Despised the word of the LORD: some observers have pointed out that, in the affair with Bathsheba, David had violated three of the ten commandments (those forbidding murder, lying, and adultery). He apparently considered himself above the law of God and therefore held it in contempt. The verb here has been translated “flouted” (Revised English Bible), “spurned” (New American Bible), “show contempt for” (New Jerusalem Bible), and “ignore” (New Century Version). Many scholars, including the editors of Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, think that the word of was added by later scribes because of their horror of the very idea of “despising the LORD” (see also comments on verse 14 below). Certain manuscripts say simply “despised the LORD,” and this is reflected in the renderings of New American Bible, “spurned the LORD,” and New Jerusalem Bible, “show contempt for Yahweh.” Both Anderson and Anchor Bible also adopt this position. Whichever textual decision is made, translators should note that it is the LORD who is speaking here. It will therefore be unnatural in many languages to have him refer to himself in the third person. So the translation should read “despised my word” or “despised me,” depending on which textual evidence is followed. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, in fact, recommends the shorter reading, “despise the LORD,” giving it a {B} rating.
To do what is evil in his sight: once again, since it is Yahweh who is being quoted directly, it will be more natural to say “… in my sight” here. The words what is evil, of course, refer to the whole affair with Bathsheba, including the murder of Uriah. Some may have to say “these evil things.”
Smitten … with the sword: since David did not actually take the sword in his own hand and use it against Uriah, it will be both more natural and more accurate to say “you had Uriah killed” (Good News Translation) or “you have put Uriah the Hittite to the sword” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). The expression at the end of the verse, slain him with the sword of the Ammonites, shows clearly that the literal killers of Uriah were the Ammonites, but there is no doubt that it is David who is ultimately responsible. That the word sword is not to be taken literally is clear from the fact that Uriah was actually killed by an arrow from an archer’s bow (11.24) rather than by a sword. Because swords were so prominent in fighting in the time of David, this term came to be used for war in general. It will be better in most languages to drop the biblical image, which is likely to be understood literally, and say something like “killed in the war by the Ammonites.”
Revised Standard Version uses two different verbs, smitten and slain, to translate synonymous verbs in Hebrew. It is not necessary that different verbs be used in the receptor language (compare Good News Translation).
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .