Rose: see the comment on this verb in series with others at 9.3. Here it does not necessarily imply that David was seated or lying down. Rather it merely indicates that he took action.

Fled: see the comments on 19.18. In some languages it may be necessary to indicate that David “kept on running from Saul” (Contemporary English Version), since this may be seen as a part of a process that started much earlier. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh also adopts this meaning: “continued on his flight from Saul.”

Good News Translation leaves out any mention of that day, but there seems little reason to omit this idea. In some cases an adverb like “immediately” may serve to convey the thought.

Achish appears here for the first time in the Old Testament and reappears again in chapters 27–29. Regarding the Philistine city Gath, see 5.8.

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 .