This verse constitutes a summary statement about the four cases detailed in the previous verses. For this reason it should probably stand as a separate paragraph. And some languages may have a special term that is used to introduce such summary accounts.

It may be helpful in many languages to be more precise by identifying These four as “These four Philistines” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente) or “These four Philistine soldiers” (Bible en français courant).

Descended from the giants: see the comments on this expression earlier, and compare verses 16, 18, and 20.

Fell: this euphemistic verb may be replaced by a more direct statement in most languages. Many translators will say simply “died.” Or it will be possible to turn the whole sentence around and say “David and his men killed….”

The word hand is used twice in this verse in the sense of “power,” but it will probably be more natural to avoid a literal rendering in this case. In many cases the most natural equivalent may be something like “They were all killed by David and his men” (New Century Version) or avoiding the passive “David and his soldiers killed these four men” (Contemporary English Version).

His servants: or as elsewhere in such contexts, “his soldiers” or “his men” (Revised English Bible). Compare, for example, verse 15 above.

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 .