Therefore: this represents the common Hebrew conjunction, which is handled in a wide variety of ways by modern English versions. Revised Standard Version and New Revised Standard Version (“So”) take it as a logical connector. Others translate it “and” (Good News Translation, New American Bible) or leave it untranslated (New Jerusalem Bible). New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh makes it a temporal connector, translating “Then.” And Revised English Bible takes it as a contrasting conjunction, “But,” indicating that the deceptive message of the people of Jabesh is contrary to expeCritique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testamention. Receptor language considerations may determine which kind of transition word is used here.

On the men of Jabesh, see the comments at verse 1.

The Hebrew text has no expressed indirect object for the verb said. Good News Translation and Revised English Bible add the name “Nahash,” but the pronouns you and the verbs are plural in Hebrew. In verse 3 the pronoun “you” in the phrase “we will give ourselves up to you” is singular. It will be better to say here in verse 10 “said to Nahash and his troops, ‘Tomorrow we will surrender to you [plural] and you [plural] ….’ ” La Bible du Semeur says “The people of Jabesh sent this message to the Ammonites:….”

We will give ourselves up to you: literally “we shall come out to you” (see the comments on verse 3 above).

Whatever seems good to you: literally “whatever is good in your eyes” (Chouraqui, Fox). That is, “anything you want” (New Century Version) or “as you think fit” (Revised English Bible).

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 .