and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah These two having aided Adonijah in his attempt on the throne, would naturally have been his chief ministers and advisers had he succeeded. So Solomon includes them with him, and thus Bath-sheba may see whither the design of Adonijah is tending.

The Vulgate renders the clause -even for him" (literally and for him) in a different sense, -et habet Abiathar, &c." making the words imply that Adonijah is already equipped with advisers for the kingdom at which he is aiming.

The LXX. has -And he has Abiathar and Joab the son of Zeruiah, the chief captain as his friend" (ἑταῖρος). The last word of the Hebrew text is צרויה. It would seem as though the LXX. had read after this רעהו or רעו, = his friend, which is not very unlike the final letters of the present Hebrew. Whether there was some word there which has fallen out or the version is the result of a misreading we cannot be sure. There is, without doubt, some awkwardness in the text as it now stands.

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