OET interlinear 2 SAM 3:9

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: translate-versebridge

Abner swears in this verse that he is going to do something, but he does not describe until the next verse what he is going to do. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could create a verse bridge for verses 9–10 and have Abner first describe what he is going to do and then swear that he will do it. (That would not change the meaning, only the order of the information.) The UST models one way to do that.

Note 2 topic: writing-oathformula

כֹּֽה־יַעֲשֶׂ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ לְ⁠אַבְנֵ֔ר וְ⁠כֹ֖ה יֹסִ֣יף ל֑⁠וֹ כִּ֗י כַּ⁠אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִשְׁבַּ֤ע יְהוָה֙ לְ⁠דָוִ֔ד כִּֽי־כֵ֖ן אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לּֽ⁠וֹ

(Some words not found in UHB: so he/it_made/did ʼElohīm to,Abner and,thus more to=him/it that/for/because/then/when just=as sworn YHWH to,David that/for/because/then/when so accomplish for=him/it )

Following the custom of his culture, Abner is using a conditional statement to swear an oath. What he states as a condition (“if”) is what he is swearing to do. Use a natural way in your language to express an oath. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could put the condition before the consequence. Alternate translation: [I swear that I will do for David according to what Yahweh has sworn to him, and if I do not, then may God do thus to Abner, and thus may he add to him]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / 123person

כֹּֽה־יַעֲשֶׂ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ לְ⁠אַבְנֵ֔ר וְ⁠כֹ֖ה יֹסִ֣יף ל֑⁠וֹ כִּ֗י כַּ⁠אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִשְׁבַּ֤ע יְהוָה֙ לְ⁠דָוִ֔ד כִּֽי־כֵ֖ן אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לּֽ⁠וֹ

(Some words not found in UHB: so he/it_made/did ʼElohīm to,Abner and,thus more to=him/it that/for/because/then/when just=as sworn YHWH to,David that/for/because/then/when so accomplish for=him/it )

Because he is swearing an oath, Abner is speaking about himself solemnly in the third person. If it would be clearer in your language, you could translate this in the first person. Alternate translation: [Thus may God do to me, Abner, and thus may he add to me]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

כֹּֽה־יַעֲשֶׂ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ לְ⁠אַבְנֵ֔ר וְ⁠כֹ֖ה יֹסִ֣יף ל֑⁠וֹ

(Some words not found in UHB: so he/it_made/did ʼElohīm to,Abner and,thus more to=him/it that/for/because/then/when just=as sworn YHWH to,David that/for/because/then/when so accomplish for=him/it )

When Abner says thus may he add, he is using a common expression of his culture. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [Thus may God do to Abner, and may he do even worse]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

כֹּֽה־יַעֲשֶׂ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ לְ⁠אַבְנֵ֔ר וְ⁠כֹ֖ה יֹסִ֣יף ל֑⁠וֹ

(Some words not found in UHB: so he/it_made/did ʼElohīm to,Abner and,thus more to=him/it that/for/because/then/when just=as sworn YHWH to,David that/for/because/then/when so accomplish for=him/it )

The word Thus: (1) could refer to what Abner describes in the next verse. Abner could be saying that if he does not take away the privileged position of Saul’s family, then he wants God to take away his privileged position as a powerful leader. The UST models one way to express that meaning. (2) could be a general expression introducing the entire statement as a reference to severe punishment. Alternate translation: [May God punish me, Abner, very severely]