Good News Translation does not repeat the information the son of Zeruiah, which has already been given in 2.13 and 8.16 (see also 1 Sam 26.6). If the repetition of such information is also considered awkward and unnatural in other languages, it may be omitted. On the other hand Good News Translation specifies that the king in question is “King David.”
Perceived: the verb used here is literally “knew,” but in some languages it may be necessary to give some idea of how this knowledge was attained. Almost certainly it was by the observation of the king’s words and actions. For this reason it is possible to translate this verb as “saw” (Revised English Bible) or “noticed” (Moffatt). In other languages it may be quite natural to translate literally “knew.”
The king’s heart went out to Absalom: this English idiom is used only here in Revised Standard Version. The Hebrew expression on which it is based is literally “the heart of the king on Absalom” and seems to mean that he was thinking very much about his son. Although there is no verb in the Hebrew, the verb “to be” may be understood. Anderson understands this expression to mean that “the king’s heart was still set against Absalom.” Anchor Bible, on the other hand, says “the king’s mind was on” Absalom but indicates that this does not mean that David had necessarily become positively inclined toward his son. If this is correct then the meaning expressed by Good News Translation is in error, and it is better to say “that David couldn’t stop thinking about Absalom” (Contemporary English Version). New American Bible speaks of Joab’s observing “how the king felt toward” Absalom without clarifying what those feelings were. Although several versions state that “the king was favorably inclined to Absalom” (New Jerusalem Bible), it is probably best to make the translation more neutral and indicate simply that David was thinking constantly about him. Some may translate this idea negatively as “the king could not forget Absalom.”
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 .