Based on the fact that some people from the city of Ziph had come to Saul previously at Gibeah (23.19), Contemporary English Version begins this chapter with the words “Once again,” and La Bible du Semeur adds the word “again” later in the verse.

Concerning the rhetorical question of the Ziphites and its translation, see the comments on 23.19. Good News Translation restructures and eliminates the direct quotation. Also the Revised Standard Version rendering is in the form of a question. This reflects the Hebrew original, but the question is probably better translated as a statement (whether as direct or indirect discourse), since the speakers were clearly not asking for information but were telling Saul what he did not know.

The hill of Hachilah … east of Jeshimon: see the comments on 23.19.

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 .

Now translates the common Hebrew conjunction. The events of verses 8 and 9 are not later than the time that David lived among the Philistines (verse 7). Good News Translation therefore correctly says “During that time.”

The verb went up is commonly used to designate the beginning of a military campaign (see 7.7; 1 Kgs 20.22). Both the context and the form of the verb suggest that this was something that happened repeatedly and not just once. In languages that have habitual verb forms, it will be appropriate to use such a form here.

Geshurites: a nomadic tribe that lived near the Philistines (Deut 3.14; Josh 13.2).

Girzites: this group of people is not mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament, and there are problems identifying them. The Septuagint, followed by Anchor Bible and Klein, does not have this name. According to this verse they lived somewhere between Philistia and Egypt. The margin of the Masoretic Text corrects Girzites to “Gizrites” (so New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and Revised English Bible) or “Gezrites” (so Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Gezer, however, was located too far north to fit this context. It is very possible that the Masoretic Text is corrupt here and that a group called the Girzites never even existed. It seems best to follow the Masoretic Text, but translators may follow either the reading in the text or the reading in the margin of the Masoretic Text.

Amalekites: see the comments on 14.48.

The words from of old translate one word in Hebrew. Some consider this to be an error in the Masoretic Text. New Revised Standard Version says “for these were the landed settlements from Telam on the way to Shur and on to the land of Egypt” (similarly Revised English Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, An American Translation, Contemporary English Version, La Bible Pléiade). Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament suggests that the Hebrew text should be corrected to read “from Telam,” finding some evidence for this text in the manuscripts of the Septuagint tradition. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {C} reading to this corrected text. Translators should follow the model of New Revised Standard Version rather than either Revised Standard Version or Good News Translation. Telam is a settlement in southern Judah (Josh 15.24; and see the comments on 15.4 and 2 Sam 3.12). The spelling “Telaim” in Revised English Bible is a variant spelling of the same location.

Shur: its location is discussed at 15.7.

Several modern versions take the last half of this verse as a digression that explains the geographical location of the ethnic groups involved. It is therefore enclosed in parentheses by New International Version and New Century Version and set off by dashes in New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh.

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 commanders of the Philistines (see the comments on verse 3) are afraid that David and his troops will turn against the Philistines during the battle. By killing Philistine soldiers (with the heads of the men here), David would be able to win back King Saul’s favor.

Were angry with him: that is, angry with King Achish. If there is any danger that readers may understand the pronoun to refer to David, then the name of Achish should be used here.

The commanders of the Philistines said: the Septuagint says simply “they said.” It may be better to follow the example of the Septuagint, not for textual reasons but for reasons of naturalness in translation, since the immediate repetition of this expression may sound unnatural.

The place to which you have assigned him: that is, to the town of Ziklag (see 27.6). See also the comments on the textual problem in verse 10 below.

The precise meaning of go down [with us to battle] is not clear. In fact verse 9 says “to go up.” The Philistines were going up from the coastal plains to the hills of Samaria. Perhaps the sense is “go down into the valley of Jezreel.” Many modern translations simply do not translate the words go down but rather say something like Good News Translation, “Don’t let him go into battle with us.” Other translations may wish to follow this model.

Adversary: this renders the Hebrew word satan, which later came to be considered the name of the devil. As in 2 Sam 19.22 and also Num 22.22, 32; 1 Kgs 11.14, 23, 25, the term refers here to a human adversary.

How could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Translators should make certain that readers understand this fellow to refer to David, and his lord to King Saul.

