Then: the common conjunction is rendered in Good News Translation and several other modern versions by simply beginning a new paragraph. This may be the best approach in many other languages.

Came into the house to the king: it is uncertain what the house refers to in this case. Possibly David remained where he was when he first heard the news of Absalom’s death. There is no mention of his going elsewhere. In this case the house seems to refer to the room over the gate described in 18.33. But other interpreters think that he had returned to “his residence” (New American Bible) or “his quarters” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Others, however, take the whole expression to be less specific, meaning that Joab simply went “indoors to the king” (Anchor Bible) or “inside to the king” (New Jerusalem Bible). This seems somewhat more likely.

Covered with shame the faces of all your servants: the Hebrew verb may be translated simply “shamed” or “caused shame” rather than covered with shame. The face is often associated with feelings of shame (compare Psa 83.16 and Ezek 7.18). But it may be quite unnatural to include the word for faces in the translation of this expression. Some languages may say “You have caused all your soldiers to see [feel] shame” or “All your soldiers have become ashamed because of your mourning.”

It is quite possible that there is a certain amount of exaggeration in Joab’s statement. It is doubtful whether Absalom would have killed all the people mentioned, even if he had been completely victorious. But it was not uncommon for rebel leaders to kill the entire royal family of the deposed (compare 1 Kgs 15.29-30; 16.11; and 2 Kgs 10.6-7). However, the point is that the men loyal to David had risked their lives to save him and those close to him. But they were now feeling ashamed rather than proud.

On the translation of concubines see the comments on 3.7 and 5.13.

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 .

While Revised Standard Version reflects the Hebrew in continuing the sentence begun in the previous verse, it may be better in many languages to follow the model of Good News Translation and begin a new sentence at this point.

The terms love and hate are frequently used in the Old Testament for loyalty and disloyalty in a political sense. Contemporary English Version says “you’re more loyal to your enemies than to your friends.” See the comments on 1 Sam 16.21; 20.17.

The Hebrew verb translated you have made it clear simply means “to make [something] known.” Contemporary English Version reads “What you’ve done today has shown your officers and soldiers that they don’t mean a thing to you.”

Commanders and servants: these two terms refer to those who were leaders in battle and the men who followed their orders. In some languages translators may say “warrior chiefs and warriors” or “men who lead in battle and those who followed.”

Are nothing to you: in some languages it will be more natural to change the structure of this part of the verse to say “you care nothing at all about [the military leaders and soldiers].”

I perceive: this verb may be better rendered in some languages as “I think” or “I believe.” But others may easily say “see.” It may be better placed following the “if” clause rather than before it. On the other hand, the “then” clause may be moved forward in the verse in other languages. Some possible models are “If Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, then I believe you would be very pleased” or “I think you would be very happy today if Absalom were here and we had all died in battle.”

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 therefore: more literally “And now.” But there is certainly a logical connection between what Joab has just said and his admonition to David in this verse.

Arise, go: used in series with a second verb as in this case, the verb arise does not necessarily imply getting up from a sitting or prone position. It emphasizes that the person should immediately begin the action of the second verb. Revised English Bible attempts to show this emphasis with “at once.” See the comments on this use of the verb arise in the introduction, “Translating the Books of Samuel,” page 20.

Speak kindly to: literally “speak to the heart of” (so Fox). This is translated by the verb “reassure” in Moffatt and New Jerusalem Bible as well as Good News Translation. Revised English Bible has rendered it “give … some encouragement,” and Contemporary English Version says “thank them for what they did.” The same expression is used in Gen 50.21; Isa 40.2.

Your servants: that is, “your troops,” the people who had fought in the battle against Absalom’s rebellious forces. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh translates “your followers,” while New Jerusalem Bible has “your soldiers.”

I swear by the LORD: this is a way of emphasizing the solemnity of what is about to be said. In some languages it may be better to leave this to the very end of the statement.

Not a man will stay with you: Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente expresses the meaning positively and clearly, although somewhat less emphatically, with “they will abandon you.” The soldiers will immediately cease to be loyal to David if he does not reassure them. In order to retain the emphasis of the original, translators may consider this model: “[before dark] every one of your soldiers will desert you.”

