David’s first question in this verse seems strange, since the Israelite soldiers had just described what would be done for the person who could kill Goliath. This section of 1 Samuel contains considerable repetition in the dialogue, and such repetition is simply part of the writer’s style. Here David’s questions underline the fact that Goliath is an uncircumcised Philistine who is defying the living God of Israel, and that David is truly a pious man. David’s questions do not mean that he is asking for more specific information about the riches promised. Nor do they suggest that he is asking why a reward should be given at all to an Israelite who does his duty by killing this enemy, or that David did not hear what is recorded in the previous verse. The theological and literary aspect of the text is missed here by New Living Translation, which begins this verse with the words “David talked to some others standing there to verify the report.” A literal translation of this verse is acceptable, but translators should probably not add “to verify the report” as New Living Translation does.

Takes away the reproach from Israel: these words are in apposition to the words kills this Philistine. That is, taking away the reproach from Israel will be done by killing Goliath. Compare Revised English Bible, “… who kills this Philistine and wipes out this disgrace?” See also Bible en français courant, “… who will kill this Philistine and who will thereby avenge the insult inflicted on Israel?”

Uncircumcised Philistine: see the comment on this expression in 14.6.

The living God: here and in verse 36 God is called a living God in contrast to the idols of other nations, which were considered lifeless, and who were even described in their own Canaanite myths as gods who would die.

The second question asked by David is not for the purpose of learning the name of the Philistine enemy. It is more like the question “Who does he think he is?” (Compare New Century Version, “Goliath is a Philistine. He is not circumcised. Why does he think he can speak against the armies of the living God?”) In some languages it may be better translated as a statement rather than as a question: “This pagan Philistine is nothing before God. He has no right to make fun of the army of the Living God.” A possible model retaining the question format is provided by Contemporary English Version, “Who does that worthless Philistine think he is? He’s making fun of the army of the living God!”

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 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 .