The son of Zeruiah: as in 1 Sam 26.6, the way the text is worded here, there is no way of knowing that Zeruiah was Joab’s mother, not his father. As in 1 Sam 26.6, it is not absolutely essential to state clearly that Zeruiah was Joab’s mother as in Good News Translation, but it is certainly acceptable and will probably be a good idea in most languages.
Servants of David: as in the case of the servants of Ish-bosheth in the previous verse, these were important officials and not mere domestic laborers. Good News Translation says “other officials” because Joab, who has just been mentioned, was also one of his officials.
Went out: Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text, which is the text followed by Revised Standard Version. There is, however, some evidence that the original reading may have included the words “from Hebron” after the verb (Revised English Bible, Osty-Trinquet). These additional words are found in some Septuagint manuscripts, and there is a gap at this point in the Dead Sea scroll containing this text, which may indicate that the words “from Hebron” were once present. But since the majority of modern versions follow the Masoretic Text in omitting the additional words, and since this is also the recommendation of Hebrew Old Testament Text Project and Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, other translators are advised to do likewise. The sense of the verb went out here in the Masoretic Text is “they set out on a military campaign.” That is, the verb here does not mean that they went out from somewhere, but that they “started off on a military campaign.”
Pool of Gibeon: this pool has been located by archaeologists just inside the wall of the ancient city. It was cut out of bedrock and is approximately eleven meters (thirty-six feet) deep and eleven meters across, and was used to store water for use in the city. The pool is also mentioned in Jer 41.12. The idea of such a pool may have to be expressed in some languages as “a [large] place of water cut out of a stone,” or something similar.
The one … the other: Good News Translation renders this “the one group … the other group.” New Century Version is even more specific, with “Abner’s group” and “Joab’s group.” Contemporary English Version provides a slightly different model, “Abner and his men … Joab and his men….”
Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente provides a clear model for verses 12 and 13:
• 12 The troops of Ish-Baal, Saul’s son, led by Abner, son of Ner, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon. 13 Then the troops of David, led by Joab, son of Zeruiah, began to march out. The two armies met at the large well of Gibeon and halted on opposite sides.
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 .