And again: in addition to the common conjunction, the Hebrew text also has a word that means “double” or “second.” This is a second part of Hushai’s argument in response to Absalom’s questions. For this reason An American Translation translates “and secondly,” and Anchor Bible has “in the second place.” A number of other connecting words or phrases are used in different English versions: “Furthermore” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New American Bible, and New International Version); “Moreover” (New Revised Standard Version); “Besides” (Moffatt, New Jerusalem Bible, and Contemporary English Version); and “after all” (Revised English Bible).

The question Should it not be his son? is a way of continuing the flattery necessary to gain the confidence of Absalom. The grammatical referent of the pronoun his in the expression his son is not clear, but probably it refers back to “your friend” in verse 17. Or perhaps it looks forward to your father. In any case the meaning is clear enough. Hushai is insisting that he is not being disloyal to David because he has transferred his loyalty to David’s son.

As I have served your father, so I will serve you: in some languages this will have to be restructured to say “I will serve you just as I served your father.” Some common language translations add the word “now” (Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente) to emphasize the contrast between having served David in the past and now serving Absalom. Compare also Bible en français courant, “Just as I served your father up to the present time, from now on it is you that I will serve.”

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 .