All the evil that has come upon you: or “all the bad things that have ever happened to you.” The misfortunes of David’s life up to this point included the death of his child by Bathsheba (12.15-23), the rape of his daughter Tamar by his son Amnon (13.1-21) and vengeful murder of Amnon by Absalom’s men (13.23-38), and the rebellion and death of Absalom (chapters 15–18). Joab had been closely involved in all these matters, but he was now warning David that things would be much worse if he failed to encourage the troops that had made him victorious over the rebels in his kingdom.

From your youth until now: there may be many different ways of expressing the idea contained in these words. Some English renderings are “in all your life” (Good News Translation) and “since your earliest days” (Revised English Bible). Contemporary English Version restructures the last part of this verse as “You may have had a lot of troubles in the past, but this will be the worst thing that has ever happened to you!”

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 .

Then: the common conjunction here merely serves to join the description of King David’s action to the preceding account.

Arose, and took his seat: this may sound very strange if the implied action of David’s going to the gate is not made explicit in the receptor language. It will be prudent to add something like “went to the city gate” between the two verbs describing his getting up and his sitting down. The words took his seat translate a verb meaning “he sat down.” The English should not be misunderstood to mean that he carried a chair or some other kind of seat to the gate. The gate refers, of course, to the city gate (see the comments on 18.24).

The people were all told: literally “all the people were told, saying.” The passive construction may be translated actively as “all the people learned [or, heard]” or possibly “the news spread to all the people.” And the actual news, which is given as a direct quotation in Revised Standard Version, may sound more natural if it is transformed into an indirect statement. New Century Version renders this whole verse as “The news spread that the king was sitting at the gate. So everyone came to see him there.” Here, as often in 1 and 2 Samuel, the people refers specifically to “the army” (Revised English Bible), or “the soldiers” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). All the people may be translated “the whole army” (New Jerusalem Bible).

The last part of this verse is included in the next section. So the new section heading comes in the middle of this verse in Good News Translation. Other versions and commentaries that divide the text similarly are New American Bible, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Contemporary English Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Anchor Bible, and Anderson.

Now is appropriately translated as “Meanwhile” by Revised English Bible as well as Good News Translation. What follows is really a repetition of information given in 18.17, and the story is resumed here from that point and a different aspect taken up.

In this context the term Israel is again used to refer to the forces that had been loyal to Absalom. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente translates Israel as “the followers of Absalom,” and such a translation may avoid any possible confusion, since those who followed David were also Israelites.

As in 18.17 the word home translates the Hebrew word “tent,” but “home” is an appropriate translation 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 .

The expression all the people is one that is sometimes used for an army (see, for example, 1 Sam 13.22; 23.8; 2 Sam 12.29), but in this case it apparently refers more broadly to people in general. If translators have been following the interpretation of these chapters in which Israel refers to the northern tribes only, then they should say here “the northern tribes” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). The distinction made in verse 11 between the tribe of Judah and the tribes of Israel makes it almost certain that the tribes of Israel here must refer to “the northern tribes of Israel.”

Were at strife: the verb so translated is used in a wide variety of ways in the Old Testament, but in this context it seems clear enough that the idea is “arguing” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New International Version, and New American Bible), “discussing” (Revised English Bible), or “disputing” (New Revised Standard Version). Some other ways this has been expressed in English versions are “all was dissension” and “began to argue” (New Century Version).

Saying: in many cases it will be necessary to indicate to whom this was said. The most obvious solution is to add something like “to each other,” since this is in the context of a debate or quarrel between different individuals and groups of people.

As in previous passages the hand of our enemies and the hand of the Philistines refers to the power of those who opposed Israel. It will be better in most languages not to translate this literally. The Hebrew word rendered hand is not the usual word for hand, but is rather the word for the palm of the hand. Here, however, it is used as a synonym for the more common word for hand. A more dynamic rendering of the whole expression may be a word like “oppression” or “persecution.”

The two Hebrew verbs translated delivered and saved in Revised Standard Version are translated saved and rescued in Good News Translation. The two verbs are synonyms here, and it is difficult to find any intended distinction in meaning. Revised English Bible says “saved” and “freed,” while New Jerusalem Bible says “freed” and “saved.”

The land refers to the territory of Israel. In some languages it will be necessary to say “our country” or more specifically “the land of Israel.”

From Absalom: Absalom, of course, is now dead, and this may need to be stated in translation. Compare Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, which combines verses 10 and 11, “David had to flee from his royal palace because of Absalom whom we made king, but now Absalom is dead.”

