And: Good News Translation takes the following words as being somewhat contrary to expectation and translates the conjunction as “but.”

Good News Translation also reverses the order of the two main elements in this verse in order to establish the fact that David was comforted before describing his desire to see Absalom again. This kind of restructuring may be necessary in a number of other languages.

The spirit of the king longed to go forth to Absalom: the Masoretic Text reads “and it was the end [third person feminine singular verb] [for] David the king….” It seems impossible to make sense of the Hebrew text here, though Anchor Bible understands this to mean that King David’s “enthusiasm for marching out against [Absalom] was spent.” And Anderson understands that “the king’s anger ceased to be actively directed against Absalom.”

Revised Standard Version has followed the Septuagint, and this is also the recommendation of Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, which suggests that the Hebrew word “spirit” (r-w-ch) was misread by a scribe as “David” (d-w-d), since the two words are similar in appearance in Hebrew. Contemporary English Version follows the lead of the Latin Vulgate and takes these words to mean that David “wanted to take his army there and capture Absalom.” This meaning is practically the opposite of what many other versions have understood. But there is some evidence that the Hebrew text can be understood in this way (so Goldman). Other versions have David “pining away for Absalom” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or indicate that “his anger against Absalom had subsided” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). This is a very difficult text, but the interpretation in Revised Standard Version is perhaps the best choice to follow. Compare also New Revised Standard Version, “And the heart of the king went out, yearning for Absalom; for he was now consoled over the death of Amnon.”

He was comforted: this passive form will be impossible in some languages. Anderson has “he had become reconciled to the fact that Amnon was dead.” The idea here is certainly that David’s grief had begun to lessen, and he did not feel as strongly about Amnon’s death as he had at first. Some may prefer to translate this verse “when David stopped feeling sorrowful about the death of Amnon and accepted the fact that he was dead, then he began to think about Absalom and wanted to see him again.”

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 does not repeat the information the son of Zeruiah, which has already been given in 2.13 and 8.16 (see also 1 Sam 26.6). If the repetition of such information is also considered awkward and unnatural in other languages, it may be omitted. On the other hand Good News Translation specifies that the king in question is “King David.”

Perceived: the verb used here is literally “knew,” but in some languages it may be necessary to give some idea of how this knowledge was attained. Almost certainly it was by the observation of the king’s words and actions. For this reason it is possible to translate this verb as “saw” (Revised English Bible) or “noticed” (Moffatt). In other languages it may be quite natural to translate literally “knew.”

The king’s heart went out to Absalom: this English idiom is used only here in Revised Standard Version. The Hebrew expression on which it is based is literally “the heart of the king on Absalom” and seems to mean that he was thinking very much about his son. Although there is no verb in the Hebrew, the verb “to be” may be understood. Anderson understands this expression to mean that “the king’s heart was still set against Absalom.” Anchor Bible, on the other hand, says “the king’s mind was on” Absalom but indicates that this does not mean that David had necessarily become positively inclined toward his son. If this is correct then the meaning expressed by Good News Translation is in error, and it is better to say “that David couldn’t stop thinking about Absalom” (Contemporary English Version). New American Bible speaks of Joab’s observing “how the king felt toward” Absalom without clarifying what those feelings were. Although several versions state that “the king was favorably inclined to Absalom” (New Jerusalem Bible), it is probably best to make the translation more neutral and indicate simply that David was thinking constantly about him. Some may translate this idea negatively as “the king could not forget 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 .

And translates the common Hebrew conjunction. Since verse 2 states what Joab did as a result of seeing how David felt about Absalom (verse 1), Good News Translation connects verse 2 to verse 1 with the English conjunction “so.”

Sent to Tekoa: some will have to say “sent someone to Tekoa” (New International Version) or “sent a messenger….” The name Tekoa is used in the Old Testament for a wilderness (2 Chr 20.20) and for a town (2 Chr 11.4) that was located about ten miles (sixteen kilometers) south of Bethlehem. In this case the reference is almost certainly to the town. In some languages it will be helpful to add the classifier term in an expression like “the town called Tekoa” (so Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

Fetched: the verb so translated may be better rendered “brought” (New International Version, New Revised Standard Version). But in some languages the verbs sent and fetched may be translated by a single verbal expression as in Good News Translation. Others may use a conjugated verb followed by an infinitive, “sent a servant to get [a certain wise woman…].”

A wise woman: or “a clever woman” (Moffatt). Note that the same expression is used in 20.16 in the story of Sheba’s rebellion. The translation should make it clear that this was not just any wise woman in the town of Tekoa but a specific person who had a reputation for wisdom. Some may prefer to say “a certain woman who was known to be very wise” or something similar.

Note that Good News Translation explicitly supplies the information “When she arrived” before going on to the instructions that Joab gave her. This information may need to be supplied in other languages as well.

