As noted in the preceding verse, it is better English style not to repeat names. Revised Standard Version is a literal translation of the form of the Hebrew.

But translates the common Hebrew conjunction, which is left untranslated by Good News Translation. Receptor language considerations will determine whether or not translators will see the need in this context for a conjunction that shows contrast. Revised English Bible, like Good News Translation, leaves the conjunction untranslated, but the majority of versions have “But.” An American Translation, perhaps correctly, translates it as a temporal connector, “Then.”

My son: see the comments on verse 6.

Instead of introducing Samuel’s response with the same verb (said) as is used to introduce Eli’s call, some languages will prefer “answered” or “responded” in the context of this exchange.

Here I am is identical with the word used in verses 4 and following. See the comments there.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

So: the common Hebrew conjunction is rightly translated to show the logical relationship between the events described in the previous verses and the action taken by the people of Ashdod.

The verb sent has no object in Hebrew, but the clear implication is that runners or messengers were sent to call together the Philistine leaders.

All the lords of the Philistines: the Philistines lived mostly in five independent cities: Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron, which are listed in 6.17. Each city was ruled by a “lord,” that is, someone who ruled with the authority of a king. An American Translation correctly calls these lords “the city rulers of the Philistines,” and Knox speaks of “Philistine chiefs.”

Because a question follows, the verb said may be better rendered “asked.”

Gath was one of the five main cities of the Philistines (see the comments on verse 1). It was about twenty kilometers (twelve and one-half miles) southeast of Ashdod (verse 1) and was the closest of these cities to the territory of Judah. Gath is mentioned also in 6.17; 7.14; 17.4, 23, 52; 21.10, 12; 27.2-4, 11. Good News Translation shows one way to indicate in translation that Gath, in addition to Ashdod, was a Philistine city: “so they took it to Gath, another Philistine city.”

They answered, “Let the ark….” So they brought the ark of the God of Israel there: New Revised Standard Version (also New American Bible) follows the Septuagint and a manuscript from Qumran and says “The inhabitants of Gath replied, ‘Let the ark of God be moved on to us.’ So they moved the ark of the God of Israel to Gath.” Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text. But even if the traditional text is followed, translators must have some idea as to the identity of the people referred to by the pronoun they (the Hebrew has only a third person plural verb). Is it a vague term that refers only to unidentified members of the group, or does it perhaps refer to the inhabitants of Gath (regardless of the textual decision made)? Probably it is better to take it in the more general sense and say “Some of the people” or “Some other people.”

The passive construction Let the ark … be brought may be restated actively by saying something like “Take the ark,” or “Cause some people to take the ark,” or possibly “We will send the ark.”

They brought the ark … there: since the writer of this story was most likely not in Gath, the correct English verb of motion is “they took” it to Gath rather than they brought. Translators will need to use a verb which does not suggest that the writer is in Gath.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

The logical transition marker, So, is not essential in this context, but if it is natural in the receptor language, it is certainly acceptable. New American Bible has “therefore” in the first part of this verse.

That Samuel took a suckling lamb for the sacrifice indicates that he was observing the law of Moses (see Lev 22.27). The term suckling lamb (literally “a lamb of milk”) refers to a young lamb that is still taking milk from its mother. New American Bible speaks of “an unweaned lamb.” If there exists a well-known technical term for a lamb of this type, it may be used here. Otherwise it will be sufficient to say simply “a young lamb” as in Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version, or “a baby lamb” as in New Century Version.

Whole burnt offering: see the comments at 6.14. In this kind of offering the entire animal is burned on the altar (see Lev 1.1-17). The word whole does not mean that the animal was burned without being cut up into smaller pieces. Rather, after being cut up, the entire animal was burned.

Cried to the LORD: this is the same verb as used in the request of the people of Israel in verse 8 and should probably be translated in the same way in the receptor language.

