They went up: since Saul and his servant have already been described as going “up the hill to the city” (verses 10 and 11), some may prefer to translate here “continued their approach to the city” or “kept going up to the city.”

As they were entering the city: with a small change in spelling, the Hebrew word for city becomes “gate.” Some interpreters propose that the Masoretic Text originally said “as they were entering the gate [of the city]” (see verse 18), and this proposed correction is the basis for the translations found in Osty-Trinquet and New Jerusalem Bible. The preliminary report of Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gave a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text. But the final report omits any mention of this problem, perhaps because there is so little real difference in meaning.

Samuel is finally identified as “the man of God” about whom the servant spoke in verses 6-10.

Samuel is described as coming out in the direction of Saul and his servant. Apparently he had gone into the city ahead of them and a few minutes later started out toward the place where the sacrifice would be offered.

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 .