Now, then: these words have a very definite time reference in this context. The idea is that Joab is requesting action on the part of his commander in chief at this time. But there is also a logical connection. The request comes at this time because the city of Rabbah is about to fall. New Jerusalem Bible, which combines the temporal and logical connections, may provide the best model: “So now….”

The rest of the people: the people involved here are fighting men. This is taken by some as an indication that there was a second group of Israelite reserves “living in huts” (see 11.11). In any case there were clearly more fighting men available, and Joab requested that these men be assembled by David to help in the final battle against Rabbah.

Encamp against the city: the verb plus the Hebrew preposition here gives rather the sense of an active siege against the city. Contemporary English Version uses the verb “surround” while Good News Translation has “attack.” This is the second in a series of three military terms that must be taken together: “muster … besiege … capture” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “assemble … join the siege … capture” (New American Bible). This middle term refers to the active siege.

Lest: another way of saying this is “otherwise.” But in many languages it will be better to start a new sentence at this point, beginning with the idea “If you do not [come for the battle], then….”

And it be called by my name: literally “and he will be called by the name of me to her.” To call a person’s name over something or someone showed that person’s ownership or dominance over the thing or person (compare 6.2, where the ark is called by the name of the LORD). Joab was concerned for the reputation of David and showed his desire to give the honor of victory to his commander in chief.

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 .

So: that is, as a result of Joab’s message. The underlying Hebrew is the simple conjunction often translated “and,” but the context requires a logical connector.

All the people: this refers to the fighting forces that remained in or near Jerusalem at that time. In some cases it will be best to translate “the rest of the army” as Contemporary English Version has done.

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 .

Took the crown: on the word for crown see 1.10.

Of their king: numerous modern translations, including New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Revised English Bible, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, and Good News Translation, correct the Hebrew noun of their king to read the name of the god of the Ammonites named “Milcom” or “Moloch,” who is mentioned also in 1 Kgs 11.5, 33 and 2 Kgs 23.13. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament also recommends “Milcom.” In Hebrew the word for “their king” and the name “Milcom” have exactly the same consonants. Since the vowels were added much later to the Hebrew text, there is good reason to believe that Milcom was the intended meaning of the original. While this is recommended to translators, it may be wise to add a footnote to explain the difference in meaning to readers who will be consulting other translations.

A talent of gold: since modern readers have no idea what kind of measure a talent is, this should be translated in such a way as to make it meaningful. A talent was the equivalent of seventy-five pounds (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version), or about thirty-four kilograms. Bible en français courant rounds this off to say “more than thirty kilos.” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy is more precise with “thirty-three kilos,” while Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch speaks of “thirty-five kilos.” A round figure like thirty or thirty-five will probably sound more natural in many languages. The weight of this crown lends support to the belief that it was not taken from the head of a human being but from the head of an idol.

A precious stone: that is, “a valuable jewel” (Contemporary English Version). While the Hebrew is singular, some versions take this as a collective noun and translate it by the plural, “precious stones” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New American Bible, New International Version, and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible).

It was placed on David’s head: scholars differ on whether the pronoun it refers to the crown or the jewel. Logically it seems difficult to imagine David wearing a thirty-four-kilogram crown on his head for any length of time.

The spoil of the city: the word spoil refers to whatever items the Israelite soldiers may have found in the city and considered valuable. Some languages may translate this “many treasures,” “a great quantity of plunder” (New International Version), or “many valuable things.”

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 .

This verse has been understood by some as meaning that David tortured the Ammonites with the tools mentioned in this verse. King James Version, for example, says that David “put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln.” Most interpreters, however, understand this to mean that David forced them to do different kinds of work, using these tools for that work (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and nearly all modern translations including New King James Version ).

The people who were in it: in this case people probably refers to the general population of Ammonites who had been living in the city of Rabbah, and not just the soldiers.

Set them to labor with saws: literally “set with saws….” Forced labor of a defeated army was not unusual in Old Testament times (see Deut 20.11; Josh 16.10; Judges 1.28-35). The words with saws have parallels in 1 Chr 20.2 and in the construction of the Temple in 1 Kgs 7.9. Contemporary English Version understands this phrase as meaning “tear down the city walls.” This is supported by Anderson’s commentary and Anchor Bible, though Anchor Bible is not based on the Masoretic Text at this point. But the great majority of sources prefer the idea expressed in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. The instrument involved here was used to cut stone as well as wood. Many languages will have to use a borrowed word for “saw.”

Iron picks: the word for picks occurs only here and in the parallel in 1 Chr 20.3. It comes from a verb meaning “to cut” and refers to a “cutting thing” or “sharp instrument.” The same word is used for “cuts of milk” or “cheeses” in 1 Sam 17.18, but this should not affect the translations here.

