Behold: the focusing particle in this case serves to highlight the surprise of Saul’s agents on discovering that it was not David lying in the bed.

The image: literally “the teraphim” (see verse 13).

On the meaning of the word translated pillow, see verse 13. New Century Version translates the end of this verse “Its hair was goats’ hair.”

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 .