David’s oldest brother Eliab was introduced in verse 13 above. He becomes upset with his younger brother for getting involved in the business of the older men.

Anger was kindled: see the comments on 11.6.

Few sheep: for some unknown reason Good News Translation has omitted the word few, which is clearly present in the Hebrew and should be retained in translation.

The wilderness: this word, often translated “desert” (New International Version, New American Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible), may refer to dry, barren country, but it may also refer to land used for pasture rather than for farming, as in Psa 65.13.

I know your presumption: the word translated presumption is elsewhere translated “pride” (Pro 11.2; Jer 49.16) and “insolence” (Pro 13.10). Languages have a wide variety of ways of expressing this idea. There is even a difference between British and American English in the translation of this verse. The British edition of Good News Translation has “you cheeky brat” where the American edition says “you smart aleck.” Contemporary English Version has “You spoiled brat,” while New International Version says “I know how conceited you are.” Translators should feel free to use whatever wording they would commonly use to express the insolence of a young person in the presence of his elders.

Several translations combine the expression your presumption and the evil of your heart into a single phrase. Good News Translation says “You smart aleck” (or, in the British edition of Good News Translation, “you cheeky brat”), and Revised English Bible reads “you impudent young rascal.” If translators keep both expressions, other ways of expressing the second include “your evil intentions” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible) or “what wicked things you have in mind.”

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 .