Saul’s servant: the Hebrew term for servant here is not the same as in verse 1 above. The word here is translated “steward” by New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and Anchor Bible. New American Bible has “attendant.” But many versions take it as having exactly the same meaning as the term used in verse 1. Since Saul was already dead at this time, it may be better in many languages to say “who used to be Saul’s steward” or “who had attended Saul.”

The inverted structure of the direct quotation in Revised Standard Version reflects the Hebrew but may be unnatural in some languages. Good News Translation puts the subject and main verb first in what David says here. This is followed by the grammatical object.

The verb rendered I have given in Revised Standard Version represents a verb form that emphasizes the fact that a firm decision has been made, but it may be unnatural to translate as a past tense in other languages. Several modern English versions represent this verb form by a present tense, “I give” (An American Translation and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible); “I am giving” (New American Bible); “I assign” (Revised English Bible).

Your master’s son: this refers to Mephibosheth, who was actually Saul’s grandson (see verse 6). It will be better in many cases to translate son as “grandson” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New International Version, New Revised Standard Version, and Revised English Bible as well as Good News Translation) and to mention the name of Mephibosheth specifically. The term “grandson” should also be used in the same context in verse 10 and 19.24.

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 .