The rather literal translation of Revised Standard Version, the guard who stood about him, seems awkward. New Revised Standard Version is not much better with “the guard who stood around him.” But the meaning is clearly conveyed by New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, “the guards standing by.” The singular of Revised Standard Version is collective and translates a plural in Hebrew.

The imperative verb Turn in Revised Standard Version will probably be understood to mean that the guards would have to turn away from the king in order to go out and kill the priests. But the Hebrew may also be understood in the sense of making a circuit or going around from place to place. This is the sense adopted by Anchor Bible, “go around and kill….” New American Bible is similar with “make the rounds….”

The Hebrew verb sometimes means “to surround” or “to encircle.” This is the sense expressed in Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente: “Surround them and kill them!” This understanding seems to fit the context better than the idea of “going around from place to place.” Verse 11 indicates that the priests were all gathered in the presence of King Saul, so Saul gave the order to “surround” them and kill them.

Their hand also is with David: this idiomatic expression means simply that “they too are on David’s side” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “they have assisted David” (New American Bible). Other languages may say “they also have joined with David.”

Fled: see the comments on 19.18.

Disclose it to me: see verse 8.

In those languages where direct discourse is less acceptable here, the following model may be considered for the first part of the verse:

• The king told the guards who stood near him to surround [or, go around] and kill the priests of the LORD because they were on David’s side. Although they knew that David had run away, they had not told the king.

The servants of the king: that is, “the king’s professional soldiers” (New Jerusalem Bible).

Would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests: a literal translation may be difficult or unnatural in some languages. Revised English Bible provides an idiomatic rendering in English: “unwilling to raise a hand against the priests of the LORD.”

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 .