Servants: Good News Translation refers to them as “they,” meaning the people just mentioned.

In the ears of David is a literal translation of the Hebrew. The precise meaning is not clear. Most translations say “to David,” but others include “within earshot of David” (that is, the men spoke close enough for David to overhear them; so Klein), and “in private” (New Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version). In addition, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh all include the idea of privacy in different ways in their translations.

The form of David’s response is a question in Hebrew. Good News Translation apparently takes this to be a rhetorical question and therefore expresses David’s words in the form of a statement. It is likely, however, that David’s question does more than affirm his insignificance. To marry the daughter of a king will require that he pay a large bride price, too large for a poor man like David.

Does it seem a little thing: the Hebrew participle comes from a verb meaning “to appear to be insignificant” and is similar in meaning to of no repute below. But here David is asking whether the officials think that the status of one hoping to become the king’s son-in-law could be that of someone unimportant. Some languages may say “Do you [plural] think it is nothing…?”

To you: literally “in your [plural] eyes.” David was speaking to the king’s officials and not to the king himself. Therefore it may be better to introduce the quotation with “He said to them” (Bible en français courant).

On the expression become the king’s son-in-law, see the comments on verse 22.

Seeing that I: literally “and I.” But the common Hebrew conjunction seems to convey the idea “since” or “because” in this context.

Of no repute: this is a translation of a Hebrew participle meaning “to be light,” “to be considered of little value,” or in some cases “to be dishonored,” as in Isa 23.9. Here it is generally taken to mean “unimportant” or “insignificant” (New American Bible). Contemporary English Version makes both qualities into negatives, saying “I’m not rich or famous enough….”

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 .