Since David is arguing against the thrust of Saul’s statement in the previous verse, it will be appropriate in many languages to begin this verse with the contrasting conjunction But. Some versions, however, do not translate the common Hebrew conjunction at this point.

As in the previous verse, where Good News Translation omits “to David,” here Good News Translation omits the word to Saul.

Your servant: again this will be better translated by the pronoun “I” in most languages. But the element of politeness and subordination should be conveyed in other ways. See the comments on verse 32.

Used to keep: the most natural translation of the Hebrew participle and verb is with the past tense, as in Revised Standard Version. But in this context, since David is still taking care of his father’s sheep, it is better to follow the model of Good News Translation and use the present tense. Compare New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, “Your servant has been tending.”

A lion, or a bear: Hebrew has a definite article before these two nouns, “the lion or the bear.” This does not mean that David is speaking about a specific animal, however, since in Hebrew grammar the definite article indicates the category of animal. English translations correctly use the indefinite article, and other languages will need to use the equivalent form. In languages where one or both of these animals is unknown, it will be possible to use a more general expression like “some ferocious animal.”

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 .