But: the majority of modern versions translate the common Hebrew conjunction in this way in order to show the contrast between the woman’s refusal and Saul’s insistence that she could do what he wanted without fear of punishment.

Swore to her by the LORD: one version of the Septuagint omits the words by the LORD, and this is followed by Revised English Bible, Anchor Bible, and Klein. The problem is not treated in Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, and it is probably better to retain the doubtful words.

As the LORD lives: see the comments on this oath in 14.39.

No punishment shall come upon you: the noun rendered punishment may mean “sin,” “guilt,” or “punishment.” Anchor Bible says “no guilt will fall upon you.” Klein says “no iniquity will come upon you.” The meaning seems to be that the woman will not be considered guilty, with the implication that she therefore will not be punished. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh may provide a helpful model: “you won’t get into trouble over this.”

For this thing: that is, “for doing this” (Good News Translation) or “for doing what I ask you to do.”

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 .

Greatly distressed: see the similar expression in 28.15. Translators may see a slight difference in meaning between Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, since the Hebrew verb may vary in meaning depending on the context. Revised Standard Version focuses more on David’s personal reaction to the crisis, while Good News Translation seems to focus on the reaction of the troops as the source of the “trouble.” The Hebrew text may be understood in either way, so translators must choose between the two. New Revised Standard Version and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, translating in a way similar to Good News Translation, say that “David was in great danger.”

The people: that is, “the troops” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). See the comments on verse 4.

Stoning was commanded by the law in some cases in order to kill a person who had violated certain laws. Sometimes stoning was the method an angry mob used in order to kill someone (see 1 Kgs 12.18). The people are not wanting simply to harm or injure David by casting stones at him. Compare New Century Version, “The men in the army were threatening to kill David with stones.”

Were bitter in soul: the idea here seems to be “were profoundly bitter” or “felt very angry.”

For his sons and daughters: that is, “because his sons and daughters had been taken as prisoners” (New Century Version). The text seems to stress the individuality of these men who were grieving. Each one of the soldiers who had been with David was upset because of the loss of his children. The Hebrew literally says “a man for his sons and daughters.”

David strengthened himself in the LORD his God: the Hebrew form of the verb may mean either that David strengthened himself or that he was strengthened by someone else. Either is possible and the various translations reflect this ambiguity. If the second interpretation is followed, it may be more natural in certain languages to restructure this sentence to make God the subject rather than David (as Good News Translation has done). Others, however, may say something like “David found strength in the LORD his God” (New Century Version) or “he felt the LORD God giving him strength” (Contemporary English Version). New American Bible takes this as a subordinate clause, beginning a sentence that is completed in the following verse: “But with renewed trust in the LORD his God, David….”

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 .

Second … third: see the comments on birth order in verse 2 above. Note that the word “son” is not explicitly stated but is certainly to be understood in both cases.

Chile-ab: at this point in the parallel passage (1 Chr 3.1), the name given is “Daniel.” Anchor Bible reconstructs the name here as “Daluiah,” and this reading has support from the ancient Greek version and possibly from the Dead Sea Scrolls. But many experts consider that there is so little textual evidence for anything other than Chile-ab that it should probably be retained. Neither Hebrew Old Testament Text Project nor Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament acknowledges the other possibilities. A footnote may be added to inform the reader of the problem and possible solutions, if translators think one is necessary.

Of Carmel: this may describe either Nabal or Abigail and is probably true for both, but in the light of 1 Chr 3.1 it is probably intended here to refer to the origin of Abigail. Some manuscript evidence omits the words the widow of Nabal altogether. They may have been added by a copyist from 2.2.

The son of: this idea is expressed in other words by Good News Translation, “whose mother was….” This changes the focus slightly, but the meaning is the same.

Talmai king of Geshur: translators should seek the most natural order of these three elements in their own language rather than blindly following the order of Revised Standard Version. Some will say “King Talmai of Geshur,” while others may render these words “the king of Geshur, Talmai.” Geshur was a small Syrian kingdom located northeast of the Sea of Galilee. The people who lived in the kingdom of Geshur are not the same as the Geshurites mentioned in 1 Sam 27.8. If translators consider this to be important, the information may be stated in a footnote.

