It may seem redundant in some languages to say that Barzillai was a very aged man if it is also said that he was eighty years old. But unless it is really unnatural, the repetition will serve to emphasize the point by giving the added detail of the number of years after having made the general statement. The Hebrew idiom for eighty years old is “son of eighty year.”

Provided the king with food: as the story in 17.27-29 indicates, the food was not only for the king himself but for all his troops. In some languages it may be necessary to make this meaning clear by saying “brought food to David and his troops.”

A very wealthy man: literally “a very great man.” But in this context, as in most other cases, wealth is almost certainly implied. While this explanatory statement comes last in Hebrew as in Revised Standard Version, it may fit more naturally earlier in the verse in some languages. The fact of Barzillai’s wealth made it possible for him to supply David’s needs during his stay in Mahanaim. If it will not be clear that the pronoun he in the clause he stayed refers to David, it will be wise to use the proper noun as in Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente.

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 .