My son David: see above on verse 17 and comments on 24.16.

I will no more do you harm sounds as if Saul had actually done real harm to David in the past. Since this was not the case, some may prefer to translate “I will not try to hurt you” (New Century Version) or “I will no longer try to harm you” (New Living Translation).

My life was precious in your eyes: some other ways of communicating this idea are “you considered my life worth saving” or “you did not see fit to take my life.” New Jerusalem Bible renders it “you have shown respect for my life.” Another possible model is that of Contemporary English Version, “you had the chance to kill me today. But you didn’t.”

This day: as in verse 8, this may be better translated “tonight” as Good News Translation has done.

I have played the fool: the same verb in 13.13 is translated “done foolishly.” Others may prefer to say “I have acted like a fool.”

Erred exceedingly: literally “gone astray [or, done wrong] to make great very.” The Hebrew verb implies that Saul behaved from ignorance or without intending to do wrong.

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 .