Was still more afraid: literally “increased [or, added to] fear.” Saul was already afraid of David (see verse 12) but, after having seen his success against the Philistines, his fear increased. La Bible du Semeur restructures the first sentence of this verse, translating “His [Saul’s] fear with regard to David redoubled.”

So: Good News Translation shifts this element to the beginning of the verse, but the common Hebrew conjunction seems to express result here, that is, Saul was more afraid of David, with the result that he remained David’s enemy.

Continually: literally “all the days,” meaning “all the days of his [Saul’s] life,” or “for the rest of his life” (Contemporary English Version).

The second half of this verse and all of verse 30 are missing in one important manuscript of the Septuagint. Some interpreters think that the Masoretic Text contains a later addition that was intended to intensify the conflict between Saul and David. New American Bible places verses 29b-30 in brackets, indicating that the translators consider these words to be a later scribal addition to the original text. See the comments under the heading to this section.

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 .