If he says, ‘Good!’ may be awkward if translated literally in some languages. It will be more naturally rendered “If he agrees” or “If your father accepts the excuse.”

Your servant here and in verse 8 are indirect self-references. They will be better translated by first person singular pronouns in many languages. See page 12.

But: the common conjunction here serves to mark the contrast between the two possible reactions on the part of Saul after hearing the reason for David’s absence from the meal.

If he is angry: literally “if to be angry he is angry.” On the use of reinforcing verbs in Hebrew and their translation, see page 20. New American Bible attempts to reflect the emphatic nature of the construction in this context by saying “if he becomes quite angry.” Klein similarly has “if he gets really angry,” and Fox says “But if he is upset, yes, upset.”

Then know: the word then is supplied by Revised Standard Version but is not found in the Hebrew. The imperative form is understood by most interpreters to have a future tense meaning “you will know.”

Hebrew says only that evil is determined by him, without making explicit against whom the evil is intended. The context leaves no doubt that the evil is directed against David, and translators may wish to follow Good News Translation in making this information explicit.

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 .