So: as a result of Sheba’s appeal, the people of the ten northern tribes, here called men of Israel, did as they were encouraged to do. The common conjunction at the beginning of the verse is a kind of logical marker showing this transition. As in the previous verse, translators may wish to follow the model of Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente and translate men of Israel as “the men from the north” or “the men from the northern tribes of Israel.”

Withdrew from David: the verb here may be translated “abandoned,” “deserted” (New International Version), or “stopped following” (Contemporary English Version).

But: the conjunction here marks the contrast between the reaction of the men of Israel and the men of Judah.

Followed their king steadfastly: in some languages it may be better to clarify the fact that their king refers to David. Also, the adverb steadfastly does not translate a separate word in Hebrew but is a part of the verb that is elsewhere rendered “clung to” (Ruth 1.14), “keep close to” (Ruth 2.8), and “followed hard after” (1 Sam 14.22). The modern English idiom “to stick with” is not far from the meaning of the verb here.

From the Jordan to Jerusalem: the wording of this part of the verse makes it clear that the desertion of the Israelites took place while David was near the Jordan River, still on his way back to Jerusalem. Sheba’s rebellion therefore began just as the one led by Absalom was coming to an end.

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 .