complete verse (2 Samuel 1:15)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 1:15:

  • Kupsabiny: “You brought to yourself death because, you have said it with your own mouth that you killed a person whom God has anointed.’ Then David called one of his people and told him that, ‘Kill this person.’ He pierced/speared that person to death.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “because you yourself have told, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed king. So David told him, "May your blood be on your own head." Then one of David’s young men was given the order to attack that Amalakite man. And he struck that man and killed him.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Then David called one of his men and commanded (him), ‘Come, kill him!’ So he killed him.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “You yourself said, ‘I killed the man whom Yahweh appointed to be the king.’ So you have caused yourself to be guilty of causing your own death!’ Then David summoned one of his soldiers and said to him, ‘Kill him!’ So the soldier killed him by striking him with a sword.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Samuel 1:15

One of the young men: that is, one of his own soldiers.

Fall upon him: the verb so translated has a variety of meanings in the Old Testament, including “meet” (1 Sam 10.5) or “touch.” In this context, however, as in 1 Sam 22.17-18, it is a command to attack and destroy the Amalekite. New Revised Standard Version says “Come here and strike him down.”

So that he died: the translation of this phrase is linked to the beginning of the following verse. The idea here is that the blow struck by David’s soldier eventually caused the death of the Amalekite messenger. But if this is rendered in such a way as to indicate that the man was already completely dead before David spoke to him in the following verse, the resulting translation may seem strange. See the Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente translation cited in verse 16.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .