They crossed the Jordan: that is, they crossed the Jordan River, moving from the west to the east.

The Masoretic Text here reads “They crossed the Jordan and encamped in Aroer on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the valley the Gad and to Jazer.” A number of modern translations follow the MT in reading “encamped” (New International Version, New Century Version, Fox, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, as well as Good News Translation). The Masoretic Text says “on the right side of the city,” which is taken to mean “on the south side of the city” (New Century Version) or “south of the city [or, town]” (New American Bible/New International Version). Fox translates the Masoretic Text as “encamped in Aroʾer, south of the town that is in the midst of the wadi of Gad toward Yaʾzer.”

The reading began from is based on a reconstruction of the Hebrew text which is based on the ancient Greek translation. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament recommends “began,” giving this correction of the Masoretic Text a {B} rating, and this correction is followed by many translations (for example, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, An American Translation, and Contemporary English Version). According to the Greek text followed by Revised Standard Version, there were two separate cities that served as the starting point of the census: Aroer and another city that was located in the middle of the valley. The translation from the is based on a small correction of the Hebrew text in which the Hebrew word meaning “right” is changed to the Hebrew word meaning “and from.” Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament recommends the reading “and from,” which is followed by Revised Standard Version and a number of other versions (New Jerusalem Bible, Anchor Bible, and Contemporary English Version). This seems to indicate a double starting point for the census taking. Other Old Testament passages also mention an unnamed city in the middle of a valley together with Aroer (see Deut 2.36; Josh 8.9, 16).

Aroer was a city on the north bank of the river Arnon. This river formed the southern border of the territory of Israel on that side of the Jordan.

Gad refers to an entire tribal territory (see 1 Sam 13.7), while Jazer was a small border town of the tribe of Gad that is mentioned in Josh 13.25 and Num 21.24, 32. In both cases it will be advisable to add classifier terms so that the readers know that Gad is a territory and Jazer is a town.

The idea of going north was probably implied for the original readers who knew the geography of the area, but for modern readers in other parts of the world, it will be a good idea to add this information as Good News Translation has done.

In view of the numerous difficulties in this verse, the following model is presented as a summary of what is recommended by the writers of this Handbook:

• They crossed over the Jordan river and began [counting] at the city of Aroer and at another city in the middle of the valley. They went through the territory of Gad. And from there they went north to the town of Jazer ….

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 .

Gilead should be identified as a territory rather than a town, since this is information that was clearly understood by the original readers and hearers.

This verse deals almost exclusively with geographical place names and contains three separate textual problems:

1. To Kadesh in the land of the Hittites: instead of this, the Masoretic Text reads “to the land of Tahtim-hodshi” (King James Version, New American Standard Bible, New International Version, Jewish Publication Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, and Fox). And, attempting to translate the same text, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible speaks of “the low countries at Hodshi.” New American Bible has “the district below Mount Hermon,” and Contemporary English Version has a similar meaning, “to Kadesh in Syria.” But this is based on a conjecture, and translators are not advised to follow it. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament recommends with a {C} rating the text as reconstructed by Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, which is also followed by many other modern versions, including Revised English Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, and New Jerusalem Bible. Kadesh should be identified as a city or town located within the territory of the Hittite people.

2. To Dan, and from Dan: this Revised Standard Version translation is based on a conjecture with no direct manuscript support, but it is followed by many modern versions, including New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Stuttgarter Erklärungsbibel, and Good News Translation. The Masoretic Text, which is recommended by Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament with a {B} rating, reads “to Dan-jaan” (so Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Jewish Publication Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, and Fox). Though Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament recommends that the Masoretic Text be followed, it also acknowledges that the name “Jaan” is probably an error and should read “Iyyon,” which is a town north of Dan mentioned in 1 Kgs 15.20. This latter is the basis for the translations “to Dan and Iyyon” (Revised English Bible) and, similarly, “to Dan, Ijon…” (Contemporary English Version).