Iron axes: the word translated axes is found only here in all the Old Testament, but most scholars are agreed that it refers to a blade or cutting instrument. In some languages the picks and axes may have to be translated by a single term in the receptor language, since there may not be equivalents to distinguish the two terms. However, many languages do have different words for “hoes” and “axes,” and these may be used here.

Made them toil at the brickkilns: these six words in English translate three Hebrew words. Exactly what the correct Hebrew text is and what it may mean have been considerably debated. First, the verb in the Masoretic Text is “caused them to pass through.” The verb made them toil is a proposed correction to the Masoretic Text and requires only a very small change in spelling from the verb “made them pass through.” It must be noted, however, that no Hebrew manuscripts read “made them toil.”

Secondly, the meaning of the noun translated brickkilns must be established. The consonants of this noun as written in the Masoretic Text are mlkn. Some have understood this to be equivalent to the name “Milcom” in verse 30. The margin of the Masoretic Text, however, suggests that the correct Hebrew noun should read mlbn, which has been taken to mean either “brickkiln” or “brick-mold.”

The Masoretic Text may be read “made them pass through Milcom,” that is, made the Ammonite people pass through the fires where they offered their own children as sacrifices to the god Molek, who is here called Milcom.

But if the noun mlbn is read, then the sense seems to be that the people were burned where they cooked the bricks that they made, or that their bodies were chopped up and poured along with the clay into the brick molds. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament suggests that the reading “made them toil in the brickkilns” may well be original, but since no Hebrew manuscript reads “made them toil,” Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament says the text “made them pass through the brickkilns” should be followed (so Fox).

Despite the lack of manuscript evidence, this Handbook recommends the correction of the Masoretic Text found in Revised Standard Version and in most modern translations. The best rendering may be that of Moffatt, “made them labor at brick-making.”

All the cities of the Ammonites: this refers to all the other places where Ammonite people lived. Some of these places were considerably smaller than Rabbah. For this reason Good News Translation says “all the other towns of Ammon.”

All the people: this refers to the Israelite army.

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: the Hebrew text here has the transition verb that is sometimes rendered “And it came to pass” (King James Version). The verb is followed by a word meaning “later” or “following this.” New American Standard Bible translates the two terms together as “Now it was after this that…,” while New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh begins the chapter with “This happened some time afterward:….” Anderson says the same thing in a slightly different way: “Another incident took place some time later.” And New International Version has “In the course of time….” Given the importance of this transition device in 2 Samuel, it is probably better not to omit it altogether as Good News Translation has done. The same device is found at 1.1; 2.1; 10.1; 15.1; 17.21; and 21.18.

There may be minor variations in the word order of some parts of this verse. For example, in some languages it will be more natural to say “Absalom, son of David,” while others will prefer “the son of David who was called Absalom.”

Sister: Absalom and Tamar had the same father (David) and the same mother (Maacah). In some languages it may sound very unnatural to state the relationships in the same way as the Hebrew does. A more natural rendering may be “David had a son named Absalom and another son named Amnon. He also had a beautiful daughter named Tamar who had the same mother as Absalom.” Good News Translation adds the information that Tamar was not yet married. This information is actually moved forward from the following verse, which speaks of Tamar being a “virgin.” Since it is so important to the story, Good News Translation introduces the idea at the very beginning. The adjective beautiful refers to outward, physical appearance.

When Amnon is called David’s son after the same terminology has been used in speaking of Absalom, it will be better to say “another one of David’s sons” or possibly “one of David’s sons by another wife.” Amnon was born to David by Ahinoam, who was from Jezreel, a town of Judah (see 3.2). Amnon was therefore a half brother of Absalom and Tamar, and he was David’s oldest son (3.2).

After a time: these words do not appear here in the Hebrew, but apparently in Revised Standard Version they are a way of rendering the transition expression discussed at the beginning of this verse. But they seem out of place here. New Revised Standard Version shifts this idea back to the very beginning of the verse and translates it “Some time passed.”

Loved her: the verb used here has a rather broad range of meanings, from friendship to sexual attraction. The idiom “fell in love with her” is used by Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version, and many other modern English versions. But New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh may be more accurate in view of the rest of the story, “became infatuated with her.” Other languages may say things like “felt a desire for her” or “wanted to embrace her.”

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 .

Good News Translation translates the names as pronouns, since the names were introduced in the previous verse. But in languages where there is no distinction between masculine and feminine pronouns, this will probably not be advisable. Naturalness in the receptor language should determine which forms are used in translation. The same standard will decide the details of word order in this verse.

