In this verse, as in the preceding verses, the pronouns “you” and “your” are singular.

These signs: see the comments on verse 1.

It may be quite unnatural in many languages to translate literally when these signs meet you. The meaning is “once these signs have happened to you” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “when these signs have occurred” (New Jerusalem Bible). Some may even have to translate “when you have seen these signs.”

The words do whatever your hand finds to do may be a specific allusion to the threat of the Philistines (verse 5) and an implicit command that Saul is to attack and defeat them. Others see an allusion to the events of 11.5-15. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh renders these words “act when the occasion arises,” and Revised English Bible says “do whatever the occasion demands.” It is almost certainly inadvisable to translate the Revised Standard Version text literally. Not even New Revised Standard Version, which has “do whatever you see fit to do,” has followed Revised Standard Version in its literal rendering.

For God is with you: this means that God protects him and assures that Saul will be successful in what he does (the same expression occurs in 16.18; 18.12, 14, 28; 20.13). The connecting word for is also important, since it shows the relationship between Saul’s doing what he sees fit and the fact of God’s presence with him. It is because God is with him that he can be assured of success in what he does.

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 .