But: the transition word here is dropped by Good News Translation, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New Jerusalem Bible, and Revised English Bible. There is no strong reason for giving an overt representation of the Hebrew conjunction in this case.

It will be more natural in some languages to use the name “Paltiel” in place of the words her husband, as Good News Translation has done in this verse.

Bahurim: since this place name will be unfamiliar to many readers, it will probably be wise to add the classifier term “town” as in Good News Translation.

Then Abner said: the writer does not tell how Abner suddenly appears in the story. Apparently Abner took Michal to David, but it is not clear whether this trip is the same as that in verse 20.

Go, return: the use of the direct quotation in this context may be difficult to imitate in some languages. It will be equally faithful to the meaning to translate it indirectly as, for example, “When Abner told him to go back home, he did” or “Abner told him to stop following them. So he went back home.”

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 .

Before verses 17-19 can be translated, a decision must be made concerning when the events of these verses happened. There are two possible interpretations:
(1) In verses 12-13 Abner sends messengers to talk to David; following that, he confers with the elders of the northern tribes to get their support (verses 17-19). Revised English Bible makes this interpretation even more definite by translating verse 12 “Abner sent envoys on his own behalf to David….” That is, the first time Abner contacts David, he is doing so on his own behalf, but then he contacts the elders of the northern tribes (verses 17-19) before he contacts David again in verse 20. It is then that he speaks on behalf of the northern tribes.
(2) These verses may be a flashback that tell what Abner did before he sent messengers to speak with David; that is, the events of verses 17-19 happen prior to the events of verses 12-13. This interpretation is followed by New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and Osty-Trinquet, which use verbs in the pluperfect tense in verses 17-19: “Abner had conferred….” and “Abner had also spoken to the Benjaminites….” Anderson follows this same interpretation by inserting the words “In the meantime” at the beginning of verse 17.

The sequence of events is not clearly marked in the Hebrew. Either interpretation is possible, and translators may choose to follow the interpretation found in an existing translation that is widely used.

Abner conferred with the elders of Israel: literally “and the word of Abner was with the elders of Israel.” This seems to mean that Abner had a direct discussion with these leaders rather than “sent word to the elders” (New Revised Standard Version and similarly New Century Version). Either meaning, however, is possible.

Elders: these were the leaders of the people of Israel. See discussion of this term in 1 Sam 4.3 (compare also Ruth 4.2).

For some time past: literally “yesterday and three days ago,” but not even King James Version translates this literally. This unusual expression occurs also in Gen 31.2 and Exo 21.29, where Revised Standard Version renders it “before” and “in the past.” According to some interpreters this expression carries the idea “for a long time” (New American Bible as well as Good News Translation). The rendering of Knox, “it was but yesterday,” is not recommended, although Anchor Bible has “not long ago.” This expression seems to refer to the recent past rather than to the remote past, as noted in 1 Sam 4.7.

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 .

Now then bring it about: literally “And now do [plural]!” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, like Moffatt, captures this brief imperative by translating “Now act!” The Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente rendering is a bit longer but conveys the same idea: “Now is the time to take action.”

The word hand is used three times in this verse. As in verse 12, this refers to the power or actions of the person or persons whose hand is mentioned. It is David’s power that will save Israel from the power of its enemies. In most languages it will not be advisable to translate this word literally.

I will save is the translation of a single verb in Hebrew. The Hebrew word is either a third person verb, meaning “he will save,” or it is an infinitive (“to save”). The Septuagint and some Hebrew manuscripts have a verb in the first person singular, that is, “I [God] will save.” Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text and suggests that the infinitive here functions to express certainty. Following this interpretation, one may translate “I will surely save my people” or “I will indeed save my people.”

The hand of all their enemies: since the Philistines, who have just been mentioned, are clearly the enemies of the people of Israel, it will be prudent to speak here of “all their other enemies” as in Good News Translation. The last two phrases may, in fact, be restructured as in Contemporary English Version, “to rescue his people Israel from their enemies, especially from the Philistines.”

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 .

As already discussed in verse 17, the beginning of this verse may be part of a flashback. If so, it may be translated “Abner had also spoken to the people of the tribe of Benjamin.”

Also spoke: the word also goes with the verb spoke and not with the noun Abner as if he, in addition to someone else, spoke to the people of Benjamin.

To Benjamin: literally “in the ears of Benjamin,” as in An American Translation. However, this does not refer to the individual named Benjamin, but rather to his descendants, that is, to the whole tribe of Benjamin. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh seeks to communicate this idea by using the form “Benjaminites.” Some translations take the words “in the ears of” to be an emphasis on the personal nature of the communication. New International Version says “spoke to the Benjamites in person,” while New American Bible has “spoke personally….”

To tell David: as above, this is literally “to tell in the ears of David,” perhaps again emphasizing the personal nature of the communication.

The last part of this verse reads literally “all that is good in the eyes of Israel and in the eyes of all the house of Benjamin.” New American Bible “all that would be agreeable to….” The rendering of Revised Standard Version, thought good to do, may be misleading. This was not merely a matter of internal thinking. It was rather a decision to act that had been agreed upon. For this reason it may be better to translate “had decided to do.”

