He left them: the Hebrew is literally “he led them.” Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {C} rating to the Masoretic Text and recommends the translation “he led them to the king.” Others change the vowels of this verb to create the verb “to leave”; this is the reading of the Hebrew Targum and the ancient Syriac version. Most modern versions say “he left,” but compare New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, “So he led them to the king of Moab, and they stayed with him” (similarly Fox).

The stronghold: that is, a fortified place. Though Good News Translation translates this Hebrew word “cave,” this is a different word from that in verse 1. The word in this verse is the same word used later of Jerusalem in 2 Sam 5.7, 9. It is not clear whether this stronghold is located in Moab or whether it refers to the cave in Adullam, in the territory of Judah (see verse 1, and also 2 Sam 23.13-14).

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 .