Since this verse resumes the story that was interrupted by Hannah’s hymn of praise (verses 1-10), Good News Translation makes a number of things explicit in this verse. The boy is identified as “Samuel,” the place where the boy remained is identified as “Shiloh,” and the implied information that he actually stayed there is added. This will probably be a good model for translators to follow. Regarding Ramah see 1.1 and 19.

In addition to the information supplied by Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version also adds the name of Hannah to avoid giving the impression that she might have stayed in Shiloh with Samuel or stopped off somewhere else along the way. In other languages it may be wise to begin “Elkanah and Hannah went back,” as in Contemporary English Version.

And: the conjunction joining the two main parts of this verse will be better translated “but,” as in many modern versions, since it may normally be expected that a child of the age of Samuel would stay with his parents. In addition to Good News Translation, several other modern versions correctly use the contrasting conjunction “but” (Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Contemporary English Version, Bible en français courant, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy).

The verb rendered ministered is the word commonly used in the Old Testament for the cultic service of priests. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “and the boy entered the service of the LORD under the priest Eli.” Given the context, it is possible to translate the last part of this verse as in Contemporary English Version, “stayed to help Eli serve the LORD.” The Hebrew verb translated ministered sometimes has the meaning “to attend” or “take care of.” If that is the sense here and in 3.1, the sense is that Samuel was serving the LORD by attending to the care of the ark. On the word for priest see the comments at 1.9.

Regarding the Septuagint text of this verse, see the comments on 1.28. The Hebrew Old Testament Text Project preliminary report gives an {A} rating to the Masoretic Text.

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 .