2 Samuel 5 Footnotes

5:8 How did David and his men conquer Jerusalem? According to many modern versions, David spoke of going through a “water shaft.” The KJV mentions a “gutter,” NEB speaks of a “grappling iron,” and the Septuagint reads “dagger.” Since no one knows the meaning of the corresponding word in the Hebrew MT, translators have differed on whether David was referring to an architectural feature, a tool, or a weapon. The “water shaft” conjecture draws support from archaeological excavations in Jerusalem, where an ancient underground water shaft (constructed under Hezekiah, 2Kg 20:20) leads to a spring outside the city walls.