Before: literally “from yesterday and the day-before-yesterday.” This idiom, which occurs also in 4.7, may also be rendered “When people who had known him previously” (Revised English Bible).

The people: that is, all who knew him before.

What has come over the son of Kish? The verbal expression come over may be translated in a variety of ways: “What is this that has happened…?” (New International Version), or some languages will use expressions like “What has hit [or, fallen on] the son of Kish?” Since Saul was the son of Kish, the subject of the two questions is identical. The wording of Revised Standard Version may give readers who have little Bible knowledge the impression that two different persons are involved. If this is the case, the two questions may have to be rephrased as follows:

• What has happened to Saul, the son of Kish? Is he also now a prophet?

Is Saul also among the prophets? This same saying appears again in 19.24. New Jerusalem Bible translates “Is Saul one of the prophets too?”

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 .