The claim that David took Goliath’s head to Jerusalem reflects a later time in the history of David’s rise to power. Jerusalem did not come under Israelite control until David himself became king (David’s capture of Jerusalem is told in 2 Sam 5.6-10).

His armor refers to Goliath’s armor, or perhaps more generally to Goliath’s weapons and armor. The Hebrew term is a rather general one meaning “gear” or “things” (see the comment on this term in verse 22). The majority of modern versions and commentaries seem to prefer “weapons” (Revised English Bible, New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Contemporary English Version, Klein, and Anchor Bible) as in Good News Translation. Both the pronoun referent and the meaning of the noun should be made clear in the translation.

His tent refers to David’s tent. This should be clear to readers and hearers of the receptor language translation.

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 .