Saul fell at once: literally “Saul made haste and fell.” Fox translates very literally, “Shaʾul hurried and fell,” but this translation is strange-sounding English and fails to express the correct meaning. The first of the two verbs is the same as in the story of Abigail (25.18, 23, 34, 42). But Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation rightly translate it as an adverbial expression here. Several other modern versions render it “immediately” (New Revised Standard Version, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). The same verb is translated “quickly” in verse 24 below.

He had eaten nothing: literally “he had not eaten bread.” Bread is used here to signify food in general.

The second half of this verse, concerning Saul’s lack of physical strength, contains the same adverb that is translated Moreover at the beginning of verse 19. Although it is omitted by some versions, it may be translated in much the same way as in the previous verse: “besides” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh); “in addition” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible); “moreover” (New American Bible).

All day and all night: that is, “all that day and night” (New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible) or “since the day before” (Bible en français courant, Contemporary English Version).

In certain languages it may sound more natural to reverse the order of certain elements in this verse:

• What Samuel said frightened Saul very much. So he immediately fell to the ground and lay there stretched out. Furthermore, since he had not taken any food at all that day and night, he was very weak.

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 .