἐμοί κύριέ μου ἡ ἀδικία λαλησάτω δὴ ἡ δούλη σου εἰς τὰ ὦτά σου καὶ ἄκουσον τῆς δούλης σου λόγον	ἐπὶ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν· ἐν ἐμοὶ κύριέ μου ἡ ἀδικία· λαλησάτω δὴ ἡ δούλη σου εἰς τὰ ὦτά σου, καὶ ἄκουσον λόγων τῆς δούλης σου
1 Reigns 25:24 (NETS)	1 Kings 25:24 (English Elpenor)
on his feet and said, “Upon me, my lord, be the injustice; do let your slave speak in your ears, and hear a word of your slave.	[even] to his feet, and said, On me, my lord, be my wrong: let, I pray thee, thy servant speak in thine ears, and hear thou the words of thy servant.

1 Samuel 25:25 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 25:25 (KJV)	1 Samuel 25:25 (NET)
Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this base fellow, even Nabal; for as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name, and churlishness is with him; but I thy handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.	Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.	My lord should not pay attention to this wicked man Nabal. He simply lives up to his name! His name means ‘fool,’ and he is indeed foolish! But I, your servant, did not see the servants my lord sent.

1 Samuel 25:25 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 25:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ δὴ θέσθω ὁ κύριός μου καρδίαν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸν ἄνθρωπον τὸν λοιμὸν τοῦτον ὅτι κατὰ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ οὕτως ἐστίν Ναβαλ ὄνομα αὐτῷ καὶ ἀφροσύνη μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐγὼ ἡ δούλη σου οὐκ εἶδον τὰ παιδάριά σου ἃ ἀπέστειλας	μὴ δὴ θέσθω ὁ κύριός μου καρδίαν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸν ἄνθρωπον τὸν λοιμὸν τοῦτον, ὅτι κατὰ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ οὗτός ἐστι· Νάβαλ ὄνομα αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀφροσύνη μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐγὼ ἡ δούλη σου οὐκ εἶδον τὰ παιδάρια τοῦ κυρίου μου, ἃ ἀπέστειλας
1 Reigns 25:25 (NETS)	1 Kings 25:25 (English Elpenor)
Let not now my lord set his heart on this pestiferous person, for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him, but I, your slave, did not see your lads whom you sent.	Let not my lord, I pray thee, take to heart this pestilent man, for according to his name, so is he; Nabal [is] his name, and folly [is] with him: but I thy handmaid saw not the servants of my lord whom thou didst send.

1 Samuel 25:32 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 25:32 (KJV)	1 Samuel 25:32 (NET)
And David said to Abigail: ‘Blessed be HaShem, the G-d of Israel, who sent thee this day to meet me;	And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me:	Then David said to Abigail, “Praised be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you this day to meet me!

1 Samuel 25:32 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 25:32 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ τῇ Αβιγαια εὐλογητὸς κύριος ὁ θεὸς Ισραηλ ὃς ἀπέστειλέν σε σήμερον ἐν ταύτῃ εἰς ἀπάντησίν μου	καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ τῇ ᾿Αβιγαίᾳ· εὐλογητὸς Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ᾿Ισραήλ, ὃς ἀπέστειλέ σε σήμερον ἐν ταύτῃ εἰς ἀπάντησίν μοι
1 Reigns 25:32 (NETS)	1 Kings 25:32 (English Elpenor)
And Dauid said to Abigaia, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you to meet me on this very day,	And David said to Abigaia, Blessed [be] the Lord God of Israel, who sent thee this very day to meet me:

1 Samuel 25:33 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 25:33 (KJV)	1 Samuel 25:33 (NET)
and blessed be thy discretion, and blessed be thou, that hast kept me this day from bloodguiltiness, and from finding redress for myself with mine own hand.	And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.	Praised be your good judgment! May you yourself be rewarded for having prevented me this day from shedding blood and taking matters into my own hands!

1 Samuel 25:33 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 25:33 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εὐλογητὸς ὁ τρόπος σου καὶ εὐλογημένη σὺ ἡ ἀποκωλύσασά με σήμερον ἐν ταύτῃ μὴ ἐλθεῗν εἰς αἵματα καὶ σῶσαι χεῗρά μου ἐμοί	καὶ εὐλογητὸς ὁ τρόπος σου, καὶ εὐλογημένη σὺ ἡ ἀποκωλύσασά με σήμερον ἐν ταύτῃ μὴ ἐλθεῖν εἰς αἵματα καὶ σῶσαι χεῖρά μου ἐμοί
1 Reigns 25:33 (NETS)	1 Kings 25:33 (English Elpenor)
and blessed be your character, and blessed be you who has hindered me on this very day so as not to come into spilling of blood and to save my hand for myself!	And David said to Abigaia, Blessed [be] the Lord God of Israel, who sent thee this very day to meet me:

Genesis 34:25 (Tanakh)	Genesis 34:25 (KJV)	Genesis 34:25 (NET)
And it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city unawares, and slew all the males.	And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.	In three days, when they were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and went to the unsuspecting city and slaughtered every male.

Genesis 34:25 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 34:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ ὅτε ἦσαν ἐν τῷ πόνῳ ἔλαβον οἱ δύο υἱοὶ Ιακωβ Συμεων καὶ Λευι οἱ ἀδελφοὶ Δινας ἕκαστος τὴν μάχαιραν αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἀσφαλῶς καὶ ἀπέκτειναν πᾶν ἀρσενικόν	ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ, ὅτε ἦσαν ἐν τῷ πόνῳ, ἔλαβον οἱ δύο υἱοὶ ᾿Ιακὼβ Συμεὼν καὶ Λευὶ ἀδελφοὶ Δείνας ἕκαστος τὴν μάχαιραν αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἀσφαλῶς καὶ ἀπέκτειναν πᾶν ἀρσενικόν
Genesis 34:25 (NETS)	Genesis 34:25 (English Elpenor)
Now it came about on the third day, when they were in pain, that the two sons of Iakob, Symeon and Leui, Dina’s brothers, took each one his dagger and entered into the city safely and killed every male.	And it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, the two sons of Jacob, Symeon and Levi, Dina’s brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city securely, and slew every male.

Genesis 34:26 (Tanakh)	Genesis 34:26 (KJV)	Genesis 34:26 (NET)
And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went forth.	And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went out.	They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword, took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and left.

Genesis 34:26 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 34:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τόν τε Εμμωρ καὶ Συχεμ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπέκτειναν ἐν στόματι μαχαίρας καὶ ἔλαβον τὴν Διναν ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ Συχεμ καὶ ἐξῆλθον	τόν τε ᾿Εμμὼρ καὶ Συχὲμ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπέκτειναν ἐν στόματι μαχαίρας. καὶ ἔλαβον τὴν Δείναν ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ Συχὲμ καὶ ἐξῆλθον
Genesis 34:26 (NETS)	Genesis 34:26 (English Elpenor)
They killed both Hemmor and his son Sychem with a dagger’s edge and took Dina out of Sychem’s house and went away.	And they slew Emmor and Sychem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dina out of the house of Sychem, and went forth.

Genesis 34:27 (Tanakh)	Genesis 34:27 (KJV)	Genesis 34:27 (NET)
The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.	The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.	Jacob’s sons killed them and looted the city because their sister had been violated.

Genesis 34:27 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 34:27 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ Ιακωβ εἰσῆλθον ἐπὶ τοὺς τραυματίας καὶ διήρπασαν τὴν πόλιν ἐν ᾗ ἐμίαναν Διναν τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτῶν	οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ ᾿Ιακὼβ εἰσῆλθον ἐπὶ τοὺς τραυματίας καὶ διήρπασαν τὴν πόλιν, ἐν ᾗ ἐμίαναν Δείναν τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτῶν
Genesis 34:27 (NETS)	Genesis 34:27 (English Elpenor)
Then the sons of Iakob came upon the casualties and plundered the city in which they had defiled their sister Dina,	And they slew Emmor and Sychem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dina out of the house of Sychem, and went forth.

Genesis 34:28 (Tanakh)	Genesis 34:28 (KJV)	Genesis 34:28 (NET)
They took their flocks and their herds and their asses, and that which was in the city and that which was in the field;	They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field,	They took their flocks, herds, and donkeys, as well as everything in the city and in the surrounding fields.

Genesis 34:28 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 34:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ τὰ πρόβατα αὐτῶν καὶ τοὺς βόας αὐτῶν καὶ τοὺς ὄνους αὐτῶν ὅσα τε ἦν ἐν τῇ πόλει καὶ ὅσα ἦν ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ ἔλαβον	καὶ τὰ πρόβατα αὐτῶν καὶ τοὺς βόας αὐτῶν καὶ τοὺς ὄνους αὐτῶν, ὅσα τε ἦν ἐν τῇ πόλει καὶ ὅσα ἦν ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ, ἔλαβον
Genesis 34:28 (NETS)	Genesis 34:28 (English Elpenor)
and they took their sheep and their cattle and their donkeys, both as many as were in the city and as many as were in the plain.	And their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses they took, and all things whatsoever were in the city, and whatsoever were in the plain.

Genesis 34:29 (Tanakh)	Genesis 34:29 (KJV)	Genesis 34:29 (NET)
and all their wealth, and all their little ones and their wives, took they captive and spoiled, even all that was in the house.	And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house.	They captured as plunder all their wealth, all their little ones, and their wives, including everything in the houses.

Genesis 34:29 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 34:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ πάντα τὰ σώματα αὐτῶν καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ἀποσκευὴν αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς γυναῗκας αὐτῶν ᾐχμαλώτευσαν καὶ διήρπασαν ὅσα τε ἦν ἐν τῇ πόλει καὶ ὅσα ἦν ἐν ταῗς οἰκίαις	καὶ πάντα τὰ σώματα αὐτῶν καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ἀποσκευὴν αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας αὐτῶν ᾐχμαλώτευσαν, καὶ διήρπασαν ὅσα τε ἦν ἐν τῇ πόλει καὶ ὅσα ἦν ἐν ταῖς οἰκίαις
Genesis 34:29 (NETS)	Genesis 34:29 (English Elpenor)
And all their slaves and all their chattels and their wives they captured, and they plundered both as many things as were in the city and as many things as were in the dwellings.	And they took captive all the persons of them, and all their store, and their wives, and plundered both whatever things there were in the city, and whatever things there were in the houses.

2 Samuel 13:30 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:30 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:30 (NET)
And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that the tidings came to David, saying: ‘Absalom hath slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one of them left.’	And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one of them left.	While they were still on their way, the following report reached David: “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons; not one of them is left!”

2 Samuel 13:30 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:30 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτῶν ὄντων ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ καὶ ἡ ἀκοὴ ἦλθεν πρὸς Δαυιδ λέγων ἐπάταξεν Αβεσσαλωμ πάντας τοὺς υἱοὺς τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ οὐ κατελείφθη ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐδὲ εἷς	καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτῶν ὄντων ἐν τῷ ὁδῷ καὶ ἡ ἀκοὴ ἦλθε πρὸς Δαυὶδ λέγων· ἐπάταξεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πάντας τοὺς υἱοὺς τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ οὐ κατελείφθη ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐδὲ εἷς
2 Reigns 13:30 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:30 (English Elpenor)
And it happened, while they were on the way, that the report came to Dauid, saying, “Abessalom struck all the sons of the king, and nne of them was left, not even one.”	And it came to pass, when they were in the way, that a report came to David, saying, Abessalom has slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one of them left.

2 Samuel 13:32 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:32 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:32 (NET)
And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother, answered and said: ‘Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king’s sons; for Amnon only is dead; for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.	And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king’s sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.	Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, said, “My lord should not say, ‘They have killed all the young men who are the king’s sons.’ For only Amnon is dead. This is what Absalom has talked about from the day that Amnon humiliated his sister Tamar.