The order of the Hebrew text involves sacrifice followed by prayer. Contemporary English Version reverses this order, indicating that Samuel prayed first and then offered the sacrifice. But it is doubtful that this should be followed by other translators.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

He had a son, that is, Kish had a son. A great many names have been mentioned since the mention of Kish in the previous verse. In some languages it may be wise to use the name Kish here (as New Century Version does) instead of the pronoun.

A handsome young man: literally “a young man and good.” While the Hebrew word “good” may be translated as handsome in this context (Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation), some interpreters take the word in a more general sense, such as “an impressive young man” (New International Version) or “an excellent young man” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). The Hebrew word translated young suggests that Saul was not only young but was fully grown and vigorous. Good News Translation focuses on the latter aspect, that is, “in the prime of life” (so also Revised English Bible and New Jerusalem Bible).

Among the people of Israel is literally “among the sons of Israel.”

More handsome than he: literally “good than him.” Here again, it is possible to understand the Hebrew word “good” to mean handsome in this context. But the meaning may be more general, as in New International Version “without equal among the Israelites.”

A literal translation of the Hebrew “from his shoulder and above taller than any of the people” may suggest incorrectly to some readers than Saul had a very long neck. Rather, the meaning is that he was “a head taller” (New International Version and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “a foot taller” (Good News Translation). Some languages may have to say something like “he surpassed all others in height by his head” or “his head stuck out higher than everybody else.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Before: literally “from yesterday and the day-before-yesterday.” This idiom, which occurs also in 4.7, may also be rendered “When people who had known him previously” (Revised English Bible).

The people: that is, all who knew him before.

What has come over the son of Kish? The verbal expression come over may be translated in a variety of ways: “What is this that has happened…?” (New International Version), or some languages will use expressions like “What has hit [or, fallen on] the son of Kish?” Since Saul was the son of Kish, the subject of the two questions is identical. The wording of Revised Standard Version may give readers who have little Bible knowledge the impression that two different persons are involved. If this is the case, the two questions may have to be rephrased as follows:

• What has happened to Saul, the son of Kish? Is he also now a prophet?

Is Saul also among the prophets? This same saying appears again in 19.24. New Jerusalem Bible translates “Is Saul one of the prophets too?”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

So: the common conjunction is rightly taken as a logical connector by many modern versions, although it is also possible to take it as a temporal connector. New American Bible and New Jerusalem Bible have “Then,” and some omit it altogether (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Revised English Bible).

Burnt offering and peace offerings: see the comments on 10.8. In this context Saul is asking for the material to be offered and not for the finished sacrifices. In many languages it will be important to make this clear. Knox, for example, indicates that Saul “bade them bring the victims for the burnt-sacrifice and the welcome-offering.”

Offered the burnt offering: that is, “sacrificed the animal for the burnt offering.” Saul offered the burnt offering himself instead of waiting for Samuel to come and make the offering, as he had said that he would (10.8). God will later punish Saul because he offered the sacrifices himself (see verses 13-14).

In order to avoid the direct quotation in this verse, some languages will say “so Saul instructed them to bring the animals for the burnt sacrifices and the fellowship offerings to him.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

The people who were with him: see verses 2 and 17.

Rallied: the Hebrew is literally a passive form of the verb meaning “to cry out.” But in this context it refers to “being called together.” In languages that naturally use the passive form, translators may say “the army was assembled.” Where the passive is not an option, a possible model for translating this verb may be “[Saul] called his army together” (Contemporary English Version).

Behold: the focusing particle here highlights the unusual fact that the Philistines were killing each other.

Every man’s sword was against his fellow: that is, the Philistine soldiers were killing each other. See the similar expression in Judges 7.22. Klein captures the force of the interjection behold as follows: “Surprisingly, the sword of each man [of the Philistines] was turned against his companion—a very great confusion.” Contemporary English Version provides a simpler, common-language equivalent with “By this time the Philistines were so confused that they were killing each other.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .