Since the initial pronoun, He, may possibly be understood to refer to the shield-bearer mentioned in the previous verse, it may be wise to follow Good News Translation and Bible en français courant in substituting the name “Goliath” at this point. Revised English Bible accomplishes the same purpose by using the noun “champion” instead of the name.

The ranks of Israel: the word ranks translates a technical military term for “battle lines.” See the comments on 4.2. New Jerusalem Bible says “Taking a position in front of the Israelite lines.” Good News Translation does not translate the word ranks here, since the question “What are you doing there, lined up for battle?” indicates that the Israelite troops stood in orderly battle formation.

Draw up for battle: see the comments on this verb at 4.2 and verse 2 of this chapter.

The questions that Goliath asks are not requests for information. Goliath’s questions were intended to insult the Israelite soldiers. New Jerusalem Bible captures this tone with the question “Am I not a Philistine and are you not Saul’s lackeys?”

Am I not a Philistine…? Hebrew has the definite article, that is, “Am I not the Philistine?” Goliath is not merely contrasting the Philistine soldiers with the Israelite soldiers, as both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation seem to suggest. Perhaps the article here expresses that Goliath is the best representative of the Philistine people. Osty-Trinquet says “Am I not, I myself, the Philistine?” Revised English Bible also captures this force of the definite article: “I am the Philistine champion and you are Saul’s men” (so also New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). This last model is also helpful because it transforms the question into a categorical statement.

Let him come down to me: Goliath had already descended into the valley that separated the Philistines and the Israelites (see verse 3). This information may be stated explicitly as “let him come down here in the valley to fight me.” See also verse 25.

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 .