Would it not be with … the men here? Good News Translation expresses the basic meaning, that the Philistine commanders are afraid that David and his men may turn against the Philistine troops and kill them. But by omitting a reference to the heads of the Philistines, an aspect of ancient warfare is omitted. Victorious soldiers sometimes cut off the heads of defeated enemy troops (for example, 17.46, 51; 31.9; 2 Sam 4.7; 20.22; 2 Kgs 6.32). See the comment on “bodyguard” at 28.2. A translation such as the following will keep this image: “How could this fellow please his king? Wouldn’t it be by turning against us, killing us, and cutting off our heads?” Or, changing the final rhetorical question into a statement, “He could certainly do it by turning against us and cutting off our heads for his master.”

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 .

Since it may be unclear in certain languages to whom the subject pronoun he refers, it may be advisable to substitute the name of David, as Good News Translation has done. Similarly it may not be clear how the pronoun it should be understood. This pronoun refers to the principle stated in the previous verse, that “all will share alike.” La Bible du Semeur says “this way of acting was set up as a law….”

From that day forward … to this day: beginning with this victory over the Amalekites and continuing to the time when this account was written, it became a law in Israel for the loot to be shared between those who fought and those who did not fight (as explained in verse 24).

A statute and an ordinance: the same words appear in Exo 15.25. The Hebrew word rendered statute means an authoritative statement, a pronouncement of some kind; the word rendered ordinance has a wide range of meanings, including “custom,” “command,” and “conformity to rule.” Fox translates the first noun as “prescribed law” and the second as “a practice.” Though some have tried to find a clear distinction in meaning between these two terms, most agree that, at least here, no distinction is intended between the two nouns. Used together these two nouns refer to a legally binding regulation. Compare “the established custom” (Revised English Bible) and “a fixed rule” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

To this day: the sense is not that David set a fixed time for this custom to be preserved, that is, “up to this day.” Rather this elliptical phrase means “and this custom has been observed since then up to the day that this book was written.” New Century Version says “This order and rule continues even today.”

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 .

Said: since what follows is imperative in form, it constitutes a rather strong command from the king to his subjects. For this reason the verb may be translated “ordered” (as in Good News Translation, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Moffatt, and Revised English Bible) or “commanded.”

The word rendered people here refers to the military men who accompanied Joab. This is why Revised English Bible translates “all the troops.”

Rend your clothes, and gird on sackcloth: these two actions were designed to show a person’s sorrow. Both occur frequently throughout the Bible. The tearing of clothing is mentioned, for example, in Lev 10.6; 21.10. And the wearing of coarse cloth is referred to in Gen 37.34; Psa 30.11; and 2 Sam 21.10. In many languages it will be wise to make explicit the meaning of these actions by adding “to show your sorrow” or something similar.

Note that it is quite possible to transform the direct quotation into an indirect one as Good News Translation has done. It may be more natural to do so in many languages.

Followed the bier: the word translated bier is the same word that is elsewhere rendered “bed” (1 Sam 19.13, 15, and 16, for example) and means simply a place to stretch out. It is also found in the story of the death of Jacob, where it is translated “bed” (Gen 47.31). Such beds were made of mats, cloth, or even ivory. In this context it is the final resting place for a dead person, but “coffin” (Good News Translation) perhaps suggests more than the word really means. Contemporary English Version has “the stretcher” (similarly Biblia Dios Habla Hoy). Some may choose to avoid the problem by translating in more general terms: “behind the body of the deceased” (Bible en français courant); “followed the body of Abner” (New Century Version).

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 .

Mighty men: see the comments at 10.7; 16.6; 17.8; 20.7, where this term is used. And note that New Revised Standard Version has “warriors” here.

Whom David had: this will be better rendered in many languages as “who served David” or “who fought for David.”

There are two separate textual problems in this verse involving the proper nouns. While Josheb-basshebeth (so also New Revised Standard Version) occurs in the traditional Hebrew text, many scholars believe that the original form was “Ishbaal” (New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, and Anderson), but that this was changed because it included the name of the pagan god Baal. Other versions have “Ishbosheth” (Revised English Bible, Contemporary English Version), based on the assumption that Josheb-basshebeth is the original reading but that this is a variant spelling of Ishbosheth, which is the form found in some manuscripts of the ancient Greek version at this point. However, manuscripts reflecting another part of the tradition of the ancient Greek version have “Jeshbaal.” This reading, “Jeshbaal,” is adopted by Anchor Bible and is recommended by Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament as reflecting the probable original. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible takes the Hebrew words here to be a kind of nickname for the Tahchemonite. He is called “the One Who Held His Ground.” The problem is further complicated by the fact that 1 Chr 11.11 has the name “Jashobeam.” Given the confusion in this matter, it is probably best to transliterate the name as “Jeshbaal” and provide a footnote giving the other possibilities: “or Josheb-basshebah, or Jashobeam, or Ishbaal, or Ishbosheth.”

