In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel: this may be better rendered in some languages as in New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, “As I moved about wherever the Israelites went…” or “When I was migrating with the people of Israel….” Knox renders it more poetically as “This way and that, the whole race of Israel journeyed, and I with them….”
Speak a word: this expression may carry the idea of “reproach” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Bible en français courant, Knox) and should be so translated in some languages. Others may prefer to use the verb “ask” (Revised English Bible, Moffatt), if this fits the overall structure adopted for the verse.
The judges of Israel: the Hebrew text as well as the ancient Greek version of this verse have “the tribes of Israel.” This is followed by King James Version, New American Standard Bible, and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, but nowhere else does the Old Testament say that the LORD appointed “the tribes of Israel” to govern his people. However, by changing a single consonant in the Hebrew noun “tribes,” Revised Standard Version renders it judges, which agrees with the parallel passage in 1 Chr 17.6. But some experts maintain that a meaning like “those who hold the scepter,” “staff bearers” (Anchor Bible), or “tribal leaders” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and New Revised Standard Version) can be found in the Hebrew word that is normally translated “tribe.” This, in fact, is recommended by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project/Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, which gives an {A} rating to the Hebrew text. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament claims that the word “tribes” here is a metonym, that is, a word used in place of a related word, and refers to a “leader” or a “chief.” According to this interpretation of the Hebrew term, the meaning is basically the same as that in the Septuagint and in the parallel passage in 1 Chronicles.
To shepherd my people: the use of the image of the shepherd to refer to a person who rules over others is common in the Old Testament (compare 5.2 as well as Num 27.17). In some languages it will be more natural to drop the figure of speech altogether and use a verb like “rule” (Moffatt), “govern” (Bible en français courant), or “care for” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). But in others the image may be retained while at the same time its meaning is translated clearly: “oversee like shepherds” or “watch over like those who look after sheep.”
The question within the direct quotation may be rendered in a very different form in some languages. In some cases the direct quotation should become indirect because it is found within another quotation. Also, the question may become a simple statement of fact: “I never asked them to build me a house made of cedar.”
On the translation of cedar see the comments on verse 2.
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 .