2 Samuel 13:32 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:32 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Ιωναδαβ υἱὸς Σαμαα ἀδελφοῦ Δαυιδ καὶ εἶπεν μὴ εἰπάτω ὁ κύριός μου ὁ βασιλεὺς ὅτι πάντα τὰ παιδάρια τοὺς υἱοὺς τοῦ βασιλέως ἐθανάτωσεν ὅτι Αμνων μονώτατος ἀπέθανεν ὅτι ἐπὶ στόματος Αβεσσαλωμ ἦν κείμενος ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμέρας ἧς ἐταπείνωσεν Θημαρ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτοῦ	καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ᾿Ιωναδὰβ υἱὸς Σαμαὰ ἀδελφοῦ Δαυὶδ καὶ εἶπε· μὴ εἰπάτω ὁ κύριός μου ὁ βασιλεύς, ὅτι πάντα τὰ παιδάρια τοὺς υἱοὺς τοῦ βασιλέως ἐθανάτωσεν, ὅτι ᾿Αμνὼν μονώτατος ἀπέθανεν· ὅτι ἐπὶ στόματος ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ ἦν κείμενος ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμέρας, ἧς ἐταπείνωσε Θημὰρ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτοῦ
2 Reigns 13:32 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:32 (English Elpenor)
And Ionadab, son of Samaa brother of Dauid, answered and said, “Let not my lord the king say that he put to death all the lads, the sons of the king, for only Amnon alone has died, for it was determined by the mouth of Abessalom from the day when he humiliated Themar his sister.	And Jonadab the son of Samaa brother of David, answered and said, Let not my Lord the king say that he has slain all the young men the sons of the king, for Amnon only of them all is dead; for he was appointed [to death] by the mouth of Abessalom from the day that he humbled his sister Themar.

David’s Forgiveness, Part 8

Back to David’s Forgiveness, Part 9

Back to What Is Sexual Immorality?

Back to Fear – Genesis, Part 4

Back to Torture, Part 5

Back to Atonement, Part 1

Back to Keep Yourselves from Idols, Part 1

Back to Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 3

¹ 2 Samuel 13:23a (NET)

² 1 Samuel 25:8

³ 2 Samuel 13:23b-25a (NET)

⁴ 2 Samuel 13:26, 27 (NET)

⁵ 1 Samuel 23:22 (NET)

⁶ 2 Samuel 15:19-22 (NET)

⁷ 2 Samuel 15:24-29 (NET)

⁸ 2 Samuel 15:31-37 (NET)

⁹ 2 Samuel 16:1-4 (NET)

¹⁰ 2 Samuel 19:25-30 (NET)

¹¹ 2 Samuel 16:5-13 (NET)

¹² 1 Chronicles 22:7, 8 (NET)

¹³ Matthew 7:1 (NET)

¹⁴ 1 Samuel 25:26a (NET)

¹⁵ 1 Samuel 24:6 (NET)

¹⁶ 1 Samuel 24:5 (NET)

¹⁷ 1 Samuel 16:13 (NET)

¹⁸ 1 Samuel 25:10, 11 (NET)

¹⁹ 1 Samuel 25:16 (NET)

²⁰ 1 Samuel 25:13 (NET)

²¹ Genesis 32:3-33:17

²² 1 Samuel 25:23-25 (NET)

²³ 1 Samuel 25:32, 33 (NET)

²⁴ 2 Samuel 13:30 (NET)

²⁵ 2 Samuel 13:32 (NET)

David’s Forgiveness, Part 6

Posted on August 14, 2012 by admin

My first wife was a self-proclaimed feminist. I tried with everything in me to treat her as an equal, which I too often mistook for “the same” in my twenties. One night, lying in bed on our backs talking, my affection for her surged. I reached under the small of her back with my hand, used my elbow as a fulcrum, lifted her, rolled her over, and plopped her down on top of me face-to-face. She was livid.

I wasn’t sure what sin against feminism I had just committed so I tried to talk to her about it. When she calmed down enough to think, it turned out that she wasn’t really upset that I had lifted her up, rolled her over and plopped her down on top of me. She was angry that I was able to lift her up, roll her over and plop her down on top of me with one arm. “You shouldn’t be that strong!” she said. “It’s not right!” I did what I could to express my love for her, and said that whatever strength I had was for her protection, not something I would use against her.

After Amnon overpowered and raped Tamar he greatly despised her, the text continued. His disdain toward her surpassed the love he had previously felt toward her. Get up and leave!¹ Amnon said.

No I won’t, Tamar replied angrily, for sending me away now would be worse than what you did to me earlier!²

Though this sounds strange to contemporary ears, it makes perfect sense in the socially constructed reality Tamar inhabited. She already believed (or said) that her father David would have given her to Amnon as a wife if Amnon had but asked. She was not engaged to another man. The relevant legislation she had in mind was: Suppose a man comes across a virgin who is not engaged and overpowers and rapes her and they are discovered. The man who has raped her must pay her father fifty shekels of silver and she must become his wife because he has violated her; he may never divorce her as long as he lives.³

Tamar did not perceive Amnon as a woman-hating sociopath but as an overly-eager potential mate. The feminist movement was not part of her socially constructed reality. Initially she looked to the law to protect her from being violated, then to restore her honor after Amnon violated her. But Amnon cared very little for the law the Lord Jesus gave to Moses. He called to his servant who threw Tamar out of the house and bolted the door behind her.

My wife came home late one night several weeks after she told me she wanted a divorce. I heard her getting ready for bed in the next bedroom. I got up and started to walk toward the door. Before I crossed the threshold of my bedroom door I heard that still small voice, “What are you doing, Dan?” I stopped in the doorway. I was calm, not angry, lucid, and I was going to kill my wife. I started to shake and sweat as I made my way back to my bed. I don’t recall how long I sat there. Finally I made my way to my wife’s bedroom and half-confessed, half-blamed her for bringing demons into our home. It had to be demons, surely I could never kill my wife. I loved her. I said I loved her.

The next morning I set out to make my word true, not unlike Jephthah. I copied Paul’s definition of love on a piece of paper: Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends [Table].⁴ I tacked it up on my bedroom wall by the door so I couldn’t leave that room without seeing it. I showed it to my wife. I promised her that this was my new law, that this is how I would love her.

Now King David heard about [Amnon’s treatment of Tamar] and was very angry.⁵ But there is no indication in the text that he did anything about it. The note in the NET is as follows: “The LXX and part of the Old Latin tradition include the following addition to v. 21, also included in some English versions (e.g., NAB, NRSV, CEV): ‘But he did not grieve the spirit of Amnon his son, because he loved him, since he was his firstborn.’ Note David’s attitude toward his son Adonijah in 1 Kgs 1:6.” And that is, Now [David] had never corrected [Adonijah] by saying, “Why do you do such things?” [Adonijah] was also very handsome and had been born right after Absalom.⁶

It paints an image of David as a lenient father, favoring his sons, and an interesting image of God who found David the son of Jesse to be a man after my heart.⁷ But David was not only a father but the king. What about Tamar who trusted God’s law to protect her before she was raped, and to vindicate her after? Was there any justice for her? As a king administering the law what should David have done? Collect fifty shekels of silver from Amnon? Give them to Tamar? Give Tamar to Amnon as a wife? The law was intended to dissuade a young man from overpowering and raping a young woman. Once it was broken, the law offered no justice, only retribution and fear.

The famous phrase “an eye for an eye” is found three places in the law. If men fight and hit a pregnant woman and her child is born prematurely, but there is no serious injury, he will surely be punished in accordance with what the woman’s husband demands of him, and he will pay what the court decides. But if there is serious injury, then you will give a life for a life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot [Table], burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. If a man strikes the eye of his male servant or his female servant so that he destroys it, he will let the servant go free as compensation for the eye. If he knocks out the tooth of his male servant or his female servant, he will let the servant go free as compensation for the tooth.⁸

If a man inflicts an injury on his fellow citizen, just as he has done it must be done to him – fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth – just as he inflicts an injury on another person that same injury must be inflicted on him [Table]. One who beats an animal to death must make restitution for it, but one who beats a person to death must be put to death. There will be one regulation for you, whether a foreigner or a native citizen, for I am the Lord your God.⁹

If a false witness testifies against another person and accuses him of a crime, then both parties to the controversy must stand before the Lord, that is, before the priests and judges who will be in office in those days. The judges will thoroughly investigate the matter, and if the witness should prove to be false and to have given false testimony against the accused, you must do to him what he had intended to do to the accused. In this way you will purge evil from among you. The rest of the people will hear and become afraid to keep doing such evil among you. You must not show pity; the principle will be a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, and a foot for a foot.¹⁰

I reflected on my own experience with my wife. I was far from perfect loving like God by attempting to keep the definition of his love as if it were law. But my wife survived it. She wasn’t raped. Even after our divorce she thought of me as one of the kindest men she knew. In fact, before we were actually divorced she acknowledged that our main problem was my religion. I regret that, but I couldn’t see through my religion then. I thought my religion was the only thing standing between me and a murder rap. But it did make it possible for me to see eventually that justice for Tamar wouldn’t come from any law, but from the love that fulfills the law, the love that is patient and kind and doesn’t rape a sister, or any woman, in the first place.

Where David left a vacuum by his inaction, Absalom his firstborn (Tamar’s full brother) stepped in. He said to her, “Was Amnon your brother with you? Now be quiet, my sister. He is your brother. Don’t take it so seriously!” Tamar, devastated, lived in the house of her brother Absalom…But Absalom said nothing to Amnon, either bad or good, yet Absalom hated Amnon because he had humiliated his sister Tamar.¹¹

Absalom waited two years, but after that time at a dinner he gave for all the king’s sons Absalom instructed his servants, “Look! When Amnon is drunk and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ kill him then and there. Don’t fear! Is it not I who have given you these instructions? Be strong and courageous!” [Table] So Absalom’s servants did to Amnon exactly what Absalom had instructed [Table].¹²

Addendum: December 23, 2020
I hesitate to call the tables below Paul’s “quotations” of scriptures so much as they are a lesson in how he utilized the Hebrew Scriptures as factual data in his address in the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch.

Acts 13:22b (NET Parallel Greek) Table	Psalm 89:20a (BLB Septuagint) Table	Psalm 88:21a (Elpenor Septuagint)
εὗρον Δαυὶδ	εὗρον Δαυιδ	εὗρον Δαυΐδ
Acts 13:22b (NET)	Psalm 88:21a (NETS)	Psalm 88:21a (English Elpenor)
I have found David	I found Dauid	I have found David

The middle section not listed as a quotation in the NET—the son of Jesse—is simply factual information from 1 Samuel 16:1-13.

Acts 13:22d (NET Parallel Greek) Table	1 Samuel 13:14b (BLB Septuagint) Table	1 Kings 13:14b (Elpenor Septuagint)
ἄνδρα\| κατὰ τὴν καρδίαν μου	ἄνθρωπον κατὰ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ	ἄνθρωπον κατὰ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ
Acts 13:22d (NET)	1 Reigns 13:14b (NETS)	1 Kings 13:14b (English Elpenor)
to be a man after my heart	a person after his heart	a man after his own heart

Where the Masoretic text (Table below) had: But if there is serious injury, then you will give a life for a life (Exodus 21:23 NET), the Septuagint (Table below) had: But if it be perfectly formed, he shall give life for life (Exodus 21:23 English Elpenor).

The clause translated One who beats an animal to death must make restitution for it (Leviticus 24:21) in the NET translation of the Masoretic text does not occur in the Septuagint (Table below).

Where the NET translation of the Masoretic text made it seem as if Tamar had an emotional problem—Tamar, devastated, lived in the house of her brother Absalom (2 Samuel 13:20 NET)—the Septuagint (Table below) was clear that Themar dwelt as a widow in the house of her brother Abessalom (2 Kings 13:20 English Elpenor).

Tables comparing 2 Samuel 13:15; 13:16; Deuteronomy 22:28; 22:29; 2 Samuel 13:21; 1 Kings 1:6; Exodus 21:22; 21:23; 21:25; 21:26; 21:27; Leviticus 24:19; 24:21; 24:22; Deuteronomy 19:16; 19:17; 19:18; 19:19; 19:20; 19:21; 2 Samuel 13:20 and 13:22 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 13:15; 13:16; Deuteronomy 22:28; 22:29; 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 13:21; 1 Kings (3 Reigns, 3 Kings) 1:6; Exodus 21:22; 21:23; 21:25; 21:26; 21:27; Leviticus 24:19; 24:21; 24:22; Deuteronomy 19:16; 19:17; 19:18; 19:19; 19:20; 19:21; 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 13:20 and 13:22 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

2 Samuel 13:15 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:15 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:15 (NET)
Then Amnon hated her with exceeding great hatred; for the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her: ‘Arise, be gone.’	Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.	Then Amnon greatly despised her. His disdain toward her surpassed the love he had previously felt toward her. Amnon said to her, “Get up and leave!”

2 Samuel 13:15 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐμίσησεν αὐτὴν Αμνων μῗσος μέγα σφόδρα ὅτι μέγα τὸ μῗσος ὃ ἐμίσησεν αὐτήν ὑπὲρ τὴν ἀγάπην ἣν ἠγάπησεν αὐτήν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ Αμνων ἀνάστηθι καὶ πορεύου	καὶ ἐμίσησεν αὐτὴν ᾿Αμνὼν μῖσος μέγα σφόδρα, ὅτι μέγα τὸ μῖσος, ὃ ἐμίσησεν αὐτὴν ὑπὲρ τὴν ἀγάπην, ἣν ἠγάπησεν αὐτήν. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ᾿Αμνών· ἀνάστηθι καὶ πορεύου
2 Reigns 13:15 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:15 (English Elpenor)
And Amnon hated her with very great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up, and get out!”	Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her, for the last wickedness was greater than the first: and Amnon said to her, Rise, and be gone.

2 Samuel 13:16 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:16 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:16 (NET)
And she said unto him: ‘Not so, because this great wrong in putting me forth is worse than the other that thou didst unto me.’ But he would not hearken unto her.	And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her.	But she said to him, “No I won’t, for sending me away now would be worse than what you did to me earlier!” But he refused to listen to her.

2 Samuel 13:16 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Θημαρ μή ἄδελφε ὅτι μεγάλη ἡ κακία ἡ ἐσχάτη ὑπὲρ τὴν πρώτην ἣν ἐποίησας μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ τοῦ ἐξαποστεῗλαί με καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν Αμνων ἀκοῦσαι τῆς φωνῆς αὐτῆς	καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Θημάρ· μή, ἀδελφέ, ὅτι μεγάλη ἡ κακία ἡ ἐσχάτη ὑπὲρ τὴν πρώτην, ἣν ἐποίησας μετ’ ἐμοῦ τοῦ ἐξαποστεῖλαί με. καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν ᾿Αμνὼν ἀκοῦσαι τῆς φωνῆς αὐτῆς
2 Reigns 13:16 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:16 (English Elpenor)
And Themar said to him, “No, brother, for greater is the last wrong than the first which you did with me, to send me away.” But Amnon did not want to listen to her voice.	And Themar spoke to him concerning this great mischief, greater, [said she], than the other that thou didst me, to send me away: but Amnon would not hearken to her voice.

Deuteronomy 22:28 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 22:28 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 22:28 (NET)
If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, that is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found;	If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found;	Suppose a man comes across a virgin who is not engaged and takes hold of her and sleeps with her and they are discovered.

Deuteronomy 22:28 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 22:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δέ τις εὕρῃ τὴν παῗδα τὴν παρθένον ἥτις οὐ μεμνήστευται καὶ βιασάμενος κοιμηθῇ μετ᾽ αὐτῆς καὶ εὑρεθῇ	Εὰν δέ τις εὕρῃ τὴν παῖδα τὴν παρθένον, ἥτις οὐ μεμνήστευται, καὶ βιασάμενος κοιμηθῇ μετ᾿ αὐτῆς καὶ εὑρεθῇ
Deuteronomy 22:28 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 22:28 (English Elpenor)
But if someone finds the girl, the virgin, who is not engaged, and, after he forces her, lies with her and he is discovered,	And if any one should find a young virgin who has not been betrothed, and should force [her] and lie with her, and be found,

Deuteronomy 22:29 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 22:29 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 22:29 (NET)
then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he hath humbled her; he may not put her away all his days.	Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.	The man who has slept with her must pay her father 50 shekels of silver and she must become his wife. Because he has humiliated her, he may never divorce her as long as he lives.

Deuteronomy 22:29 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 22:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)
δώσει ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ κοιμηθεὶς μετ᾽ αὐτῆς τῷ πατρὶ τῆς νεάνιδος πεντήκοντα δίδραχμα ἀργυρίου καὶ αὐτοῦ ἔσται γυνή ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ἐταπείνωσεν αὐτήν οὐ δυνήσεται ἐξαποστεῗλαι αὐτὴν τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον	δώσει ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ κοιμηθεὶς μετ᾿ αὐτῆς τῷ πατρὶ τῆς νεάνιδος πεντήκοντα δίδραχμα ἀργυρίου, καὶ αὐτοῦ ἔσται γυνή, ἀνθ᾿ ὧν ἐταπείνωσεν αὐτήν· οὐ δυνήσεται ἐξαποστεῖλαι αὐτὴν τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον
Deuteronomy 22:29 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 22:29 (English Elpenor)
the man who lay with her shall give fifty silver didrachmas to the young woman’s father, and she shall become his wife. Because he humbled her, he shall not be able to send her away for all time.	the man who lay with her shall give to the father of the damsel fifty silver didrachms, and she shall be his wife, because he has humbled her; he shall never be able to put her away.

2 Samuel 13:21 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:21 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:21 (NET)
But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth.	But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth.	Now King David heard about all these things and was very angry.

2 Samuel 13:21 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἤκουσεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Δαυιδ πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους καὶ ἐθυμώθη σφόδρα καὶ οὐκ ἐλύπησεν τὸ πνεῦμα Αμνων τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ ὅτι ἠγάπα αὐτόν ὅτι πρωτότοκος αὐτοῦ ἦν	καὶ ἤκουσεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Δαυὶδ πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους καὶ ἐθυμώθη σφόδρα· καὶ οὐκ ἐλύπησε τὸ πνεῦμα ᾿Αμνὼν τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἠγάπα αὐτόν, ὅτι πρωτότοκος αὐτοῦ ἦν
2 Reigns 13:21 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:21 (English Elpenor)
And King Dauid heard all these words and was very angry, but he did not grieve the spirit of Amnon his son, for he kept loving him, for he was his firstborn.	And king David heard of all these things, and was very angry; but he did not grieve the spirit of his son Amnon, because be loved him, for he was his first-born.

