So: this translates the common Hebrew conjunction that is often rendered “And” (King James Version, New American Standard Bible) or left untranslated altogether (Good News Translation, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, and Revised English Bible). Several versions render it “Then” (New American Bible, New International Version, and New Jerusalem Bible). The most important function of this word is to make the story read smoothly. So a word that functions in this way should be chosen in the receptor language. In some cases nothing more than a new paragraph will be required.

Sent messengers, and took her: in some languages a literal translation of the word messengers will not be appropriate because its meaning may be too limited. The people that David sent were to do more than deliver a message. So in some languages it may be better to say “sent men to bring her back” or “sent his agents to make her come to him.”

He lay with her: on this expression for sexual intercourse, see the comments on 1 Sam 2.22.

Now she was purifying herself from her uncleanness: the bath mentioned in verse 2 probably included ritual purification, since women were considered unclean for seven days following their monthly period (Lev 15.19). Several common language translations indicate that Bathsheba was performing a regular “monthly” purification (so Good News Translation, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), which suggests to contemporary readers the cause of her uncleanness.Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente says more directly “had just purified herself from her menstruation.” Similarly Nueva Biblia Española says “from her period.” This is considered by some commentators as an explanation why she became pregnant following her relations with David. That she had just had her monthly period also proves that David, and not her husband, is the father of the child (verse 5). It is enclosed in parentheses by Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation to show that it is an interruption in the story to give necessary information to the reader. Revised English Bible translates “though she was still purifying herself after her period.” In light of Lev 15.19-30 this may be more accurate, since it is difficult to see how Bathsheba could have completed all the requirements for her complete purification between the time she was seen having her bath and the time that David summoned her to the palace.

A manuscript from Qumran lacks the Hebrew noun translated her uncleanness. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project considers the shorter reading to be an abbreviation of the longer, original text found in the Masoretic Text, to which it gives a {C} rating. McCarter, on the other hand, considers the shorter reading original and thinks that the Masoretic Text has expanded in order to clarify. Even if the shorter text is judged to be original, translators will need to be sure that the meaning is clear in receptor languages.

The statement that Bathsheba was purifying herself contains much implicit information that was understood by the original readers: (1) a woman became ritually impure each month from her menstrual bleeding, and (2) the Mosaic Law required a ritual of purification. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch may provide a useful model to make some of this information explicit: “She had just undertaken the required purification after her monthly bleeding.” Good News Translation may suggest that Bathsheba was following a practice that was unique to her. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch makes clear that what she did was “required” (by the Law).

Then she returned to her house: the adverb Then translates the common Hebrew conjunction, but in this context it is well translated because it introduces the next step in a sequence of events. Instead of her house it will be more natural in some languages to say “the place where she [habitually] lived.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .