The people: Good News Translation uses the technical term “troops,” which is similar to Revised English Bible, “all the army.” At this time Israel did not have a standing army, so soldiers were called into battle from among the people when the need arose.

Go down: see the comments at verse 4.

The verb besiege refers to a military procedure in which soldiers surround a city in order to cut off supplies of arms, food, and water. The people inside the surrounded city will eventually have no choice but to fight their way out or give up. The same word is rendered “harass” in Deut 2.9, 19. In some languages this verb may have to be translated by a lengthy verbal expression in order to convey the meaning. Others may use a verb like “surround” (Contemporary English Version) or something similar.

The use of the verb knew probably does not indicate that David received this information in some supernatural way. Rather it is likely that he was informed by his own spy network. Other English versions use verbs like “found out” (New American Bible) and “learned” (New Revised Standard Version), which imply that other people told him. The fact that David actually “heard” this is confirmed in verse 10.

Plotting evil against him: the evil that Saul plans against David is clearly defined at the end of verse 8. Rather than translate the Hebrew literally, as Revised Standard Version has done, translators in other languages may wish to translate more specifically according to the context. Compare Good News Translation (“planning to attack him”), Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch (“Saul’s preparations for war against him were made”), and Bible en français courant (“was up to no good against him”).

The ephod: mentioned in verse 6.

It may be more natural in certain languages to transform the brief direct quotation at the end of this verse into indirect discourse. This may be done quite easily by saying that “he told Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod to him.”

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 .