It may not be necessary to repeat the Gittite if this will distract the reader or be considered unnatural in the receptor language. But to make clear the relationship between Ittai and the other soldiers from Gath, Good News Translation inserts the information “their leader.” This may be seen as being implied in the use of the definite article in the expression the Gittite. Ittai reappears in chapter 18, when David places one-third of his troops under his command.
The question Why do you also go with us? is not really intended to draw information from Ittai. It is rather a way of giving him permission to abandon David and his company. For this reason it may be better translated in some languages as a statement such as “You don’t have to come with us.” The Hebrew contains a play on words with the name Ittai (ʾitay) and the words with us (ʾitanu), but such a wordplay will not be possible in most receptor languages.
The king: since this refers to Absalom, who had been recently proclaimed king in Hebron, it may be wise to qualify the term in some way so that there is no confusion in the mind of the reader. Revised English Bible, Contemporary English Version, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Bible en français courant, and Good News Translation have “the new king.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh places the adjective “new” within brackets, but since this is implicit information, the model of Good News Translation may be followed. Another model for making implicit information explicit here is Anderson, “Go back and stay with King Absalom.” It may be helpful to add “to Jerusalem” in order to make clear that Ittai is not being told to return to Gath.
A foreigner: in some languages the term for “foreigner” may be misunderstood as referring to someone who is not a member of the receptor language culture. In this context it may be better to translate it “you are not an Israelite” or something similar. And the expression an exile from your home may be rendered “you are not able to live in your own country.” As the footnote in Revised Standard Version indicates, the Masoretic Text says “an exile to your home.” But this makes no sense, and even New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh follows a single Hebrew manuscript and the ancient versions in reading “from” instead of “to.”
In some languages it will be more natural to restructure this verse and place the reason (Ittai’s non-Israelite origin) ahead of the command to Ittai to go back and serve the new king.
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 .