1 Kings 1:6 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 1:6 (KJV)	1 Kings 1:6 (NET)
And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.	And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.	(Now his father had never corrected him by saying, “Why do you do such things?” He was also very handsome and had been born right after Absalom.)

1 Kings 1:6 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 1:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οὐκ ἀπεκώλυσεν αὐτὸν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ οὐδέποτε λέγων διὰ τί σὺ ἐποίησας καί γε αὐτὸς ὡραῗος τῇ ὄψει σφόδρα καὶ αὐτὸν ἔτεκεν ὀπίσω Αβεσσαλωμ	καὶ οὐκ ἀπεκώλυσεν αὐτὸν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ οὐδέποτε λέγων· διατὶ σὺ ἐποίησας; καί γε αὐτὸς ὡραῖος τῇ ὄψει σφόδρα, καὶ αὐτὸν ἔτεκεν ὀπίσω ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ
3 Reigns 1:6 (NETS)	3 Kings 1:6 (English Elpenor)
And his father did not ever hinder him, saying, “For what reason did you act?” And indeed he was very youthful in appearance, and he begot him after Abessalom.	And his father never at any time checked him, saying, Why hast thou done [thus]? and he was also very handsome in appearance, and his mother bore him after Abessalom.

Exodus 21:22 (Tanakh)	Exodus 21:22 (KJV)	Exodus 21:22 (NET)
And if men strive together, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart, and yet no harm follow, he shall be surely fined, according as the woman’s husband shall lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.	If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.	“If men fight and hit a pregnant woman and her child is born prematurely, but there is no serious injury, the one who hit her will surely be punished in accordance with what the woman’s husband demands of him, and he will pay what the court decides.

Exodus 21:22 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 21:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ μάχωνται δύο ἄνδρες καὶ πατάξωσιν γυναῗκα ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσαν καὶ ἐξέλθῃ τὸ παιδίον αὐτῆς μὴ ἐξεικονισμένον ἐπιζήμιον ζημιωθήσεται καθότι ἂν ἐπιβάλῃ ὁ ἀνὴρ τῆς γυναικός δώσει μετὰ ἀξιώματος	ἐὰν δὲ μάχωνται δύο ἄνδρες καὶ πατάξωσι γυναῖκα ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσαν καὶ ἐξέλθῃ τὸ παιδίον αὐτῆς μὴ ἐξεικονισμένον, ἐπιζήμιον ζημιωθήσεται· καθότι ἂν ἐπιβάλῃ ὁ ἀνὴρ τῆς γυναικός, δώσει μετὰ ἀξιώματος
Exodus 21:22 (NETS)	Exodus 21:22 (English Elpenor)
Now if two men fight and strike a pregnant woman and her child comes forth not fully formed, he shall be punished with a fine. According as the husband of the woman might impose, he shall pay with judicial assessment.	And if two men strive and smite a woman with child, and her child be born imperfectly formed, he shall be forced to pay a penalty: as the woman’s husband may lay upon him, he shall pay with a valuation.

Exodus 21:23 (Tanakh)	Exodus 21:23 (KJV)	Exodus 21:23 (NET)
But if any harm follow, then thou shalt give life for life,	And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,	But if there is serious injury, then you will give a life for a life,

Exodus 21:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 21:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ ἐξεικονισμένον ἦν δώσει ψυχὴν ἀντὶ ψυχῆς	ἐὰν δὲ ἐξεικονισμένον ᾖ, δώσει ψυχὴν ἀντὶ ψυχῆς
Exodus 21:23 (NETS)	Exodus 21:23 (English Elpenor)
But if is is fully formed, he shall pay life for life,	But if it be perfectly formed, he shall give life for life,

Exodus 21:25 (Tanakh)	Exodus 21:25 (KJV)	Exodus 21:25 (NET)
burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.	Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.	burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

Exodus 21:25 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 21:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
κατάκαυμα ἀντὶ κατακαύματος τραῦμα ἀντὶ τραύματος μώλωπα ἀντὶ μώλωπος	κατάκαυμα ἀντὶ κατακαύματος, τραῦμα ἀντὶ τραύματος, μώλωπα ἀντὶ μώλωπος
Exodus 21:25 (NETS)	Exodus 21:25 (English Elpenor)
burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.	burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

Exodus 21:26 (Tanakh)	Exodus 21:26 (KJV)	Exodus 21:26 (NET)
And if a man smite the eye of his bondman, or the eye of his bondwoman, and destroy it, he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake.	And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake.	“If a man strikes the eye of his male servant or his female servant so that he destroys it, he will let the servant go free as compensation for the eye.

Exodus 21:26 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 21:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δέ τις πατάξῃ τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν τοῦ οἰκέτου αὐτοῦ ἢ τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν τῆς θεραπαίνης αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκτυφλώσῃ ἐλευθέρους ἐξαποστελεῗ αὐτοὺς ἀντὶ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ αὐτῶν	ἐὰν δέ τις πατάξῃ τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν τοῦ οἰκέτου αὐτοῦ ἢ τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν τῆς θεραπαίνης αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκτυφλώσῃ, ἐλευθέρους ἐξαποστελεῖ αὐτοὺς ἀντὶ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ αὐτῶν
Exodus 21:26 (NETS)	Exodus 21:26 (English Elpenor)
Now if someone strikes the eye of his male domestic or the eye of his female attendant and cause blindness, he shall send them away free in exchange for their eye.	And if one smite the eye of his man-servant, or the eye of his maid-servant, and put it out, he shall let them go free for their eye’s sake.

Exodus 21:27 (Tanakh)	Exodus 21:27 (KJV)	Exodus 21:27 (NET)
And if he smite out his bondman’s tooth, or his bondwoman’s tooth, he shall let him go free for his tooth’s sake.	And if he smite out his manservant’s tooth, or his maidservant’s tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth’s sake.	If he knocks out the tooth of his male servant or his female servant, he will let the servant go free as compensation for the tooth.

