Moreover: the coordinating word here is stronger than the common Hebrew conjunction so often used. It has the idea of “furthermore” or “and in fact.” But in some languages it may have to be rendered by a simple conjunction.

The city of waters: as indicated in the comments on the previous verse, this appears to be another way of referring to the same place that is called “the royal city” at that point. This meant that Joab’s army was in control of the water supply to the city and of the fortress that guarded it. As noted on verse 26, Anchor Bible argues that “the royal city” and the city of waters refer to the same location, that is, to a citadel within the city of Rabbah that was the king’s residence and was also a fortress that guarded the water supply, which was from the springs of the Jabbok River.

Many interpreters, however, understand the two terms to refer to different places within Rabbah. The “royal city” may refer to the citadel on the top of the hill where the king lived. The city of waters may refer to a fortification lower down the hill that guarded the water supply. This understanding is the basis for the translation in Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, “the residence of the king” (verse 26) and “the lower part of the city of Rabbah” (verse 27). See also the note in Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, “This expression [the city of waters] probably designates the lower city (near the river), distinguished from the upper city, better fortified.”

The message sent by Joab need not be in the form of a direct quotation as in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation (and most other versions). If it is more natural to make it indirect in the receptor language, this should be done. A possible model is:

• Joab sent messengers to King David to tell him that he had been fighting against the city of Rabbah and that he had already captured the strategic water supply.

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 .