In some languages it will be appropriate to introduce the quotation with a contrasting conjunction, since the woman’s response shows reluctance to do what had been requested of her. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, An American Translation, and New American Bible, for example, begin the verse with “But.”

The woman’s statement that Saul has driven the mediums and the wizards out of Israel was anticipated in verse 3. She is afraid that if she does as her disguised visitor requests, she will be killed, since the king had forbidden people to consult the spirits of the dead. The verb cut off is the same as that in 2.33. As noted there, it is sometimes difficult to know whether this verb means “to kill” or “to separate or expel from the community.” Good News Translation (also Biblia Dios Habla Hoy) has chosen the meaning “to expel” in this context. Similar are New American Bible (“in driving the mediums and fortune-tellers out of the land”) and New Jerusalem Bible (“has outlawed … from the country”). Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente similarly says “he has prohibited the practice … in all the country.” The meaning “to kill” is not probable here.

The mediums and the wizards: see the comments on verse 3 above.

The land: here, as in verse 3, the land refers to the land of Israel.

Laying a snare for my life to bring about my death: this wording may prove difficult to render literally in some cases. The woman is asking why her visitor wants to catch her in an activity which she is convinced will bring about her death. In some languages the question format may also have to be transformed to a more categorical statement: “You are trying to trap me and get me killed” (New Century 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 .