Exodus 21:27 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 21:27 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ τὸν ὀδόντα τοῦ οἰκέτου ἢ τὸν ὀδόντα τῆς θεραπαίνης αὐτοῦ ἐκκόψῃ ἐλευθέρους ἐξαποστελεῗ αὐτοὺς ἀντὶ τοῦ ὀδόντος αὐτῶν	ἐὰν δὲ τὸν ὀδόντα τοῦ οἰκέτου ἢ τὸν ὀδόντα τῆς θεραπαίνης αὐτοῦ ἐκκόψῃ, ἐλευθέρους ἐξαποστελεῖ αὐτοὺς ἀντὶ τοῦ ὀδόντος αὐτῶν
Exodus 21:27 (NETS)	Exodus 21:27 (English Elpenor)
Now if he knocks out the tooth of a male domestic or the tooth of his female attendant, he shall send them away free in exchange for their tooth.	And if he should smite out the tooth of his man-servant, or the tooth of his maid-servant, he shall send them away free for their tooth’s sake.

Leviticus 24:19 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 24:19 (KJV)	Leviticus 24:19 (NET)
And if a man maim his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him:	And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him;	If a man inflicts an injury on his fellow citizen, just as he has done it must be done to him—

Leviticus 24:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 24:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐάν τις δῷ μῶμον τῷ πλησίον ὡς ἐποίησεν αὐτῷ ὡσαύτως ἀντιποιηθήσεται αὐτῷ	καὶ ἐάν τις δῷ μῶμον τῷ πλησίον, ὡς ἐποίησεν αὐτῷ, ὡσαύτως ἀντιποιηθήσεται αὐτῷ
Leviticus 24:19 (NETS)	Leviticus 24:19 (English Elpenor)
And if anyone should a blemish to his neighbor—as he did to him, so also shall it be done to him in return:	And whosoever shall inflict a blemish on his neighbour, as he has done to him, so shall it be done to himself in return;

Leviticus 24:21 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 24:21 (KJV)	Leviticus 24:21 (NET)
And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; and he that killeth a man shall be put to death.	And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.	One who beats an animal to death must make restitution for it, but one who beats a person to death must be put to death.

Leviticus 24:21 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 24:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὃς ἂν πατάξῃ ἄνθρωπον καὶ ἀποθάνῃ θανάτῳ θανατούσθω	ὃς ἂν πατάξῃ ἄνθρωπον καὶ ἀποθάνῃ, θανάτῳ θανατούσθω
Leviticus 24:21 (NETS)	Leviticus 24:21 (English Elpenor)
Whoever strikes a person, and he dies, by death let him be put to death.	Whosoever shall smite a man, and he shall die, let him die the death.

Leviticus 24:22 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 24:22 (KJV)	Leviticus 24:22 (NET)
Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for the home-born; for I am HaShem your G-d.’	Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God.	There will be one regulation for you, whether a resident foreigner or a native citizen, for I am the Lord your God.’”

Leviticus 24:22 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 24:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
δικαίωσις μία ἔσται τῷ προσηλύτῳ καὶ τῷ ἐγχωρίῳ ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν	δικαίωσις μία ἔσται τῷ προσηλύτῳ καὶ τῷ ἐγχωρίῳ, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν
Leviticus 24:22 (NETS)	Leviticus 24:22 (English Elpenor)
There shall be one judgment for the guest and for the inhabitant of the country; for it is I who am the Lord your God.	There shall be one judgment for the stranger and the native, for I [am] the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy 19:16 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 19:16 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 19:16 (NET)
If an unrighteous witness rise up against any man to bear perverted witness against him;	If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;	If a false witness testifies against another person and accuses him of a crime,

Deuteronomy 19:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 19:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ καταστῇ μάρτυς ἄδικος κατὰ ἀνθρώπου καταλέγων αὐτοῦ ἀσέβειαν	ἐὰν δὲ καταστῇ μάρτυς ἄδικος κατὰ ἀνθρώπου καταλέγων αὐτοῦ ἀσέβειαν
Deuteronomy 19:16 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 19:16 (English Elpenor)
But if an unjust witness comes forward against a person, alleging impiety against him,	And if an unjust witness rise up against a man, alleging iniquity against him;

Deuteronomy 19:17 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 19:17 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 19:17 (NET)
then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before HaShem, before the priests and the judges that shall be in those days.	Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days;	then both parties to the controversy must stand before the Lord, that is, before the priests and judges who will be in office in those days.

Deuteronomy 19:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 19:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ στήσονται οἱ δύο ἄνθρωποι οἷς ἐστιν αὐτοῗς ἡ ἀντιλογία ἔναντι κυρίου καὶ ἔναντι τῶν ἱερέων καὶ ἔναντι τῶν κριτῶν οἳ ἐὰν ὦσιν ἐν ταῗς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις	καὶ στήσονται οἱ δύο ἄνθρωποι, οἷς ἐστιν αὐτοῖς ἡ ἀντιλογία, ἔναντι Κυρίου καὶ ἔναντι τῶν ἱερέων καὶ ἔναντι τῶν κριτῶν, οἳ ἂν ὦσιν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις
Deuteronomy 19:17 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 19:17 (English Elpenor)
then the two persons between whom is the dispute shall stand before the Lord and before the priests and before the judges, who may be in those days,	then shall the two men between whom the controversy is, stand before the Lord, and before the priests, and before the judges, who may be in those days.

