The verb took and would not let him return may sound like imprisonment in some languages. But the idea is rather that he took David “into his service” (Knox), or “kept David in his service” (Contemporary English Version). This should be made clear in translation, and it is not necessary to use parentheses as in New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and Fox to show that these words are not written in the Hebrew: “took him (into his service) on that day.”

The antecedent of the pronoun him may be ambiguous if translated literally in the receptor language. If it is, then it will be best to use the proper noun “David,” as in Good News Translation.

The context shows that that day was the beginning of a long period of service by David in the court of Saul. So it may be appropriate to say “from that day forward” or “beginning that day.”

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 .

Hearkened to the voice of Jonathan: a literal translation of this Hebrew idiom may not express the meaning clearly in many receptor languages. Hearkened to means to accept and act according to what was said, and the voice of refers to the statement that someone made. Though New Revised Standard Version does not retain the archaic verb hearkened, it remains rather literal: “heeded the voice of Jonathan.” Compare “heeded Jonathan’s plea” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New American Bible, and Revised English Bible); “allowed himself to be convinced by Jonathan’s proposal” (Bible en français courant); “agreed” (Contemporary English Version).

That Saul swore does not mean that he cursed or used offensive language, but rather that he “made a vow.” Some other ways of saying this are “took this oath” (New International Version) and “made this promise” (New Century Version). Good News Translation does not maintain the actual words of the vow but rather restructures and uses an indirect quotation. This model may prove useful in other languages.

As the LORD lives: see the comments on 14.39. Fox gives a literal translation of the Hebrew: “As YHWH lives if he should be put-to-death!” but such a translation fails to express the correct meaning in English (see also comments on 14.45).

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 difficult to understand in Hebrew, as the Revised Standard Version note suggests. Osty-Trinquet states in a footnote that the text of verses 14-16 is in very bad condition. Many translations follow the Septuagint or simply reconstruct the probable sense of the text.

The loyal love of the LORD: loyal love translates a single Hebrew word that expresses the ideas of faithfulness, steadfast love, or kindness. Revised English Bible says “faithful friendship,” and New American Bible says “kindness.” Of the LORD may be understood to mean that David is to show the same kind of steadfast love that God shows, or it may be understood to mean “as the LORD requires” (Revised English Bible). These words are the basis for the Good News Translation rendering, “sacred promise.” It is also possible to understand of the LORD as a superlative, that is, “outstanding loyal love.” The Septuagint reads “deal mercifully” instead of the loyal love of the LORD, and this is the basis for the Anchor Bible rendering “If I remain alive, deal loyally with me” (and similarly New Jerusalem Bible and Klein).

The Masoretic Text contains negatives in the first part of this verse. A literal translation of the Hebrew reads “And not if I still alive, and [or, then] you will not show me the loyal love of the LORD, and I not die.” It is difficult to know whether the words that I may not die express the purpose of the first part of the verse, as in Revised Standard Version (also New International Version, Fox), or whether these words begin a new conditional sentence that continues into verse 15, as in Good News Translation (also New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible). A literal translation of Traduction œcuménique de la Bible—attempting to retain the negatives—says “Isn’t it [true]? If I remain alive, you must act toward me with the faithfulness which the LORD requires. And if I die, isn’t it [true]?” But the translation in Traduction œcuménique de la Bible makes little sense and is not recommended as a model. Good News Translation probably expresses the intended relationship between verses 14 and 15.

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 .

As in verse 18 above, Good News Translation omits the words the Edomite for reasons of style (but see the comments on verse 9). But in some languages it will be quite natural to retain the word to emphasize the fact that Doeg was not an Israelite.

On that day refers to the day when David received Goliath’s sword from Ahimelech (see 21.7-9). New Century Version restructures, making a separate sentence of this element: “Doeg the Edomite was there at Nob that day.”

I have occasioned: the Hebrew says “I have turned.” When the first consonant of the Hebrew verb is changed, the verb changes from “I have turned” to “I am responsible.” That latter is the reading found in the Septuagint and in the ancient Syriac and Latin translations. It is adopted by New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, and New American Bible, as well as Good News Translation. But there is, in fact, very little real difference in meaning between the renderings of Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh claims in a footnote to be trying to translate an uncertain Hebrew text that says “I am to blame.”

