A literal translation of this verse may be confusing for readers, especially in connection with verse 2. Verse 1 appears to suggest that all the Israelites were killed on Mount Gilboa, but the following verse states that Saul and his sons escaped and fled. And verse 7 indicates that there were still other men of Israel who remained alive. Translators may make this transition to verse 2 less abrupt in several ways. (1) The word “many” may be inserted into the text, that is, “many fell slain on Mount Gilboa” (New International Version, New Revised Standard Version, Bible en français courant). (2) The implicit information that Saul and his sons fled may be made explicit in verse 1 (Good News Translation). (3) The word order may be reversed to say that “many Israelites were killed there, and the rest fled” (Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje). Simply reversing the order of the verbs fled and fell slain will go a long way toward resolving this problem in many languages.

Now: at the beginning of the verse, this word translates the common conjunction, which is ignored by many modern versions. At least one modern version translates in such a way as to imply that the battle of Gilboa was taking place at the same time that David and his men were fighting the Amalekites (chapter 30). The Modern Language Bible and Knox begin this verse “Meanwhile.”

The context of chapters 29–31 clearly indicates that the fighting between the Philistines and the Israelites is a military conflict. La Bible du Semeur therefore refers to the Israelites in this verse as “the Israelite soldiers.” This is certainly a legitimate translation of the expression men of Israel here.

Slain translates a Hebrew adjective that comes from a verb meaning “to pierce.” It is used as a technical term in military contexts for those who are “pierced by the sword” or “fatally wounded.”

Good News Translation and other translations (Bible en français courant) state that the entire battle was fought on Mount Gilboa. The Hebrew may also be understood to mean that the battle began in the plains. Then, when the Israelites realized that the Philistines were winning the battle, they fled to the hills of Mount Gilboa (see the comments on 28.4).

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 .