Deuteronomy 19:18 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 19:18 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 19:18 (NET)
And the judges shall inquire diligently; and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;	And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;	The judges will thoroughly investigate the matter, and if the witness should prove to be false and to have given false testimony against the accused,

Deuteronomy 19:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 19:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐξετάσωσιν οἱ κριταὶ ἀκριβῶς καὶ ἰδοὺ μάρτυς ἄδικος ἐμαρτύρησεν ἄδικα ἀντέστη κατὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ	καὶ ἐξετάσωσιν οἱ κριταὶ ἀκριβῶς, καὶ ἰδοὺ μάρτυς ἄδικος ἐμαρτύρησεν ἄδικα, ἀντέστη κατὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ
Deuteronomy 19:18 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 19:18 (English Elpenor)
and if the judges make a thorough inquiry and, look, an unjust witness has testified unjustly, he has stood up against his brother,	And the judges shall make diligent inquiry, and, behold, [if] an unjust witness has borne unjust testimony; [and] has stood up against his brother;

Deuteronomy 19:19 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 19:19 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 19:19 (NET)
then shall ye do unto him, as he had purposed to do unto his brother; so shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee.	Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.	you must do to him what he had intended to do to the accused. In this way you will purge the evil from among you.

Deuteronomy 19:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 19:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ποιήσετε αὐτῷ ὃν τρόπον ἐπονηρεύσατο ποιῆσαι κατὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξαρεῗς τὸν πονηρὸν ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν	καὶ ποιήσετε αὐτῷ ὃν τρόπον ἐπονηρεύσατο ποιῆσαι κατὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐξαρεῖς τὸ πονηρὸν ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν
Deuteronomy 19:19 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 19:19 (English Elpenor)
then you shall do to him just as he connived to do to his brother. And you shall remove the evil one from yourselves.	then shall ye do to him as he wickedly devised to do against his brother, and thou shalt remove the evil from yourselves.

Deuteronomy 19:20 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 19:20 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 19:20 (NET)
And those that remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil in the midst of thee.	And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.	The rest of the people will hear and become afraid to keep doing such evil among you.

Deuteronomy 19:20 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 19:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οἱ ἐπίλοιποι ἀκούσαντες φοβηθήσονται καὶ οὐ προσθήσουσιν ἔτι ποιῆσαι κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τὸ πονηρὸν τοῦτο ἐν ὑμῗν	καὶ οἱ ἐπίλοιποι ἀκούσαντες φοβηθήσονται καὶ οὐ προσθήσουσιν ἔτι ποιῆσαι κατὰ τὸ ρῆμα τὸ πονηρὸν τοῦτο ἐν ὑμῖν
Deuteronomy 19:20 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 19:20 (English Elpenor)
And the rest, when they hear, shall be afraid and will not add to act again according to this evil thing among you.	And the rest shall hear and fear, and do no more according to this evil thing in the midst of you.

Deuteronomy 19:21 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 19:21 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 19:21 (NET)
And thine eye shall not pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.	And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.	You must not show pity; the principle will be a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, and a foot for a foot.

Deuteronomy 19:21 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 19:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ φείσεται ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ ψυχὴν ἀντὶ ψυχῆς ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος χεῗρα ἀντὶ χειρός πόδα ἀντὶ ποδός	οὐ φείσεται ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ· ψυχὴν ἀντὶ ψυχῆς, ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ, ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος, χεῖρα ἀντὶ χειρός, πόδα ἀντὶ ποδός
Deuteronomy 19:21 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 19:21 (English Elpenor)
Your eye shall not be sparing against him: soul for soul, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.	Thine eye shall not spare him: [thou shalt exact] life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

2 Samuel 13:20 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:20 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:20 (NET)
And Absalom her brother said unto her: ‘Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but now hold thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; take not this thing to heart.’ So Tamar remained desolate in her brother, Absalom’s house.	And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.	Her brother Absalom said to her, “Was Amnon your brother with you? Now be quiet, my sister. He is your brother. Don’t take it so seriously!” Tamar, devastated, lived in the house of her brother Absalom.

2 Samuel 13:20 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὴν Αβεσσαλωμ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτῆς μὴ Αμνων ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἐγένετο μετὰ σοῦ καὶ νῦν ἀδελφή μου κώφευσον ὅτι ἀδελφός σού ἐστιν μὴ θῇς τὴν καρδίαν σου τοῦ λαλῆσαι εἰς τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο καὶ ἐκάθισεν Θημαρ χηρεύουσα ἐν οἴκῳ Αβεσσαλωμ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτῆς	καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὴν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτῆς· μὴ ᾿Αμνὼν ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἐγένετο μετὰ σοῦ; καὶ νῦν, ἀδελφή μου, κώφευσον, ὅτι ἀδελφός σού ἐστι· μὴ θῇς τὴν καρδίαν σου τοῦ λαλῆσαι τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο. καὶ ἐκάθισε Θημὰρ χηρεύουσα ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτῆς
2 Reigns 13:20 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:20 (English Elpenor)
And Abessalom her brother said to her, “Amnon your brother wasn’t with you, was he? And now, my sister, be quiet, for he is your brother; do not set your heart to speak abut this thing.” And Themar stayed as a widow in her brother Abessalom’s house.	And Abessalom her brother said to her, Has thy brother Amnon been with thee? now then, my sister, be silent, for he is thy brother: be not careful to mention this matter. So Themar dwelt as a widow in the house of her brother Abessalom.

2 Samuel 13:22 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:22 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:22 (NET)
And Absalom spoke unto Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.	And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.	But Absalom said nothing to Amnon, either bad or good, yet Absalom hated Amnon because he had humiliated his sister Tamar.

2 Samuel 13:22 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οὐκ ἐλάλησεν Αβεσσαλωμ μετὰ Αμνων ἀπὸ πονηροῦ ἕως ἀγαθοῦ ὅτι ἐμίσει Αβεσσαλωμ τὸν Αμνων ἐπὶ λόγου οὗ ἐταπείνωσεν Θημαρ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτοῦ	καὶ οὐκ ἐλάλησεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ μετὰ ᾿Αμνὼν ἀπὸ πονηροῦ ἕως ἀγαθοῦ,ὅτι ἐμίσει ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ τὸν ᾿Αμνὼν ἐπὶ λόγου, οὗ ἐταπείνωσε Θημὰρ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτοῦ
2 Reigns 13:22 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:22 (English Elpenor)
And Abessalom did not speak with Amnon, from evil to good, for Abessalom kept hating Amnon on account of which he had humiliated Themar his sister.	And Abessalom spoke not to Amnon, good or bad, because Abessalom hated Amnon, on account of his humbling his sister Themar.