The preposition under may have to be translated “near” or “in the shade of” in languages where a literal rendering may give the impression that the bones were under the very trunk of the tree.

The tamarisk tree: see the comment on 22.6. Since the Hebrew has a definite article, a specific tamarisk tree is being referred to. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente says “under a big tree, the tamarisk of Jabesh.” Contemporary English Version, on the other hand, speaks of “a small tree.” While there are several species of this tree in Israel, at least one of the more common ones grows up to ten meters (about thirty feet) tall and is about a meter (a little more than three feet) in diameter (Zohary, page 115). A faithful translation should include the kind of tree and the fact that it was a particular tree that was apparently well known. To say simply “under a tree” (so Biblia Dios Habla Hoy) omits too much information that is present in the Hebrew. But in languages where this kind of tree is unknown, translators will be forced either to borrow the word or to settle for something like “a well-known tree in Jabesh.”

Fasted: see the comment on 7.6. In this case the fasting was to show their sadness over what had happened to Saul.

The break between the two books of Samuel is unfortunate and disrupts the continuity of what was originally a single book. However, because of the tradition that is now well established, there is probably no way to avoid this break in modern translations of the Bible. It may be wise, however, to add a footnote indicating to the reader that 2 Samuel is actually a continuation of the narrative in 1 Samuel.

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 .