So tormented: the root meaning of the word used here is “to press” or “to be narrow.” But the figurative sense is rather “to feel constrained” or “to be in distress.” It has been translated by a number of different verbs in English: “so frustrated” (New American Standard Bible); “so obsessed” (New Jerusalem Bible); “so distraught” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh); “so upset” (Contemporary English Version); “in such straits” (New American Bible); and “such was his longing” (Knox). Moffatt makes it clear that it was his desire for his half sister that was the cause of this inner torment: “so upset by his passion [for his sister].”

Made himself ill: the association of sickness and love is fairly common outside the Bible and is also found in the Song of Songs (2.5 and 5.8), which speaks of being “sick with love.” Some interpreters have suggested that this is simply a hint of what is about to happen later in the story, where Amnon actually pretends to be sick. But while the writer may be playing with words and ideas, the meaning here is more likely that Amnon was so upset and frustrated about the matter that it made him feel sick.

His sister Tamar: in English Tamar was actually what would be called Amnon’s half sister. This is made clear in the Bible en français courant and Revised English Bible renderings of this verse (“his half sister”). In languages that have a special term for a sister who has the same father but a different mother, it should probably be used here.

Virgin: the basic meaning of the word used here seems to be “a girl of marriageable age” (Anderson). The Hebrew noun bethulah often is used to refer to virgins, but it is frequently the context and not the word itself that specifies the idea of virginity. Many interpreters feel that the use of this term suggests that Tamar was well guarded and that it was extremely hard for Amnon to find an opportunity to be alone with her. This is perhaps behind the rendering of Good News Translation, “she was kept from meeting men.”

It seemed impossible to Amnon: literally “it was too difficult in the eyes of Amnon.” Revised English Bible translates “he thought it an impossible thing…,” while Contemporary English Version says “Amnon could not think of a way [to be alone with her].”

To do anything to her: while the expression used here is very general in nature, the context indicates that these words are a way of speaking about sexual relations. However, in many languages a rather literal rendering of this expression may be understood in the same way in this context.

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 .

But: this conjunction is used because the story turns from impossibility in the previous verse to a possible solution to Amnon’s problem by the introduction of a very shrewd person.

A friend: as the text goes on to explain, Jonadab was actually the cousin of Amnon as well as of Tamar and Absalom. But at this point the text emphasizes their friendship, and this emphasis should be retained in translation.

Son of Shime-ah, David’s brother: some translators may prefer to add a special term, such as “nephew,” showing the relationship between David and Jonadab. Since this brother of David is called “Shammah” in 1 Sam 16.9 and 17.13, it will be better to use the same spelling here. Shammah was the third son of Jesse.

A very crafty man: the word here translated crafty is elsewhere rendered “wise.” The Hebrew term refers not only to intellectual wisdom but also to practical wisdom. Fox, therefore, says that Jonadab was “an exceedingly worldly-wise man.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and New American Bible use the word “clever” in this context, while Revised English Bible has “shrewd.” The fact that his cleverness is used in a deceitful way gives rise to translations that emphasize his underhandedness. Some languages use expressions like “bad wisdom” to describe craftiness.

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 .

He said to him: in order to make it clear to the reader which person is talking and which is listening, it may be necessary in some languages to translate one or both of the pronouns here as proper nouns. Revised English Bible has “And he said to Amnon.”

O son of the king: the use of the vocative form O son … may be considered very unnatural in some languages. The point of this expression is to highlight the fact that Amnon’s position as the oldest son of David should make it possible for him to have whatever he wanted. But in many languages it will be better translated as an emphatic statement—as Good News Translation has done—rather than as a vocative. Or in some cases a rhetorical question may be in order here: “Should a royal prince pine away…?” (Knox).

So haggard: the word translated haggard here may be understood to mean “weak,” “thin,” “poor,” or “needy.” It is frequently translated “poor” in other contexts. But here translators see it as meaning “worn” (New Jerusalem Bible); “low-spirited” (Revised English Bible); “depressed” (La Bible du Semeur); or “dejected” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and New American Bible).

Morning after morning: literally “in the morning and in the morning.” The important point here is that Amnon’s dejection was not a passing thing. It continued and seemed to grow from one day to the next. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente says “every morning you are thinner.” Instead of focusing on the morning, some languages may say simply “day after day.”

Jonadab’s question Will you not tell me? is simply a way of urging Amnon to tell him what was making him so sad. It need not necessarily be translated as a question. Another way of communicating the idea is “Please tell me what is bothering you.”

My brother Absalom’s sister: the words my brother, of course, really mean “half brother” in this context, as Good News Translation makes clear. But the relationships of the different persons involved may not be clear to the reader or hearer—especially in languages that use a general term meaning “sibling” and do not normally distinguish between brothers and sisters. In some languages it may be necessary to say something like “Tamar, who has the [same father and] same mother as my brother Absalom.”

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 .