The Arabah: the presence of the definite article shows that this refers to a specific geographical area and is not a name. In the present context this term refers to the Jordan valley. It occurs nearly thirty times in the Old Testament, including Deut 1.1; Josh 3.16; and 1 Sam 23.24. The meaning should be translated rather than the form transliterated.

Jordan: that is, the Jordan River. The addition of the classifier term for “river” will be both natural and helpful in many languages.

The whole forenoon: this is the only occurrence of the Hebrew word rendered forenoon in the Old Testament, and the exact meaning is not certain. It seems to be related to a verb meaning “to cut in two.” Some therefore understand this as a reference to a shortcut through the mountains (so Moffatt). The parallel with all that night, however, suggests the meaning the whole forenoon.

While most modern English versions follow the interpretation of Revised Standard Version, New International Version sees it as a geographical place name rather than a time reference: “continued through the whole of Bithron” (so also New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, and Bible en français courant); but Moffatt tries to translate the meaning of this term as “ravine.” Knox makes a different geographical reference, “Beth-horon,” following the Latin Vulgate. Probably it is best to follow the majority and render this as a time reference. Some languages may have to say something like “marched from sunrise until noon” or “… all morning long.”

Mahanaim: see verse 8 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 .