Pretend to be a mourner: literally “cause yourself to mourn.” As in 13.5, where Jonadab urges Amnon to pretend to be ill, here the reflexive form of the verb is used as Joab asks the woman of Tekoa to make believe that she is mourning for someone who had died. The same kind of expression as was used in the earlier story can probably be used here.

Since the introductory words of Joab’s speech to the woman, Pretend to be a mourner, are a kind of summary of what follows, they are considered unnecessarily repetitious by some translators. The words behave like later in the verse carry the same meaning as pretend.

The Hebrew text contains a particle that may be translated “I pray thee” (Goldman, King James Version) or “please” (New American Standard Bible) but is not represented in Revised Standard Version or Good News Translation. It will be quite natural to include such an element in some languages, but it will probably come before the verb Pretend rather than after it.

Put on mourning garments: the Hebrew again contains the particle of entreaty after this verb, but neither Revised Standard Version nor Good News Translation attempt to translate it. The Hebrew noun translated garments is a general word used for a wide range of clothing. Here it refers to clothing such as the coarse sackcloth that was worn in times of mourning.

Do not anoint yourself with oil: this is the opposite of what a person would do to make himself or herself attractive to other people. Compare Ruth 3.3, where Ruth is encouraged to do this. Contemporary English Version‘s “don’t use any makeup” seems to be a needlessly modern expression, and Good News Translation‘s “don’t comb your hair” may be too limited. More in keeping with the culture of the Old Testament are “don’t put lotion on yourself” (New Century Version) or “don’t rub yourself with oil” (Anchor Bible).

Behave like: the verb used here is actually a form of the verb “to be.” In some cases this may have to be translated “I want you to be…,” or “you should be…,” or “you should appear as….”

Many days: this expression simply means “a long time” and may be so translated in some languages.

The dead: this, of course, does not refer to the dead in general but to some specific related person. For this reason it may be better to say “a relative who has died” or “the death of a loved one” (Contemporary English Version).

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 .

And: the conjunction here merely indicates the next step in the sequence of events.

Speak thus to him: literally “as this word.” The wording in the Revised Standard Version leads the reader to expect that Joab’s exact words will immediately follow. Since the text does not give these words, it will probably be better to say something like Good News Translation, or “repeat what I tell you” (Revised English Bible), or “talk to him using the words that I am going to give you.” Nueva Biblia Española includes all of verses 4-20 as the conversation that Joab instructs the woman to have with the king, but this interpretation seems improbable.

So: the conjunction here connects the direct quotation with the following indirect statement that Joab provided the words that the woman was to speak to David.

Put the words in her mouth: this is another well-known English idiom, but in this case it is based on a similar Hebrew idiom. The expression also occurs in Exo 4.15 (compare also Num 22.38 and Ezra 8.17). In some languages it will be better translated “told her what he wanted her to say” or “informed her of the things that she should speak to the king.” Probably Joab gave only very general instructions rather than a completely prepared speech to be memorized. As one commentator points out, there would have been no need to find a wise woman if only rote memory was involved. Compare Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, “Joab suggested to the woman what she should say.”

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 .

The woman of Tekoa: literally “the Tekoaite woman.” It may be considered unnecessary in some languages to repeat the words of Tekoa, since this information has just been given in verse 2.

Came to the king: most Hebrew manuscripts have “spoke to the king” (followed by King James Version, New American Standard Bible, and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), and Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {C} evaluation to this reading. But Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament acknowledges that even the reading of the majority of manuscripts may be translated “addressed the king.” And this may possibly have the meaning “came into the presence of the king.”

Fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance: see the comments on 9.6 and compare also 1 Sam 20.41. Both here and in 1 Sam 20.41, the word face is literally “nose.”

Help, O king: languages will differ with regard to the order of this short statement. Some will naturally put the address to the king before the plea for help. But others will find it easier to follow the order of Revised Standard Version and of the Hebrew original. And in some cases the plea for help will require a grammatical object as in Good News Translation, “Help me….” Others may have to say “I beg you to help me.” And instead of saying O king, a more natural equivalent such as “Your Majesty” may also be required.

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 .

Said: in this conversation the verb may be more naturally translated “asked.” The same verb is rendered “answered” by Revised Standard Version later in this verse.

The question “What is your trouble?” is more literally “What to you?” It has been translated “What is the matter?” (New Century Version) and “What do you want?” (Good News Translation). Other languages may have an equivalent that is very different in form but is perfectly appropriate for an authority figure to ask of a person who comes with a request for help. The same expression is used in the account of the siege of Samaria (2 Kgs 6.28).

Alas: the word so translated by Revised Standard Version is often left untranslated. It may also mean “indeed” and “truly.” Here it seems to focus attention on what is about to be said.

After having said I am a widow, the rest of the verse may be considered redundant—especially in languages where the expression for widow is something like “a woman whose husband has died.” However, in the original this repetition does serve to emphasize the woman’s supposed condition and to heighten the emotional effect. The Hebrew text does not have an equivalent word for the word “poor” in Good News Translation, but Good News Translation expresses in idiomatic English the sad condition of a woman in that culture with no husband to provide for her and to protect 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 .

Your handmaid: this is an indirect reference to herself which shows respect for the king. It will be most natural in many languages to translate this expression by the first person singular pronoun. The Hebrew noun translated handmaid is the same as that used in 1 Sam 1.18. A different noun is translated “handmaid” in 1 Sam 25.24 and “servant” in verse 15 below, but the two nouns are synonyms with no clear difference in meaning. The expression here is similar to “your servant” in 9.2 and 1 Sam 17.32-36. Good News Translation attempts to show the same degree of respect in a more natural way in English by beginning with the word “Sir.”

Good News Translation and some other common-language translations such as Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente and Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje also add “one day” to the speech of the woman, in order to make it flow more naturally.

The story told by the woman has parallels with the account of Cain and Abel in Gen 4. The two brothers were in the field, and they quarreled before one killed the other.

There was no one to part them: in some languages this may be better expressed “there was no person to stop the fight” or “no one was there to step between them.”

The verbs struck and killed may be rendered by a single verb in some languages. The idea is that the man killed his brother by means of a blow. But it is not clear whether the blow was with his hand or with some other instrument. In those languages that have different verbs for hitting with the fist and striking with an object, a choice will have to be made, and it may be better to show that an object was used.

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 .

That the family would attempt to kill a person who had murdered his own brother is in keeping with the law of Moses as found in Num 35.19-21. In other words the family members had the obligation to punish the brother (see the comments on verse 11 below).

And now: the Hebrew text actually begins with the particle often translated “behold.” This serves to focus the attention of the reader or hearer on what follows.

The whole family: the word used here refers to the extended family. Many English versions, including New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, and New American Bible, have “the whole clan.” See the comment on this Hebrew noun at 1 Sam 9.21.

Against your handmaid: that is, “against me.” See the comments on handmaid in the previous verse.

There is a direct quotation within another quotation here. This may be unnatural in many languages. So the internal quotation may be made indirect as Good News Translation has done.

Give up: the verb used here is actually the ordinary one meaning “give.” Its use in this context seems to imply that the woman had been hiding or protecting her remaining son. Goldman has translated it “deliver,” while others have the English idiom “hand over” (Revised English Bible, New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). But many languages may prefer a rather literal rendering like “give us the man…” (Anchor Bible).

The man who struck his brother: the verb struck in this expression means “killed” and should probably be so translated in most languages. Hebrew uses two synonymous verbs in this verse, which Revised Standard Version renders struck and slew (see the comments on 12.9). And the man will be more appropriately translated “the son” or “your son.” If the quotation within the quotation is made indirect, this will be “my son,” since the mother is speaking.

The information regarding the responsibility or obligation of the relatives may not be known to many readers today, and for this reason Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente may provide a good model for the first part of this verse:
“… and they say to me, ‘Turn over the murderer to us. We must kill him in order to vindicate his brother whom he murdered.’ ”

And so they would destroy the heir also: according to Revised Standard Version these words are not a part of the quotation of what the clan members say, but New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, and many other modern versions rightly include this as a part of what the avengers say: “ ‘… even if we destroy the heir as well’ ” (New Revised Standard Version). They wanted revenge for the man’s death. In fact some take this to mean that they actually wanted to kill the heir so that they (the other clan members) could take over the family wealth. This seems to be the most likely meaning of the Hebrew text as it stands. The word heir refers to the person who would take over the possessions of the family and also have the responsibility of family leadership.

Quench my coal which is left: this image comes from the practice of starting fires in the morning from hot coals left over from the night before. This figurative expression clearly refers to the destruction of the woman’s only hope for a surviving son to carry on as head of the family. If the figurative expression is likely to be understood in this way, it may be retained. But if readers are likely to understand it in some other way, then a more straightforward translation of the meaning is recommended. In some cases it may be possible to change the form slightly while at the same time retaining a meaningful image. Contemporary English Version, for example, has “Please don’t let them put out my only flame of hope!” Another possible model is that of New Century Version, which spells out clearly the comparison between the son and the fire, “My son is like the last spark of a fire. He is all I have left. If they kill him….”

Neither name nor remnant: the two nouns here do not refer to two different things but rather to the continuation of the family name in the person of a descendant. This may be translated “a person to carry on my husband’s name.” The term used for remnant is found in Gen 45.7 and frequently in the later writings of the Old Testament.

Upon the face of the earth: see the comments on this expression in 1 Sam 20.15.

A number of biblical scholars think that the order of the Hebrew text as we have it today is unacceptable because of a scribal error. According to these experts the text should be corrected by transposing verses 15-17 to this point in the story. This is done by Anderson, Anchor Bible, and Moffatt’s translation. However, this structure is far from certain, and translators are advised to retain the traditional ordering of the text.

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 .