As the note in Revised Standard Version indicates, the Masoretic Text does not have the words and all after the word women. Revised Standard Version and many other versions follow the Septuagint by including these words. The difference in meaning is considerable. In the Hebrew of this verse, only women seem to have been taken captive, although children are specifically mentioned in verse 3. In the Septuagint rendering of this verse, both the women and all others (including men) are taken captive.
Some versions reflect a mixture of the Hebrew and Greek texts, following neither completely. Good News Translation and Revised English Bible, for example, say “all the women.” Hertzberg says “the women and what was in it.”
Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament suggests that there were no men in the city, since they had traveled with David. Even if translators accept the recommendation of Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament regarding the correct text, for translation purposes it may be best to follow the model of Revised Standard Version. Since verse 3 indicates that there were sons and daughters with the women, that information may be shifted into verse 2 by saying the women and all who were in it.
Small and great do not refer to the physical size of the persons captured. Possibly these words indicate their social status. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “low-born and high-born alike.” It is also possible, however, that the reference is to “young and old” (Revised English Bible and New American Bible), as also in 5.9. See also verse 19 below, where the same Hebrew words occur. Since the context does not clearly indicate the precise sense, translators must simply choose one of the possible meanings.
Carried … off translates a Hebrew verb meaning “to lead” or “to drive off.” The Revised Standard Version translation (also New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible) is an idiom in English and should not be understood to mean that the captives were carried off in wagons. The captives were almost certainly forced to walk.
If translators follow the Hebrew rather than the Septuagint, they may say “They had taken all the women captive, both the young and the old [or, those who were important and those who were not].” Good News Translation leaves implicit what is explicit here in Hebrew, but the additional statement “young and old” provides emphasis that is lacking in Good News Translation.
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 .