This verse most likely begins the words of the writer to the reader, as in Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh. On the other hand, Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, and New American Bible include these words as a part of the quotation of what Jesse said beginning in verse 17. It seems strange, though, that Jesse would be telling David where Saul was camped, since David has been making regular trips back and forth from the camp to Bethlehem (see verse 15). So translators are advised to stop the quotation at the end of verse 18, as in Revised Standard Version.

Whether a part of a direct quotation or not, the referent of the pronoun they should be made clear in many languages. If this verse is taken as a comment of the writer as recommended, translators may wish to say “David’s brothers.” It may also be prudent to say “all the other men of Israel” instead of all the men of Israel, since Jesse’s sons and King Saul were also men of Israel.

Regarding the valley of Elah, see the comments on verse 2 above.

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 Hebrew infinitive translated chasing comes from a root meaning “to burn” or “to set on fire.” In a few verses in the Old Testament it means “hotly to pursue,” suggesting an intense chase. Fox attempts to keep something of the Hebrew image by saying “returned from dashing-hotly after the Philistines.”

Plundered their camp: that is, the camp of the Philistines, who had run away. On the meaning of the verb plundered, see 14.48, although the Hebrew verb is slightly different at that point.

While the two clauses in this verse are joined by the conjunction and in Revised Standard Version, the plundering of the Philistine camp came after the return of the Israelites. Good News Translation therefore structures the verse differently, making the first part of the verse into a temporal relative clause. This may be a helpful model for certain other languages.

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 .

This verse is a summary statement of the preceding verses (see verses 14-15) rather than an addition of new information. It is connected to the preceding verses by the common conjunction waw. Moffatt says “The Philistine leaders used to make sallies….” Use of the expression “used to make” shows that this is a summary statement. Another possible way of indicating to the reader that this is a summary statement is to begin this verse “And so it was that the Philistine leaders….”

As often as they came out: that is, “every time they came to fight” or “each time they took the field” (New American Bible). Other translations use technical military terms such as “continued to make forays” (Revised English Bible) and “kept mounting their campaigns” (New Jerusalem Bible). The Hebrew says only that the Philistines came out. But this Hebrew verb is often used of “going out to battle.” In this context Revised Standard Version correctly supplies the words to battle. Some translations place the words “to battle” in brackets (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or in parentheses (Fox) to show that they are not written in the Hebrew, but such words provide implicit information, and translators do not need to use brackets or parentheses.

The princes of the Philistines: the English word “prince” refers to a son of a king. The Hebrew word here rendered princes, however, refers to military leaders. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “The Philistine chiefs” (so also New American Bible and New Jerusalem Bible). A better translation is “the commanders of the Philistines” (New Revised Standard Version and similarly Revised English Bible). Compare the expression “lords of the Philistines” in 6.4.

All the servants of Saul: what is implied in this expression is “all the other servants [officers] of Saul.” Since David was certainly a servant of Saul at this time (see 16.21), the addition of the word “other” will be essential in some languages and highly recommended in others.

The servants: see the comments on 8.14.

The words so that indicate a relationship of cause and effect, although the Hebrew text has only the common conjunction. The result of David’s extraordinary victories was that he became increasingly well known and loved.

His name was highly esteemed: the verb means “to be valued,” “to be precious,” “to be honored.” In Hebrew thought, one’s name is an expression of one’s nature. The sense of these words is expressed in various ways in English: “his fame became very great” (New Revised Standard Version), “[he] acquired great fame” (New American Bible), and “His reputation soared” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). The Hebrew does not mean simply that everyone knew who David was, as the New International Version translation may suggest: “his name became well known.” This clause seems to be an intentional contrast with the words having the opposite meaning in verse 23.

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 .

Therefore: the Hebrew has only the common conjunction here, and it is omitted in most modern versions other than Revised Standard Version and New Revised Standard Version.

Deal kindly: literally “do kindness (chesed).” This Hebrew noun has a wide range of meanings. The English nouns “goodness,” “grace,” and “kindness” are all possible translations. Others focus on the element of “faithfulness.” Compare New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, “Deal faithfully with your servant.” Compare also the word translated “kindness” in 15.6.

In both cases where the expression your servant is used in this verse, first person singular pronouns will be the best translation in most languages, as in verse 7.

The sacred covenant: literally “a covenant of Yahweh.” The reference is to the agreement between Jonathan and David described in 18.3. A literal translation of the Hebrew will perhaps have no clear meaning in many languages. God was witness to the covenant, and the covenant was secured by swearing in God’s name (see verse 42). New International Version says “for you have brought him into a covenant with you before the LORD,” and New Jerusalem Bible says “since you have bound your servant to you by a pact in Yahweh’s name.” Contemporary English Version provides a more dynamic model communicating the same meaning: “After all, it was your idea to promise the LORD that we would always be loyal friends.”

Why should you bring me to your father? This question assumes that Jonathan’s father Saul would kill David if he had the opportunity. So to be brought to Saul would mean certain death. The meaning of this question is therefore “why put me in a position where your father can kill me?” David prefers to be killed by his friend Jonathan rather than by Saul, if indeed he is really guilty of any wrong doing.

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 .

Some scholars consider verses 41 and 42 as a later addition to the text because of the intricate plan of communication that Jonathan and David had set up in order to avoid a face-to-face meeting. But translators have no alternative but to translate the text as it stands today.

This verse is difficult to translate because of several textual problems.

From beside the stone heap: the Masoretic Text says “from beside the south [the negeb].” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh translates this “David emerged from his concealment at the Negeb,” which makes little or no sense. If the Hebrew text is followed, perhaps Fox expresses the intended meaning: “David arose from the Negev direction,” that is, from the south side of the stone where he was hiding. Septuagint says “from the argab” (see the comments on verse 19). Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {D} evaluation to the text of the Septuagint on this variant. This may be translated “from beside the stone heap,” as Revised Standard Version has done, or “from beside the mound” (Contemporary English Version, New American Bible, and Revised English Bible, “from behind the mound”).

Fell on his face … bowed: a common sign of respect (for example, 24.8; 25.23, 41; 28.14; 2 Sam 24.20).

Kissed: see the comments on 10.1.

And wept with one another, until David recovered himself: the verb rendered recovered himself in Revised Standard Version means “to be [or, become] great” in its base form. The form in which it occurs in this verse means either (1) “to make something great” or (2) “to make oneself great.” The translation in the text of Revised Standard Version follows the second meaning, that David made himself great by taking courage and recovering from his expressions of grief. Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, and New Revised Standard Version (“David wept the more”) are based on the first sense, that is, that David made his grief great, exceeding the grief of Jonathan. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh (“David wept the longer”) and New International Version (“David wept the most”) are quite similar. This interpretation seems a bit more probable than the 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 .

You shall surely die: literally “to die you shall die” (as in 14.44). The emphatic nature of this Hebrew expression is not expressed by a literal translation in most languages. So it is better to say something like Revised Standard Version, indicating certainty. Fox has “You shall die, yes, die, Ahimelekh.”

All your father’s house: that is, “all your father’s relatives.” But this of course also means all of Ahimelech’s relatives (but it would not include his relatives on his mother’s side). So the Good News Translation rendering may be more natural. Others may prefer “and your whole family” (Contemporary English Version).

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 appropriately translated in such a way as to show the logical relationship between the message Saul received and the interruption of his chasing after David.

That place, that is, the place where Saul had been chasing David (see verse 25).

Was called: literally “they called.” The passive form of Revised Standard Version, like the ambiguous third person plural pronoun in Hebrew, leaves open the question who originated this name. In languages where passive forms are not used, translators may prefer to state in vague terms “people began to call that place….” And in some cases a literal rendering of the Hebrew form may be satisfactory.

The Rock of Escape: the name in Hebrew is Sela-hammahlekoth (compare New International Version, which says “That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth”), but transliteration is not recommended. Sela in Hebrew means “rock” and is the same word as that translated “rock” in verse 25. The meaning of the last part of the Hebrew name is disputed, and the writer may have been using popular etymology. The context, however, suggests an intended meaning such as “Divisions,” “Escape” (New Revised Standard Version), “Uncertainty” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), or “Separations” (Good News Translation, La Bible du Semeur, and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). Revised English Bible says “the Dividing Rock,” and New American Bible “the Gorge of Divisions.”

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 .

Based on the idea of waiting found in the previous verse, Good News Translation adds the word “finally” to modify the verb answered.

The two questions Who is David? and Who is the son of Jesse? both refer to David. Nabal is not so much asking who David is. Rather his questions are a way of belittling David, a famous leader in Saul’s army. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente says “Who is David? The son of Jesse? I don’t know him.” A better translation, however, is “Who does this son of Jesse think he is?” (New Living Translation). In some cases the ironic character of Nabal’s words may be conveyed by adding a demonstrative pronoun as New International Version does “Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse?”

Servants: the Hebrew term rendered servants in Revised Standard Version covers a wide range of meanings (compare 16.15). Here the word “slave” seems preferable (Good News Translation, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, and Revised English Bible). But this does represent the same word as that translated servants in verse 8. And perhaps Nabal intentionally uses the same word as David’s men had just spoken. The verb translated breaking away means simply “to run away.” The reference is to slaves who are running away from their owners in order to gain freedom.

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 .