This verse contains a quotation within a quotation. Good News Translation turns the first quotation into indirect discourse. If the model of Good News Translation is followed, it may be better to say “He ordered his officials to speak privately with David and tell him, ‘The king is pleased with you, and we also like you’ ” (so Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). And in some cases the entire verse may be made into indirect discourse by continuing “… tell him that both they and the king were very happy with him. They then proposed that he marry the king’s daughter.”

His servants: see the comments on 8.14. Translators may wonder whether the servants who are speaking are the same as the servants mentioned in the quotation. If they are and if the direct quotation form is used, then it will be necessary to say something like “all of us officials.”

On the translation of Behold, see page 18 and following.

Become the king’s son-in-law: this will be more naturally rendered in many languages as “marry the king’s daughter” or “marry into the king’s family” (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 .