Contemporary English Version restructures verses 9 and 10 so that there are elements from verse 10 that come before certain parts of verse 9. If such restructuring is found necessary in the receptor language, the verse numbers will have to be combined. The two verses actually give a brief history of the troubles in Israel in the form of a direct quotation. The Contemporary English Version restructuring of 8b-10 is as follows:

• After Israel’s soldiers had all gone back home, everyone in Israel started arguing. They were saying to each other, “King David rescued us from the Philistines and from our other enemies. But then we chose Absalom to be our new leader, and David had to leave the country to get away. Absalom died in battle, so why hasn’t something been done to bring David back?”

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 .

Regarding the meaning of anointed, see the comments on 1 Sam 2.10.

Now therefore: this introduces the conclusion of the discussion that was going on among the Israelites. The following question is a direct result of the facts laid out in verses 9 and 10a.

Why do you say nothing…? The most important matter involved in understanding this question is to determine to whom the second person plural pronoun you refers. Since this is part of an ongoing argument between various people or factions in Israel, the blame was probably thrown back and forth. The question was “Why hasn’t something been done?” (Contemporary English Version), or “Why have we no plans for bringing the king back?” (Revised English Bible), or “Why does no one suggest that the king be brought back?” (New Jerusalem Bible). New Century Version makes a positive statement in place of the question, translating “We should make David king again.”

The king, of course, refers to David, and it will be wise to make this explicit in the receptor language if there is any danger of confusion on the part of the reader.

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 order of the various elements in this verse is changed by certain ancient translations, including the Septuagint, and by one manuscript of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Good News Translation follows that order rather than the traditional Hebrew text (reflected by Revised Standard Version). Good News Translation places at the beginning of the verse the part about David learning the news of what the Israelites were saying, and this is the more logical position. This order is also adopted by New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Revised English Bible, Contemporary English Version, Anchor Bible, and Anderson, although in some cases the element under discussion is made a part of the previous verse. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives an {A} rating to the order of the Masoretic Text, but even if this restructuring is not done on the basis of textual information, it can be done for translational reasons, since the fact that David learned the news of the discussion in Israel must have preceded his sending word to Zadok and Abiathar.

Another problem in this verse is the fact that one direct quotation is placed within a larger quotation, and such a construction is often difficult in certain languages. The solution is to make one of the quotations indirect, as has been done in Good News Translation.

Sent this message: literally “sent … saying.” A number of modern translations say “sent word to….”

The elders: see the comments on 1 Sam 4.3. The Hebrew text leaves implicit that these two priests must first call the elders together before they can speak to them. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch makes this explicit, saying “Call the elders of the tribe of Judah together and….”

The last: both New Century Version and Contemporary English Version make it clear that this refers to “the last tribe” to consider the restoration of David as king.

Bring the king back: the return of David to Jerusalem would be certain confirmation that he was again considered king of all Israel and Judah. New American Bible translates “to restore the king to his palace.” The reference to his house here is clearly to the palace in Jerusalem, from which David had fled to get away from Absalom (see 15.14-16). If this is a direct quotation from David himself, it will be unnatural in many languages for him to refer to himself as the king. In most cases the best translation will be the first person singular object pronoun, “me,” as Good News Translation does in the following verse. Or perhaps it is better to say “me as your king” in this case.

All Israel may be rendered “the northern tribes” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente) in this context, as in 18.17.

After the words has come to the king, the Masoretic Text has the words “to his house” (New American Standard Bible). Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament suggests that these additional words are an error in the Masoretic Text and should not be translated, giving a {C} rating to the Septuagint, which omits them.

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 .

You are my bone and my flesh: this is merely another way of talking about kinship and emphasizing the physical relationship. It stands in apposition with my kinsmen. Different languages have very different ways of communicating this idea, but it is rare indeed that the receptor language will correspond perfectly with the Hebrew expression. For this reason a literal translation is not recommended. Good News Translation has altered the Hebrew my bone and my flesh to the somewhat similar English idiom “my own flesh and blood.” Some languages may say something like “we come from the same ancestor,” “we are [members of] one tribe,” or “we have the same blood.” Compare 5.1 as well as Gen 2.23; 29.14; Judges 9.2. In this context, however, in which the contrast is between the southern tribe of Judah and the northern tribes of Israel, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch may provide a more meaningful model, with “You are comrades from my tribe.”

The final question is a repetition of what has just been said in the previous verse. See the comments there about the translation of the king in a quotation from David himself.

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 .