- forty years:
- As David reigned in the whole only forty years, this reading is evidently corrupt, though supported by the commonly printed Vulgate, LXX, and Chaldee. But the Syriac, Arabic, Josephus, Theodoret, the Sixtine edition of the Vulgate, and several manuscripts of the same version, read four years; and it is highly probable that arbaim, forty, is an error for arba, four, though not supported by any Hebrew manuscript yet discovered. Two of those collated by Dr. Kennicott, however, have yom, "day," instead of shanah, "year," i.e., forty days instead of forty years; but this is not sufficient to outweigh the other authorities. "So Absalomª fled,ª° and went²°¹ to Geshur,ª and was¹ there¹ threeª years.ª" {2Sm 13:38} + "And the LORDª saidª° unto¹ Samuel,ª How long¹¹ wilt thou¹ mournª° for¹ Saul,ª seeing I¹ have rejectedª° him from reigningª°¹ over¹ Israel?ª fillª° thine hornª with oil,ª and go,²°¹ I will sendª° thee to¹ Jesseª the Bethlehemite:ª for¹ I have providedª° me a kingª among his sons.ª" {1Sm 16:1} + "Then Samuelª tookª°¹ the hornª of oil,ª and anointedª° him in the midstª of his brethren:ª and the Spiritª of the LORDª cameª° upon¹ Davidª from that dayª¹¹ forward.ª So Samuelª rose up,ª° and went²°¹ to Ramah.ª" {1Sm 16:13}
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