Introduction
The Book of Samuel is a book in the Hebrew Bible and two books (1 Samuel and 2 Samuel) in the Christian Old Testament.
Refer to the page 1 Samuel for notes on both the Books of Samuel.
The rest of this comprehensive Wikipedia article on the book can be read here.
An extract from BHFA Volume 5
2 Samuel 3:29c
וּמַחֲזִיק בַּפֶּלֶךְ
on a crutch and one who leans on
KJB that leaneth on a staff,
NASB who takes hold of a distaff,
ESV who holds a spindle
NLT who walks on crutches
NIV who leans on a crutch
There are two ways in which the noun could be used to describe this curse.
This noun has now been identified from Ugaritic and Akkadian as the word for "spindle" or "distaff" (a stick or spindle onto which wool or flax is wound for spinning). The phrase used here was the common description of a woman involved in menial tasks. Should a Hittite soldier break his oath, it would result in the loss of his manhood. The oath describes this penalty in terms of the violator holding the spindle and mirror. This second curse in this verse then threatens Joab's house with decreased virility.
The second interpretation is that "distaff" is a derogatory euphemism for a cripple who requires a crutch. This is consistent with word "agad" ("staff") used to translate the noun in the Aramaic Targum attributed to Onkelos.
An extract from BHFA Volume 5
2 Samuel 3:32b
וַיֵּבְךְּ אֶל־ קֶבֶר אַבְנֵר
Abner the grave of at and he wept
KJB and wept at the grave of Abner;
NASB and wept at the grave of Abner,
ESV and wept at the grave of Abner,
NLT and the king …. wept at his graveside.
NIV and the king wept aloud at Abner's tomb.
One could say that "grave" refers of the place where physical corpses are laid to rest, and that the place where the immaterial part of the deceased goes would then be "Sheol."
Refer to Is 5:14 concerning the word "Sheol."
