Verse 14 is instructive in that it reverses completely the normal order of general to specific parallelism. Perhaps by now the translator is prepared to see the figurative language, the specific term, the consequence, and the effect in the second of two parallel lines. That the biblical poets were not slaves of their poetic devices should encourage translators to experiment also. If in the receptor language intensification is sacrificed by the reversal, the translators may switch the lines. They should determine first what the difference in poetic meaning may be, if any.

The verb “to thunder” has been used of Yahweh in 1 Sam 2.10 and 7.10; Good News Translation “from the sky” and Revised Standard Version from heaven correspond to “in the heavens” in most of the Hebrew manuscripts of Psa 18.13. The LORD thundered may be unnatural in many languages, since only the sky is said to thunder. Therefore this expression may have to be recast as “The LORD spoke like thunder from the sky” or “When the LORD spoke it sounded like thunder.”

The Most High is sometimes rendered “God who is above all others” or “God who is the greatest god.” Curiously Good News Translation here translates “Almighty God” but renders the same term in Psa 18.13 more literally as “the Most High.” Translators are advised to be consistent, since the term is the same in the two parallel passages. In most languages a literal rendering will not be advisable.

Uttered his voice may be translated simply as “spoke,” but some versions consider that the context requires something stronger, such as “resounded” (New International Version) or “raised his voice” (Revised English Bible and New Century Version). The Hebrew verb is often translated “to give,” but it has a wide range of uses, depending on the context. For comments on the word voice, see verse 7.

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 .

Next to him: translators should be careful not to give the impression that this refers to physical nearness, as if the three men were standing in a row next to each other. The idea is that of rank or importance. In some languages this idea will be conveyed by saying “After him…” (Anchor Bible). But in other cases a clearer statement of rank as in Good News Translation will be more natural.

Son of Ahohi: the parallel in 1 Chronicles has “the Ahohite,” which seems to indicate clan affiliation rather than a relationship of father to son. But many interpreters think that the essential meaning is virtually the same, whether it refers to the grandfather Ahohi or to the clan he established. Bible en français courant speaks of the “grandson of a man of Ahoa.” The correct reading is probably “son of an Ahohite,” but this has the same essential meaning as “the Ahohite” (Revised English Bible, New American Bible).

With David when they defied the Philistines: these words translate the Masoretic Text, to which Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives an {A} rating. Some interpreters think that the Masoretic Text should be corrected to read here “he was with David at Pas-dammim where the Philistines…” (New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible, Nueva Biblia Española, Anchor Bible, and Anderson). This is in harmony with 1 Chr 11.13. New American Bible has a similar place name on the assumption that this is the same place as mentioned in 1 Sam 17.1, “Ephes-dammim.” However, it is probably better to translate the traditional Hebrew text as in Revised Standard Version at this point. The word defied may be rendered “confronted,” or “taunted” (New International Version). New Century Version, like Good News Translation, uses the verb “challenged.”

The pronoun they in this context seems to refer to David and Eleazar (Good News Translation).

Gathered there: if the text of the preceding words is not corrected to read “at Pas-dammim,” translators must decide what the adverb there refers to. New International Version says “gathered at Pas Dammim” instead of gathered there. It is better, however, to understand there as a reference to the unnamed place where David and Eleazar defied the Philistines.

The men of Israel withdrew: this seems to indicate that all the Israelites retreated, but what follows shows that there was one important exception, and that exception is, in fact, the hero of the story. Contemporary English Version adds what is implied, “except Eleazar.” This may be a good model for some other languages. Or some may prefer to say “all the other soldiers of Israel retreated….”

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 .

According to some translations (New American Bible and New Jerusalem Bible) “Araunah was threshing the wheat” when he saw David and his group coming toward him. This additional information comes from the parallel passage in 1 Chr 21.20. The majority of versions adopt the shorter reading of the Masoretic Text, which is recommended by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project with a {B} rating.

Looked down: as in the previous verses, the focus here on the relative height of the participants again may seem forced if translated literally. This verb has been translated “looked around” (Knox), “looked out” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), and “looked” (Contemporary English Version), and even “looked up” (New Jerusalem Bible).

His servants: as in other contexts already noted, this refers to “his men” (New International Version), “his soldiers” (Contemporary English Version), or “his courtiers” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), and not to lower-ranking domestic servants, as a literal rendering may lead readers to think.

Went forth: that is, Araunah went in the direction of King David and his group. Most modern versions say “went out” (New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, and New Century Version). But New Jerusalem Bible has “came forward.”

Did obeisance … with his face to the ground: although the wording is slightly different, the meaning here is essentially the same as in 1.2; 9.6; 14.4, 22.

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 .

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 .