OET interlinear 2 SAM 23:18

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: translate-kinship

וַ⁠אֲבִישַׁ֞י אֲחִ֣י ׀ יוֹאָ֣ב בֶּן־צְרוּיָ֗ה

(Some words not found in UHB: and,Abishai brother_of Yōʼāⱱ/(Joab) son_of Tsərū^yāh/(Zeruiah) he/it head of,the_three and=he wielded DOM spear_of,his on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in three hundreds killed and=to/for=him/it name_of among,three )

The author is identifying Abishai as the brother of Joab and the son of Zeruiah. (Joab was also the son of Zeruiah, but the author is making clear that Zeruiah was the mother of Abishai. She could have been the mother of Joab without being the mother of Abishai.) Abishai was Joab’s younger brother. Your language may have its own terms or expressions for these relationships. Alternate translation: [And Abishai, who was the brother of Joab and the son of Zeruiah]

Note 2 topic: translate-names

צְרוּיָ֗ה

Tsərū\sup_yāh/(Zeruiah)

The word Zeruiah is the name of a woman, David’s older sister. See how you translated her name in [2:13](../02/13.md).

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

הַשְּׁלֹשָׁ֔ה & בַּ⁠שְּׁלֹשָֽׁה

(Some words not found in UHB: and,Abishai brother_of Yōʼāⱱ/(Joab) son_of Tsərū^yāh/(Zeruiah) he/it head of,the_three and=he wielded DOM spear_of,his on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in three hundreds killed and=to/for=him/it name_of among,three )

The author seems to be describing two different groups of three warriors. The ULT distinguishes between them by treating the word Three as a title (uppercase) when it describes the great warriors of the first rank, Josheb Basshebeth, Eleazar, and Shammah ([23:8–12](../23/08.md)), and by treating the word three as a description (lowercase) when it describes the great warriors of the second rank, Abishai, Benaiah, and another unnamed warrior ([23:13–23](../23/13.md)). Your language may have a convention of its own that you could use to distinguish between these groups, or you could use descriptive phrases, as the UST does. Some versions express the interpretation that Abishai was the commander of the Three, that is, the great warriors of the first rank. Other versions follow some ancient manuscripts and say that Abishai was the commander of the Thirty, the warriors listed in [23:24–39](../23/24.md). If a translation of the Bible exists in your region, you may wish to use the reading that it uses. If a translation of the Bible does not exist in your region, you may wish to use the reading of the ULT.

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ה֚וּא רֹ֣אשׁ

he/it head

The author is using the image of the head to represent a leader or commander. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [he was the commander]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

וְ⁠הוּא֙ עוֹרֵ֣ר אֶת־חֲנִית֔⁠וֹ

and=he wielded DOM spear_of,his

See how you translated the similar expression in [23:8](../23/08.md). Alternate translation: [and he was fighting]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

חָלָ֑ל

killed

See how you translated the similar expression in [23:8](../23/08.md). Alternate translation: [whom he slew]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

וְ⁠ל⁠וֹ־שֵׁ֖ם בַּ⁠שְּׁלֹשָֽׁה

and=to/for=him/it (Some words not found in UHB: and,Abishai brother_of Yōʼāⱱ/(Joab) son_of Tsərū^yāh/(Zeruiah) he/it head of,the_three and=he wielded DOM spear_of,his on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in three hundreds killed and=to/for=him/it name_of among,three )

Here, name represents reputation or honor. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or plain language, here and in [verse 22](../23/22.md). Alternate translation: [And he had as great a reputation as the Three]