The two expressions Israel and the whole house of Benjamin are not meant to describe two completely separate groups. The family, or tribe, of Benjamin was a part of Israel. Perhaps the idea is “the people of Israel and especially the tribe of Benjamin.” Compare 2.25, 28, 31.

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 .

If verses 17-19 have been treated as a flashback, then verse 20 resumes the story from verse 16.

David made a feast: this wording may give the impression to some readers that David himself prepared the food for the meal. But this was surely not the case. Although New Revised Standard Version retains this wording, most modern English versions say “gave a feast” or “held a feast” (New Jerusalem Bible). Fox says “a drinking-feast,” since the Hebrew word comes from a root that means “to drink.” The Hebrew word denotes a feast at which wine was served. In some languages it will be more natural to use a causative form of the verb, saying something like “caused much food to be prepared for them” or “caused them to eat a big meal.”

Abner and the men who were with him: this expression at the end of the verse repeats the same information given at the beginning. For this reason the pronoun “them” may be substituted as in Good News Translation.

The following restructuring of the verse as a whole may serve as a good model for some languages:

• Abner brought twenty men with him as he came to see David at Hebron. And David had a big meal prepared for Abner and all his company.

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 .

I will arise and go: frequently in Hebrew the verb arise followed by a second verb, as in this case, is intended more as an initiation of the action verb that follows than as a separate undertaking. Furthermore, the wording in English does not sound particularly polite, but the idea is that of requesting permission. Bible en français courant attempts to reflect this by saying “Your Majesty, I am now ready to leave and gather all the Israelites…,” and Contemporary English Version says “let me leave now.” In some languages it may be better to say “Now I would like to go….”

Gather all Israel: that is, to encourage and to rally all the people of the northern tribes to support David.

My lord the king: this is an indirect reference to David himself. But since Abner is speaking directly to David, this will have to be worded differently in many languages. The expression “your majesty” works well in English, but many languages do not have a similar expression in reference to royalty. It may therefore by wise simply to introduce the second person singular pronoun to make the reference direct: “to you, my master and king.”

Covenant: see verses 12 and 13.

All that your heart desires: here the heart stands for the person. Some therefore may prefer to translate simply “all that you desire” (New Jerusalem Bible and Anchor Bible).

Sent Abner away: this wording in English sounds somewhat harsh. The idea is rather that he dismissed Abner in the usual polite fashion. Although the rendering is hardly common language, the meaning communicated by New American Bible is correct: “so David bade Abner farewell.” Other languages may say “so David said goodbye to Abner….”

And he went in peace: the writer emphasizes here and in the following verses (22 and 23) the fact that David and Abner were on good terms when they separated. This is important in light of the fact that Abner will soon be killed, and the writer sought to avoid giving the slightest impression that David was responsible for his death. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh translates “he went away unharmed” (and similarly Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).

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 .

It was told Joab: this passive statement leaves open the question of who gave this information to Joab. It will be necessary to avoid the passive form in many languages without identifying the reporter, using something like “someone told Joab” or “they [indefinite] told Joab.” Others may prefer “Joab heard…” or “Joab learned….”

Instead of the words came to the king, the Septuagint and a manuscript from Qumran say “came to David.” This is the basis for the translation “came to David” in New American Bible. The ancient Syriac combines the two readings: “came to David the king.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives an {A} rating to the Masoretic Text, suggesting that the words were changed to read “to David” as in verses 20 and 21. For translation purposes, however, it may be advisable to say “to David” or “to King David.”

The direct quotation of Revised Standard Version may be better translated as indirect in a number of languages: “someone told Joab that Abner had visited the king and that the king had let him go back unharmed.”

The son of Ner: this information about Abner is often repeated in this chapter (here and in verses 25, 28, and 37). It was already said twice in the previous chapter (verses 8 and 12). According to Hebrew Old Testament Text Project the author refers to Abner as “the son of Ner” at the beginning and end of accounts and when someone speaks about him. But in the middle of an account, the writer says simply “Abner.” But translators need to take into account discourse considerations in the receptor language, and they may therefore prefer to leave it implicit in some of these cases.

The last part of this verse repeats the essential content of the end of the previous verse, but the repetition is intentional and should be retained if at all possible.

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 .

Behold: see 1.2, 18; and 3.12. The word Behold in this case seems to draw attention not to Abner’s visit but to what Joab is about to observe concerning that visit.

Abner came to you: implied in this statement is the fact that Joab has been informed about Abner’s visit. In some languages it may be more natural to say “I know [or, learned] that Abner was here….”

So that he is gone: this repetition of the idea of Abner’s departure seems to be intended to emphasize the fact that he is no longer within the grasp of Joab, who was seeking revenge. The thought is well expressed by New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh: “now he has gotten away!” New Revised Standard Version has clarified the Revised Standard Version by saying “so that he got away.”

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 .