The second textual problem involves the words the Tah-chemonite, usually taken as describing the warrior’s place of origin or his lineage. In 1 Chronicles this is “the Hachmonite,” or more precisely “the son of Hachmon.” Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament recommends “the Hachmonite,” giving it a {C} rating, and this is followed by Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Stuttgarter Erklärungsbibel, and Anchor Bible. New American Bible, Contemporary English Version, and Anderson use the form “son of Hachmon [or, Hachamoni].” The recommendation of Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament should be followed, though the name found in the Masoretic Text may be added in a footnote.

The three: the use of the definite article in Hebrew clearly indicates that this was a special group that was well known to the readers. They were warriors receiving the highest possible honor in the army of David. See also the comments on the problem of “three” and “thirty” in this chapter, page 1159. Here most translations say the three. If this understanding of the Hebrew text is followed, the best way in some languages to show that this was an exclusive and well-known band of fighters will be to say something like “the three heroes,” “the special group of three warriors,” or “the three most famous soldiers.”

However, the Hebrew word rendered three here and in verse 18 ends in a vowel that is not the usual spelling for “three.” The Hebrew word here is shalishi. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament suggests that the words rosh ha-shalishi should not be translated “chief [or, head] of the three” but rather “[belonging to] the elite of the warriors.” The rosh ha-shalishi were “the elite of the guard” (Bible en français courant). In other words this rare word shalishi does not mean “three” but rather refers to a special group of soldiers serving directly under orders from the king. This interpretation is followed in this Handbook.

Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch follows this interpretation in part by saying that Josheb-basshebeth was the “leader of the hand-picked troops.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible similarly says that he was “leader of the mounted soldiers wearing breastplates.” Both Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible understand that the word shalishi is a technical term and is not the word for “three.” However, they incorrectly translate the Hebrew word rosh as “leader” (similarly New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). But the word sar in verse 19 is the Hebrew word for “leader” or “commander.” This expression here in verse 8 should be rendered “he belonged to the elite warriors attached directly to the king” or “he belonged to the elite group of soldiers who took their orders directly from the king.” This understanding is discussed by Schley.

Wielded his spear: the words so translated are not the reading of the Masoretic Text. Rather, the Revised Standard Version rendering is based on a correction of the Hebrew text on the basis of the Septuagint and the parallel in 1 Chr 11.11. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament acknowledges that the Masoretic Text is not correct here, but it argues that the readings in the manuscripts of the Septuagint reflect the influence of 1 Chr 11.11 and do not therefore represent the Hebrew original. Rather than speculate on what the original read, Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament recommends that the MT be followed, though giving it only a {D} rating. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives the following recommended translation for the Masoretic Text: “he is Adino the Eznite standing over eight hundred slain in one stroke.”

A few translations follow the Masoretic Text here. King James Version takes the words of the Hebrew text as a second name for Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite: “Adino, the Eznite,” a name not found elsewhere in the Bible. This solution is also adopted by Jewish Publication Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, and New American Standard Bible. The same solution is followed also in Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, which has “also called Adino the Eznite.”

Traduction œcuménique de la Bible finds the Masoretic Text so unintelligible that it leaves a blank space in its translation. But probably the least problematic solution will be to translate the meaning followed by Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation in spite of the fact that this is not recommended by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project. A footnote explaining the difficulties of the text may be necessary.

Eight hundred: the parallel in 1 Chr 11.11 has “three hundred,” but the reading of 2 Samuel is preferred by many because the lower figure would not make this warrior greater than Abishai, who is said to have killed three hundred of the enemy in verse 18.

At one time: this does not refer to a single moment in time but to a period of time that probably included a single battle. New International Version has “in one encounter,” while New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh translates “on one occasion.” In some languages it may be best to say “in one battle” (compare Knox, “in one assault”).

Since there is considerable confusion among the ancient manuscripts between the numbers “three” and “thirty” in this chapter, translators may wish to include a footnote here similar to the following note in Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente:

• The text from here to the end of the chapter speaks of two groups of warriors: the Three and the Thirty. Sometimes there seems to be confusion between the two groups. Also the total number given at the end does not correspond exactly with the number of persons named.

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 .