You shall surely die: literally “to die you shall die” (as in 14.44). The emphatic nature of this Hebrew expression is not expressed by a literal translation in most languages. So it is better to say something like Revised Standard Version, indicating certainty. Fox has “You shall die, yes, die, Ahimelekh.”

All your father’s house: that is, “all your father’s relatives.” But this of course also means all of Ahimelech’s relatives (but it would not include his relatives on his mother’s side). So the Good News Translation rendering may be more natural. Others may prefer “and your whole family” (Contemporary English Version).

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 .