All the persons of your father’s house: some other models for this phrase are “your father’s whole family” (New International Version) or “all the rest of your family.”

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 .

And: translates the Hebrew verb traditionally rendered “and it came to pass” (see page 19). Since this verse contrasts David’s feelings with his action in verse 4, Good News Translation links the two verses with the conjunction “But.” Contemporary English Version and New Revised Standard Version begin this verse with the word “Afterward.” And New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh uses both words, “But afterward.”

Heart smote him: this literal rendering may be misunderstood or considered unnatural in many languages. The meaning is expressed in a variety of ways in the English versions: “reproached himself” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), “was sorry” (Contemporary English Version), “was struck with remorse” (Revised English Bible), and “regretted” (New American Bible). In some languages it will be quite natural to retain the word “heart,” using an expression like “felt sad in his heart” or “his heart was sorrowful.” La Bible du Semeur takes this clause in a slightly different way and retains some of the wording of the original expression, “his heart began to beat very strongly.” But it is probably better to represent the idea of remorse or regret more directly. See the same expression in 2 Sam 24.10.

Though Hebrew states explicitly the reason that David’s conscience bothered him, Good News Translation leaves this information implicit.

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 .

Now therefore: this translates the common Hebrew conjunction and the adverb Now, which are followed by the two imperative verb forms, know this and consider (literally “know and see”). These two imperatives sound almost too impolite to be used by a servant speaking to the wife of his master. Good News Translation softens this by adding the word “please.” But this does not really reflect anything in the original.

Evil is determined against our master: see the comments on this same idiom in 20.9. A passive meaning is conveyed by Revised Standard Version and certain other versions: “is planned” (Klein); “has been decided” (New Revised Standard Version). But in languages where the passive is impossible or unnatural, other models are available: “harm threatens our master” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh); “misfortune is in store for our master” (Anchor Bible). In some languages this will be worded as “bad things are surely about to come on our master” or “they [indefinite] are planning to do our master harm.”

All of his house: that is, “all of his family” (compare 22.15).

He is so ill-natured: literally “he [is] a son of Belial.” See the comments on 1.16, and see verse 25 below. The idiom “He’s a bully” (Contemporary English Version) communicates the idea well in English, but a better model may be “he has such a bad character” (La Bible du Semeur).

One cannot speak to him: literally “not to speak to him.” But the sense is clear enough. Nabal was such a mean person that “no one can say a word to him,” “who won’t listen to anyone” (Contemporary English Version), or “it is no good talking to him” (Revised English Bible).

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 .

Ahimelech the Hittite is not mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament. Ahimelech probably belonged to the group of Hittites who lived in southern Palestine prior to the time of Abraham. Another unrelated group of people, also called Hittites, came from northern Syria and are referred to in 1 Kgs 10.29 and 2 Kgs 7.6.

Zeruiah was the mother of Joab, Abishai, and Asahel, three of David’s warriors. Perhaps the reason these three brothers are always identified by their mother’s name rather than their father’s name (as, for example, in 2 Sam 2.13, 18; 3.39; 8.16; 14.1) is that, according to 1 Chr 2.16, Zeruiah was David’s sister. A literal translation of the words son of Zeruiah will probably suggest incorrectly to most readers that Zeruiah was the father rather than the mother.

Who will go down with me…? The Hebrew verb is singular in form. The rendering of Good News Translation makes it clear that David was looking for one person to accompany him. Bible en français courant, Contemporary English Version, La Bible du Semeur, and Knox also translate in such a way as to make it clear that David wanted only one person to accompany him into Saul’s camp. Contemporary English Version, for example, has “Which one of you will go…?” The specific mention of movement downward may or may not be natural in the receptor language. In many cases the verb “to go” will be perfectly adequate.

The response of Abishai begins with the emphatic personal pronoun, which is not reflected in most translations. Anchor Bible, however, attempts to show the emphatic character of this pronoun by translating “ ‘I!’ said Abishai. ‘I shall go down with you.’ ”

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 .