But: this is an appropriate transition word because it marks contrast. The verb said may be replaced by “answered” in this context.

In Hebrew the words but I will buy it are literally “but to buy it I will buy.” This emphatic construction shows that David is affirming that he will indeed pay for these things. Neither Revised Standard Version nor Good News Translation expresses this aspect of meaning. But compare New International Version, “No, I insist on paying you for it.”

Buy it of you for a price: this expression probably implies that they had to go through a separate process of setting a price first, But in many languages the verb buy already means to pay a price. For this reason the expression buy … for a price will be needlessly repetitious. Some translators may prefer to say “pay you money” or simply “pay you….”

Offer burnt offerings: the Hebrew verb used here is the technical term for offerings that are burnt completely, but it is also sometimes used as an indefinite term for sacrifices in general. This is how it is understood in this context by Good News Translation and certain other versions. The same verb is used in its more general sense, along with the nouns for “burnt offerings” and “peace offerings,” in the following verse.

The threshing floor and the oxen: no mention is made of the wooden instruments talked about earlier. Presumably, however, they were included in the deal between David and Araunah even though they are not specifically mentioned in this verse.

Shekels: on the use of this term, compare 14.26; 21.16; 1 Sam 9.8; 13.21; 17.5, 7. But while other references mention “shekels of bronze” (21.16), “shekels of iron” (1 Sam 17.7), or “shekels of gold” (1 Kgs 10.16), the metal used in this case is silver. The word shekels itself may be rendered by a general term like “pieces,” as in many common language translations (for example, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Good News Translation, and Contemporary English Version). It would probably distract the reader unnecessarily to try to calculate an exact equivalent in weight and then to use that equivalent in translation. The rendering of New Century Version (“one and one-fourth pounds of silver”) is therefore not recommended.

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 .

If a transition word is required here, it should probably be one such as “Then” (Good News Translation), indicating that David’s action in having the altar built followed the events described in the previous verse, and at the same time came as a consequence of those events. However, New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, and several other English versions see no need for an overt transition marker here.

Burnt offerings and peace offerings: see the comments on 1 Sam 10.8, and compare also chapters 1 and 3 of Leviticus. After these words the Septuagint adds “Later Solomon enlarged the altar because it was small at first.” Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, however, gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text; and none of the modern versions consulted follows the Septuagint here.

Heeded supplications for the land: the words heeded supplications translate a single Hebrew verb, which appears also in 21.14. It means literally “was prayed to,” but it includes the idea that the requests were granted. The word supplications may be legitimately rendered “prayers.” The text does not indicate whose prayers are involved, but the context seems to imply that it was the prayers of David. For this reason Revised English Bible and New Century Version as well as Good News Translation say clearly “his prayers.” Nevertheless Contemporary English Version takes the absence of the possessive pronoun to mean that it was “the prayers of the people.” The expression heeded supplications for has also been understood by other translations as meaning “took pity on…” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “granted relief to…” (New American Bible).

The word land is translated “country” in New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, and others. But perhaps the focus should be on the people of the land, since they were the ones who were dying as a result of the epidemic. Some may prefer to say “the people of Israel.”

The plague was averted: as stated in verse 21 this was the ultimate purpose of David’s activities. The wording here shows that he was successful. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente keeps the focus on the fact that God was causing the plague, by saying “he stopped striking the people of Israel.”

While this verse provides an acceptable conclusion to the story presented in this chapter, some readers may find it a difficult way to end the book as a whole. However, it should be kept in mind that this was not really the end of a book for the readers of the Hebrew Bible. 1 Kings is a continuation of the material of 2 Samuel. And the first verse of 1 Kings continues “King David was now old….” If translators find it necessary, it is possible to add a footnote explaining to modern readers that the apparently abrupt ending of 2 Samuel is not the end, but that the narrative continues in the next book.

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 .

The first part of this verse is absent from the Septuagint, As they … the Philistine, but textual scholars generally agree that it should be translated. It is, however, omitted by Klein.

As they were coming home: literally “And it happened when they were returning.” Neither Revised Standard Version nor Today’s English Version translate the discourse marker, which is traditionally rendered “and it came to pass.” But the marker may be important because it seems to introduce a kind of flash-back to something that happened prior to the events recorded in 18.1-5. The pronoun they may be ambiguous if translated literally. Revised English Bible restructures as follows: “At the homecoming of the army and the return of David from slaying the Philistine….” The Philistine refers, of course, to Goliath, whom David killed in 17.50. Today’s English Version names him but omits the information that he was a Philistine. Compare Bible en français courant, “After David had killed the Philistine Goliath.” See also Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, “When the troops returned from the battle against the Philistines, in which David had killed Goliath.”

Timbrels: the word timbrels in Revised Standard Version translates the same Hebrew word rendered “tambourine” in 10.5 (see the comment on that verse). There is no reason to use different terms for the two occurrences, so New Revised Standard Version has “tambourines” in both cases.

Songs of joy translates a singular noun in Hebrew, meaning “the expression of joy.” Some versions call these “cries of joy” (New Jerusalem Bible, Bible en français courant, and Osty-Trinquet). It is possible also to connect this noun more closely with the nouns preceding and following, indicating the manner in which the musical instruments were played, as in Revised English Bible, “rejoicing with tambourines and three-stringed instruments.” Because the context states that the women were singing and dancing, it seems justified to state that these were “songs of joy” (Revised Standard Version, Today’s English Version, New Revised Standard Version, and New American Bible). Some translators may find it more natural to translate the idea of singing only once, and shift the notion of joy to a different place in the verse. For example, one may say “singing joyfully and dancing.”

The Hebrew noun rendered instruments of music occurs only here in the Old Testament, and the exact meaning is unknown. It is not even certain that the word refers to a musical instrument. It is often assumed that this noun is based on the consonants of the Hebrew word “three,” which explains the renderings “triangles” and “three-stringed instruments” in the Revised Standard Version footnote. Revised English Bible renders “three-stringed instruments,” and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Fox, and Chouraqui say “triangles.”

The Septuagint calls these “cymbals” (so also Maredsous). Some translations (New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Osty-Trinquet, La Bible Pléiade, and Nueva Biblia Española) follow the Vulgate in calling these instruments “sistrums,” that is, thin metal frames with numerous metal rods or loops that jingle when shaken.

Since the meaning of this word is so uncertain, translators may prefer to follow the interpretation in the version most often used in their language area. Or they may choose to use a general expression such as “musical instruments” (so New Revised Standard Version and Bible en français courant).

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 .