In this verse the psalmist to some degree makes line b more astonishing, with revealing the foundations of the world, not merely the channels of the sea. However, the degree is slight in the first pair, that is, in lines a and b. By contrast, in the second pair, lines c and d, the movement from the rebuke of the LORD to the blast of the breath of his nostrils is a vivid rhetorical leap from less to more, which Good News Translation attempts with “roared at them in anger.”

Then reflects the common Hebrew conjunction and may be omitted in translation.

The language used in this verse recalls the parting of the waters of the Red Sea (that is, the Sea of Reeds) when the Israelites fled from Egypt (see Exo 15.8; Psa 106.9). The ocean bed is spoken of in terms of the streams under the ocean (channels of the sea), which were believed to supply the ocean with water. The most natural equivalent in English is “the ocean floor,” but this dilutes the imagery of the Hebrew. Many cultures, however, have no notion at all about the bottom of the ocean. In such cases, translators may say simply “the bottom of the great water” or something similar.

The furious rage of Yahweh is pictured as the blast of the breath of his nostrils. But this may be an explicit reference to the strong wind that parted the waters of the sea, and some translations interpret it this way (Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “the strong breath that he blew”). See the comments on nostrils in verse 9 above.

In languages that cannot use the passive voice, for channels of the sea were seen and foundations … were laid bare, it may be necessary to say, for example, “the bottom of the ocean appeared” or “he made the waters of the sea dry up,” and “the earth shook to its foundations” or “he made the supports of the earth bare.” Foundations of the world may also be expressed as “the ground on which the earth stands” or in some languages “the legs of the earth.”

Good News Translation has made the rebuke and the raging breath to be directed against the enemies; but they can be understood as directed at the ocean bed and the earth’s foundations. Some commentators see in this verse a picture of Yahweh cutting his way through the sea and the foundations of the earth down into Sheol, from where he draws forth David (verse 17).

Line c, at the rebuke of the LORD, stands as a temporal clause and chronologically precedes the actions in lines a and b. For this reason it may be more meaningful in some languages to place the final two lines at the beginning; for example, “When the LORD rebuked….” The English word rebuke is probably too mild for the action described by this Hebrew verb. Something like “roaring” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “mighty roaring” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) is better.

This verse is distinguished from its counterpart in Psa 18 by the fact that the third person forms are used here instead of direct address and second person pronouns.

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: continuing with ranking in order of importance, this expression now refers to the third most famous of the three top fighters. This should be translated in keeping with the way the same expression was handled in verse 9 above.

Son of Agee: the name here is disputed by textual experts. While there is some evidence for “son of Elah” (New Jerusalem Bible), Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament recommends, with a {C} rating, the name “Agee,” as in Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and most other versions.

Hararite: this may refer either to an otherwise unknown tribe or to a place that is equally unknown. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, for example, says “from the city of Harar.” The word may be related to the Hebrew word for mountain (har) and mean something like “mountaineer,” but translators should probably take it as a reference to a place or a clan and translate “from a place called Harar” or “from the clan of Harar.”

Lehi: this place name is found in the story of Samson (Judges 15.9), but here it is uncertain that this reflects the original reading of the Hebrew text. The difficulty is that in Hebrew the words “towards Lehi” and “into a band” are spelled with the same consonants. The vowels in the Masoretic Text make this word read “in a band”; some experts therefore think that the single Hebrew word rendered at Lehi should be translated “in a troop” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible) or “in force” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). But Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament recommends “at Lehi,” giving a {B} rating to the correction, and this seems to be followed by the majority of modern versions. Probably the reading “in a band” in the Masoretic Text came about through making this word agree with the word for “a band” in verse 13.

Plot of ground: literally “a portion of a field.” The expression used here seems to refer to an area smaller than a complete field but large enough to grow a garden. Compare Gen 33.19, and see also Ruth 2.3; 4.3.

Lentils: this refers to the flat seeds of a small, pea-like plant that grows in the Near East. These seeds are high in protein and carbohydrates and are used to make a stew or soup (Gen 25.34), and as a basis for a kind of bread during difficult times (Ezek 4.9). The same word appears also in 17.28. The parallel passage in 1 Chr 11.13 has “barley” in place of lentils, but the two accounts should be translated without attempting to make them agree in translation.

The men: literally “the people.” This refers to the fighting men of Israel other than the hero of the story. So it may be preferable in some languages to say “the rest of the Israelite soldiers” or “the other warriors of Israel.”

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 .

As in the previous verse, the words my lord the king and to him (rather than the more direct “to you”) are a way of addressing David with respect. But translators should show respect in a way that is natural, as in verse 21.

Take: in the context of verse 23, this indicates that the threshing floor is offered to David as a gift, for no payment. What follows shows that Araunah is also willing to provide everything else that was needed to make the sacrifice.

Offer up what seems good to him: literally “offer up the good in his eyes.” What is implied here is offering to Yahweh anything David might consider suitable. But the fact that the offering would be to Yahweh is not explicitly stated. The ancient Greek version, however, adds “to the LORD.” This addition may be made in the receptor language if needed for translation reasons, even though the textual evidence for these words is not very strong.

Burnt offering: see the comments on 1 Sam 6.14.

Threshing sledges were heavy boards that were used in the process of separating the husks from grain. They were normally dragged across the stone floor on which the grain had been spread out. A yoke was a wooden bar or collar used to bind one or two animals to something heavy they had to pull, such as a wagon or a plow. Since the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen were made of wood, they were offered to David to provide fuel for burning the sacrifices. Since these items will not be known to many readers, the translation may have to fill in a certain amount of detail. Contemporary English Version has “You can use the threshing-boards and the wooden yokes for the fire.” Some translators may even have to resort to a rather general statement like “here are some things made of wood that you can use for the fire.”

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 .