And: introducing yet another in the list of brave deeds performed by Benaiah. Translators should feel free to use whatever transition word naturally fits in this context.
He slew: in Hebrew the verb rendered slew here is different from the verb rendered slew at the end of this verse. The two verbs are synonyms and need not be translated by different words in the receptor language (see the comments on 12.9).
A handsome man: several versions indicate that the man was “of great stature” (New Jerusalem Bible). Other versions adopting this meaning are New American Bible, New International Version, New Century Version, Contemporary English Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Nueva Biblia Española, Anchor Bible, and Anderson as well as Good News Translation. This is in keeping with the parallel in 1 Chr 11.23. But the idea of “a man of appearance” (marʾeh, that is, a handsome man) is followed by New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, and Goldman, and is based on the traditional Hebrew text at this point, while the idea of a “large man” (mdh) assumes an error in the transmission of the text, which is possible because the letters d and r look similar in Hebrew. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text.
The Masoretic Text reads “an Egyptian who handsome.” The margin of the Masoretic Text corrects the word “who” to the noun “man,” in agreement with the parallel in 1 Chr 11.23, to read “an Egyptian, a handsome man.” Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives an {A} rating to the Masoretic Text and recommends the translation “an Egyptian who was of good appearance.” For translation purposes, however, the difference between what is written in the text of the Hebrew and what is written in the margin is not significant.
Went down to him: the idea of downward movement conveyed by the Revised Standard Version rendering may be misleading. It will be more appropriate to say “went against” (New American Bible, New International Version, New Revised Standard Version) or simply “attacked” as in Good News Translation.
The word for staff probably refers to nothing more than a heavy stick. In 7.14 the same word is translated “rod.” Both New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and New American Bible as well as Good News Translation have “club.”
It will be important in this verse to ensure that the pronoun references are clear to the ordinary reader. Translators will do well to test the understanding by asking questions of such readers after they become acquainted with the 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 .