3. They went around to Sidon: the Masoretic Text has an adverb here that means “all around,” and Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to this text. Some translations, however, follow the Septuagint, which has a verb meaning “they turned about” or “they turned.” Most likely the reading of the Septuagint simply represents an attempt to make sense of the Hebrew and does not provide evidence that a verb originally existed in the Hebrew. The meaning of “around to Sidon” seems to be that they turned west toward Sidon. Possible translations of this meaning include “they skirted Sidon” (Anchor Bible) and “and around to Sidon” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Several versions have them going “toward Sidon” (New International Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Nueva Biblia Española, and Contemporary English Version). It seems logical that the census takers would have avoided going directly to Tyre and Sidon, since these were non-Israelite cities, and they were supposed to be counting the people of Israel. But the following verse says clearly that they did come to the city of Tyre. And it is possible that there were Israelites living in these two Phoenician cities who needed to be included in the census. The sense seems to be that they had turned north and now they were turning west toward Sidon; that is, they were “going around the circuit,” not that they “went around” or bypassed the city of Sidon. So it is perhaps best to translate “they went on through the city of Sidon” or “continuing the circuit, they arrived in Sidon” (em>Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

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 .

For modern readers Good News Translation again supplies geographical information (“went south”) that was understood by people who knew the relative locations of towns and regions in the area. This may also be helpful to readers in other languages.

The fortress of Tyre: since this is a reference to a city that happened to be fortified and not to a mere military fortification, it will be better to follow the Good News Translation model here and make it clear that Tyre was in fact a city.

The Hivites and Canaanites may be identified as people groups who were not Israelites. The Hivites were the original inhabitants of the towns of Shechem and Gibeon. The other various inhabitants of the land called Canaan were naturally called Canaanites. But there were Israelites living in their cities, so David’s census takers had to visit them as well.

Since Beer-sheba was the end of the tour, Good News Translation makes this explicit by adding the word “finally.” Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente provides another way of indicating that this was the end of the census taking: “The tour ended at Beersheba….”

The Negeb of Judah: The term Negeb refers to the southern part of the territory of Judah, which was dry and desertlike. Translators are advised to translate this meaning rather than perpetuating the transliteration of this term. Contemporary English Version goes a step further than Good News Translation by making it clear that the region was a desert: “the Southern Desert of Judah.”

Beer-sheba: see 3.10 and 17.11 as well as verse 2 above.

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: this translates the common Hebrew conjunction that is more often rendered “and” but is sometimes left untranslated (New Jerusalem Bible and Contemporary English Version). But since this is a kind of summary statement, some kind of transition word may be required in the receptor language. Translators should consider what kind of transition will be most suitable in their own language in such a context.

The structure of this verse is changed in Good News Translation (and New Century Version) so that the time reference (nine months and twenty days) comes much earlier. This seems to be more natural in English and may also be an appropriate shift in other languages as well. But it may be better in some cases to make a separate sentence at the end of the verse, stating that “It had taken them nine months and twenty days to complete the counting.”

Came to Jerusalem: that is, “came back” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and New Century Version) to Jerusalem, which had been their starting point before they left the presence of King David (verse 4). It will be more appropriate in many languages to use a verb like “returned,” as Good News Translation and many other English versions have 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 .

As has been noted at the beginning of this section, the Hebrew noun translated the people in Revised Standard Version refers specifically to soldiers, that is, to men old enough to fight for the king. New International Version again says “the number of the fighting men.”

Gave the sum of the numbering: this rather awkward wording in English is replaced in New Revised Standard Version by “reported … the number of those who had been recorded.” It is almost certainly incorrect to translate as in New Century Version, “gave a list of the people to the king.” This implies a register of more than a million names. But the meaning of the text is almost certainly that total numbers were presented to David rather than a complete list of names.

The numbers given do not correspond to those in the account in 1 Chronicles, where they are given as 1,100,000 for Israel and 470,000 for Judah. The wording, however, is different in 1 Chronicles (21.5), and various explanations have been given for the different figures. Translators must, however, translate the numbers as they stand in both cases, since there is no justification for harmonizing them.

In either case the numbers seem rather high, and some scholars have interpreted the word that is normally translated “thousands” as representing military units considerable smaller than a thousand men. But virtually all translations retain the rendering “thousands.”

Valiant men who drew the sword: the only difference between this phrase in 2 Samuel and the corresponding one in the account in 1 Chronicles is the presence of the word translated valiant here. The term actually has more to do with ability than with valor. Revised English Bible, like Good News Translation, uses the word “capable,” while other versions include this meaning in the verb, saying “who can serve in the army” (Contemporary English Version) or “who could wield the sword” (New Jerusalem Bible). New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh speaks of soldiers who are “ready to draw the sword.”

