As earlier in this story, Saul represents his whole army. If necessary, translators may say “Saul and his soldiers” or something similar.

The Amalekites: literally “Amalek” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New American Bible, Fox). See the comments on verse 2 and 14.48.

From Havilah as far as Shur: the location of Havilah is uncertain, but apparently it was on the west coast of Arabia, north of modern Yemen. Shur is located in the desert region in the Sinai Peninsula, on the northeast border of Egypt and east of the present Suez Canal. According to Gen 25.18, Havilah and Shur formed the western limit of the territory where the Ishmaelites lived.

East of: literally “in front of” (Chouraqui, Fox). Other translations include “close to Egypt” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), “at the border of Egypt” (New Century Version), “on the borders of Egypt” (Revised English Bible), and “on the frontier of Egypt” (New American Bible). Some interpreters think the Hebrew “in front of” here means “east.” Translations reflecting this interpretation include Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Good News Translation, and Contemporary English Version (“just east of Egypt”).

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 .