Some scholars consider verses 41 and 42 as a later addition to the text because of the intricate plan of communication that Jonathan and David had set up in order to avoid a face-to-face meeting. But translators have no alternative but to translate the text as it stands today.

This verse is difficult to translate because of several textual problems.

From beside the stone heap: the Masoretic Text says “from beside the south [the negeb].” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh translates this “David emerged from his concealment at the Negeb,” which makes little or no sense. If the Hebrew text is followed, perhaps Fox expresses the intended meaning: “David arose from the Negev direction,” that is, from the south side of the stone where he was hiding. Septuagint says “from the argab” (see the comments on verse 19). Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {D} evaluation to the text of the Septuagint on this variant. This may be translated “from beside the stone heap,” as Revised Standard Version has done, or “from beside the mound” (Contemporary English Version, New American Bible, and Revised English Bible, “from behind the mound”).

Fell on his face … bowed: a common sign of respect (for example, 24.8; 25.23, 41; 28.14; 2 Sam 24.20).

Kissed: see the comments on 10.1.

And wept with one another, until David recovered himself: the verb rendered recovered himself in Revised Standard Version means “to be [or, become] great” in its base form. The form in which it occurs in this verse means either (1) “to make something great” or (2) “to make oneself great.” The translation in the text of Revised Standard Version follows the second meaning, that David made himself great by taking courage and recovering from his expressions of grief. Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, and New Revised Standard Version (“David wept the more”) are based on the first sense, that is, that David made his grief great, exceeding the grief of Jonathan. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh (“David wept the longer”) and New International Version (“David wept the most”) are quite similar. This interpretation seems a bit more probable than the other.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .