Was told: this passive verb may be easily translated “heard” as in Good News Translation, or, changing the structure of the sentence, it may be better to say “When someone told David….”

The form of the Hebrew verb translated had done implies that the events described in this verse took place after Rizpah had completed her time of mourning. This should be made clear in translation.

The repetition of the detail explaining that Rizpah was the daughter of Aiah (see verses 8 and 10) may not need to be stated again in many languages, because to do so may sound unnatural.

The concubine of Saul: if this information is shifted to verse 10 above as suggested, it will probably be unnecessary to repeat it here. Without careful attention to the preceding verses, someone who reads this verse in Revised Standard Version may mistakenly think that Aiah was the concubine of Saul. But as 3.7 clearly states, Rizpah is the concubine.

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 .