Behold: this particle focuses attention on the discourse that follows. And in this case it introduces the answer to Joab’s question. See 1.2.

Come here: this begins a quote within the larger quotation of what Absalom said. A further embedded quotation is given later in the discourse of Absalom. Because this verse contains three degrees of quotation, this structure will prove to be very difficult to imitate in other languages. And even if it is possible to imitate it, the resulting translation may be extremely difficult for the average reader to follow. It will be better to translate the sense without direct quotations or by reducing the number of quotations to a minimum. A possible model for this kind of structure will be the following:

• Then Absalom reminded Joab that he had sent word for him [Joab] to come to his [Absalom’s] place because he had wanted to send Joab to King David. He wanted Joab to ask the king why he [the king] had brought him [Absalom] back from Geshur. Absalom thought it would have been better for him [Absalom] to have stayed there. So he asked Joab to let him see the king. He said, “If I have done something wrong, he can kill me.”

In attempting a restructuring of this kind, translators should pay special attention to the pronoun references and the verb tenses, making it clear who is being talked about and when the events occurred. A variety of other structures will also be possible, but this model can at least give some ideas about what may be done in the receptor language.

Let me go into the presence of the king is literally “let me see the face of the king.” See the comments on verse 24.

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 .