While Good News Translation usually breaks the text down into smaller sentences than Revised Standard Version, in this case Good News Translation takes the independent sentence at the beginning of this verse and makes it into a relative clause introducing the following clause. Translators should look for the structure that will be most natural.

Mephibosheth: see also comments on 4.4. This name is the cause of some confusion, because the same name is given as “Meribbaal” in 1 Chr 8.34 and 9.40. New American Bible and New Jerusalem Bible read “Meribbal” here in 2 Samuel. The people of Israel came to dislike the name “Baal” and to considered it shameful because of its association with the a foreign deity. For this reason, when this word was included as a part of a personal name, it was changed to “bosheth,” which means “shame” in Hebrew. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the spelling “Mephibaal” in this verse and also in verses 9-13, and suggests that the spelling was changed to Mephibosheth in the Masoretic Text for theological reasons. Compare the situation with the names Eshbaal and Ishbosheth in 2.8.

Son of Saul: since it is Jonathan who was the son of Saul, it may be more natural in some languages to indicate that Mephibosheth was the “grandson of Saul,” as has been done in Good News Translation. This may serve to keep the focus on the relationship between Mephibosheth and Saul.

Fell on his face: this expression has already been discussed in 1 Sam 17.49 and 20.41.

Did obeisance: see the comments on 1 Sam 24.8.

Behold, your servant: similar to the response of Ziba in verse 2, this form of address shows great respect for the king. Bible en français courant says “It is indeed I, your Majesty,” using the normal form of address to royalty and confirming that the person speaking to the king is in fact who he thinks he is. In some cases translators may say “It is I, and I am your under your authority” or simply “I am your servant.”

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 .