Said: in the context of the exchange between David and Ziba, the verb here may be better translated “asked” in some languages.

The words Why have you brought these? actually reflect a rather concise question that contains no verb in Hebrew and is more literally translated “What these with you?” It may be understood to mean “What does all this mean?” (so Goldman), “what do you plan to do with these?” (New American Bible) or “what are these things for?” (New Century Version). In some languages it may be preferable to make this an indirect rather than a direct quotation. If this is done the resulting translation may read “King David asked Ziba what he was planning to do with all those things.”

For the king’s household: since Ziba is speaking directly to King David, this will be more naturally translated “for you and your family.”

The young men: while the basic meaning of the word so translated has to do with young people of adolescent age (or younger in some contexts), this term is sometimes used to refer to soldiers, as, for example, 1.5, 15.

For those who faint: some other ways of saying this are “anyone who might feel sluggish,” “the ones who become weak,” or “any who are exhausted” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Though the Hebrew term rendered those who faint is singular (New American Standard Bible has “whoever is faint”), the sense is “for anyone of the men who may become exhausted.”

Wilderness: see the comments at 2.24 and 1 Sam 4.8. Compare also 15.23 and 28.

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 .