In certain languages the verb said may be more naturally rendered “answered” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), since this is a part of an ongoing conversation.

The land refers to the land of the Israelites. New Jerusalem Bible says “has brought trouble on the country.” But in some languages it may sound unnatural to focus on the land. The real trouble is for the people of the land. For this reason it is legitimate to translate “My father has made trouble for our people.” Revised English Bible says “the people,” but since Jonathan is included among the people, it may be better in some languages to say “our people,” as in Good News Translation.

See how: neither Revised Standard Version nor Good News Translation nor most other translations reflect the fact that the Hebrew has a particle of entreaty here. Fox says “Pray see: indeed, my eyes are brightened.”

My eyes have become bright: or “already I feel strong and alert” (Contemporary English Version). See the comments on verse 27.

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 .

1Sam 14.:30

The wording of the first part of this verse may sound quite awkward if translators attempt to render it literally. A better way to word it may be “I wish the troops had eaten the food left behind by the Philistines when we defeated them. If our soldiers had done that, then we would have been able to kill many more of them.”

The translation if the people had eaten does not quite capture the force of the emphatic expression in Hebrew. A better rendering is “if only the people had eaten.” Fox attempts to express this in English by saying “if the people had eaten, yes, eaten today.”

Spoil refers to anything taken from a defeated enemy following the victory won. It was considered the right of the victorious army to take whatever they wanted. In this case the reference seems to be to food. But the word spoil has a much broader meaning.

On the word slaughter see 4.10 and 6.19.

The second half of this verse is stated in a negative form, that is, has not been great. Good News Translation rewords to make the statement positive. See also New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, “the defeat of the Philistines would have been greater still!”

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 .