The pan: this is the first reference to the instrument in which the food was being prepared. The term so translated is found only here in the Old Testament, but it comes from a root meaning “to hollow out.” If the dough was indeed boiled, the word pan does not seem appropriate, since it would not be deep enough to be used for boiling. It may be better to speak of a “pot.”

In those languages where there is no distinction between masculine and feminine pronouns, translators should be careful to ensure that the pronoun references are clear in this verse. In some cases this will mean translating certain pronouns by proper nouns.

Emptied it out before him: that is, transferred the food from the utensil in which it was prepared into a dish from which it could be eaten. The image is still that of actions taking place in an adjoining room where Amnon could see, since Tamar does not enter the “chamber” until verse 10.

But he refused to eat: some interpreters suppose that the cakes, or dumplings, were given to a servant who then presented them to Amnon to eat. Since this was not in keeping with Amnon’s plan to be alone with Tamar, he rejected the food and demanded that everyone except Tamar be sent away.

Send out every one from me: commentators have observed that this second person plural verb form is a kind of royal command used elsewhere (compare Gen 45.1 and Judges 3.19) to get rid of surrounding subjects. Instead of the verb send it may be more natural in some languages to use a more direct command like “All of you, get out of my presence!” Or the direct quotation may be changed into indirect speech as in New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, “and ordered everyone to withdraw.”

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 .