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 structure of the first part of this verse may have to be altered in order to make it read better in the receptor language. Although David had been made king, he still (this day) saw himself as relatively gentle. By contrast Abishai and Joab were quite brutal. There seems to be an intentional contrast between weak with reference to David and hard as a description of the sons of Zeruiah. The word translated weak is probably better understood as indicating sensitivity and tenderness rather than being taken as a reference to physical or emotional weakness. Anchor Bible has rendered this part of the verse as follows: “And I, though anointed king, am still a gentle man; but these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are rougher than I am.” Bible en français courant translates “and I, in spite of my title as king, at present I feel myself weak by comparison with the violence of these men….”

It may be more natural in some languages to use the names “Joab and Abishai” where the text has these men the sons of Zeruiah, since this is clearly who is intended.

Are too hard for me: may mean either “are too violent for me” or “have more power than I do.” The context seems to favor the first interpretation.

The last sentence in this verse is not found in the Dead Sea Scroll of 2 Samuel. For this reason many scholars feel that it was added by a scribe at a much later date than the original writing. This possibility, however, is not even mentioned by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, and most modern versions (with the exception of Anchor Bible) include it.

Requite: as the New Revised Standard Version revision shows, this rather archaic English word simply means “pay back.” The idea is that the person who so cruelly murdered Abner should receive the punishment that he deserved. The fact that David asks the LORD to ensure the punishment of the murderer is taken by some as a continuation of the thought that David himself was too weak or tender-hearted to do so.

The evildoer: this, of course, refers to Joab, but possibly the writer intentionally avoided making the name specific. The name should therefore probably be left out in the receptor language also. It may be better to translate “the person who did this evil deed.”

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 .

You shall not go up: the context shows that this was not a categorical prohibition to attack but a matter of tactical advice. The recommendation was to decline a frontal offensive and to attack from the rear. Some manuscripts of the Septuagint add “to meet them,” but Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text. Yet the additional material may be considered implicit information that needs to be made explicit in certain languages for translation reasons.

Balsam trees: mentioned only here and in the parallel account in 1 Chr 14, the exact kind of tree involved is uncertain. New American Bible has “the mastic trees,” and Knox has “pear-trees,” while Revised English Bible speaks of “the aspens.” Both Bible en français courant and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible translate “micocouliers,” which is a kind of elm tree that grows to a height of 25 meters (more than 80 feet). New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh avoids the problem of precise identification by transliterating “baca,” and Anchor Bible similarly uses “bachaim.” It will probably be just as meaningful in some languages to say “trees called baca” as any of the other possibilities. Or, since the precise kind of tree is neither important nor certain, translators may consider a more generic “trees” without attempting to identify the specific kind.

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 .

In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel: this may be better rendered in some languages as in New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, “As I moved about wherever the Israelites went…” or “When I was migrating with the people of Israel….” Knox renders it more poetically as “This way and that, the whole race of Israel journeyed, and I with them….”

Speak a word: this expression may carry the idea of “reproach” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Bible en français courant, Knox) and should be so translated in some languages. Others may prefer to use the verb “ask” (Revised English Bible, Moffatt), if this fits the overall structure adopted for the verse.

The judges of Israel: the Hebrew text as well as the ancient Greek version of this verse have “the tribes of Israel.” This is followed by King James Version, New American Standard Bible, and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, but nowhere else does the Old Testament say that the LORD appointed “the tribes of Israel” to govern his people. However, by changing a single consonant in the Hebrew noun “tribes,” Revised Standard Version renders it judges, which agrees with the parallel passage in 1 Chr 17.6. But some experts maintain that a meaning like “those who hold the scepter,” “staff bearers” (Anchor Bible), or “tribal leaders” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and New Revised Standard Version) can be found in the Hebrew word that is normally translated “tribe.” This, in fact, is recommended by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project/Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, which gives an {A} rating to the Hebrew text. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament claims that the word “tribes” here is a metonym, that is, a word used in place of a related word, and refers to a “leader” or a “chief.” According to this interpretation of the Hebrew term, the meaning is basically the same as that in the Septuagint and in the parallel passage in 1 Chronicles.

To shepherd my people: the use of the image of the shepherd to refer to a person who rules over others is common in the Old Testament (compare 5.2 as well as Num 27.17). In some languages it will be more natural to drop the figure of speech altogether and use a verb like “rule” (Moffatt), “govern” (Bible en français courant), or “care for” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). But in others the image may be retained while at the same time its meaning is translated clearly: “oversee like shepherds” or “watch over like those who look after sheep.”

The question within the direct quotation may be rendered in a very different form in some languages. In some cases the direct quotation should become indirect because it is found within another quotation. Also, the question may become a simple statement of fact: “I never asked them to build me a house made of cedar.”

On the translation of cedar see the comments on verse 2.

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 .