In view of the ongoing conversation between Samuel and the rest of the people of Israel, the verb said may be translated by a different verb (“proceeded”) or a different form of the verb (“went on to say”).

Hebrew lacks the words is witness, who. Many translations follow the Septuagint by including these words (Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible). Whether original or not, these additional words make explicit what is implicit in the sense of the Hebrew, and translators may therefore include these words.

The verb appointed translates a Hebrew verb that often means “to do” or “to make.” Fox says “It is YHWH who wrought-deeds with Moshe and with Aharon.” But in some contexts this verb means “to appoint [someone to be something].” According to Exo 6.26 the LORD appointed Moses and Aaron to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

Your fathers: the word fathers here is not to be taken literally but refers to forefathers going back many generations. Modern versions are therefore correct in translating “ancestors.” Samuel speaks to the people of Israel as one standing apart from them when he says your fathers. If the use of the pronoun your will lead the reader to believe that the ancestors in question were not the ancestors of Samuel but only those of the other Israelites, then it should be translated “our ancestors” (La Bible du Semeur).

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 .