As noted in verse 1, Israel and Judah refer to the tribes of the north and to the southern tribe, Judah. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente may provide a helpful model, with “in Israel, to the north, … in Judah, to the south, five hundred thousand.”

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 first part of this verse repeats certain elements in the previous verses, showing that the prophet fulfilled rather precisely what the LORD had instructed him to do.

Told him, and said to him is a literal translation of the Hebrew. Good News Translation expresses the sense: first Gad told David what the LORD had said, and then Gad said, that is, “asked” him the three questions. The pronouns you and your in this verse are all second person singular.

The three alternatives begin as questions, Shall …, will you flee …, and shall there be …, but in most languages it will be better to begin with an overall question like “Which do you prefer…?” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “What do you choose among these three things:…?” Then it will be possible to list the three choices, beginning each one with “Do you want…?”

Three years: this translates the Septuagint and agrees with the Hebrew parallel in 1 Chr 21.12. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, however, recommends the reading of the Masoretic Text, “seven years,” giving it a {B} evaluation. While many versions seem to prefer the reading of Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation (including New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Century Version, Osty-Trinquet,Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Nueva Biblia Española, Stuttgarter Erklärungsbibel), many other translations adopt the reading of the Masoretic Text: New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Bible en français courant, La Bible Pléiade, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, and Contemporary English Version. It is easy to see how copyists may have harmonized this figure with the two other cases of the number “three” in this verse. But the parallel in 1 Chr 21.12 as well as the ancient Greek version clearly have “three.” Given the uncertainty of the text, translators may do well to use the figure found in the most commonly used versions in their area.

Pestilence: the same term is translated “plague” in Exo 9.3 (compare also Lev 26.25). This term refers to a contagious or infectious epidemic disease that is very deadly and destructive. In some languages it may have to be translated “a terrible sickness that will kill many people.”

Consider, and decide: or “think about these three possibilities and choose one.”

What answer I shall return: or “how I am to answer” (New Jerusalem Bible), or “what reply I shall take back” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

To him who sent me: this clearly refers to Yahweh, and in some languages it will be better to avoid any uncertainty by saying “to the LORD who sent me” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente), or possibly simply “to the LORD.”

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: this verb may be better translated “answered” as in Good News Translation, in view of the context.

In great distress: more literally “very cramped.” King James Version translates “in a great strait.” The meaning is very similar to the English idioms “to be in a tight spot” or “to be in a bind.” Knox attempts to convey this idea with “I am hard pressed on all sides.” And Moffatt says “I am in a terrible difficulty.” Revised English Bible translates “This is a desperate plight I am in.” Several versions focus on the result of being in such a difficult position: “I am very apprehensive” (New Jerusalem Bible). And instead of making this a part of a direct quotation from David, Contemporary English Version places this element outside the quotation marks, translating “David was really frightened.”

The words let us fall and let me not fall … reflect verb forms that show that David is expressing his decision in the face of the choices presented to him. He does not specifically state which of the three alternatives he prefers. Instead he says simply that his preference is to be punished by God rather than by human beings. Although the second option (running away from enemy forces) may be thought to be human punishment, clearly the first (famine) and third (pestilence) were seen as being of divine origin. The context indicates that it is indeed the third punishment that actually occurred. The pronoun us includes all of Israel, not just David and Gad.

Fall into the hand of the LORD … hand of man: the image of the hand may not be appropriate in certain languages. As in other contexts, this really refers to the punishment which God would bring and the punishment which human beings would bring upon Israel. Some interpreters have understood this whole statement to mean that David decided to leave it up to the LORD to decide which of the three alternatives to set in motion.

The ancient Greek version adds the words “So David chose the pestilence. It was the time of the wheat harvest.” Some interpreters consider this addition to be part of the original text, and it is included in some modern translations (for example, New American Bible and New Jerusalem Bible), but translators are not advised to follow such models in this case.

It may be better to say “I want the LORD himself be the one to decide how he will punish us” instead of Good News Translation‘s “let the LORD himself be the one to punish us,” since each of the possible punishments would have been from the LORD.

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 .