Revised Standard Version and New Revised Standard Version follow the Septuagint in adding the words to me, which are lacking in the Masoretic Text. It is not clear whether other translations (Revised English Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible) that include these words have followed the Septuagint also, or whether they have simply provided these words to complete the sense. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives an {A} rating to the Masoretic Text, but translators should include or exclude the words to me on the basis of their language requirements rather than on the basis of textual evidence.

Forsaking … and serving: literally “and they forsook me and they served other gods.” This clause in Hebrew functions to explain what has preceded. That is, this clause explains what is meant by the words all the deeds which they have done [to me].

The structure of this long, complicated sentence in Revised Standard Version follows the Hebrew, but it may be too complex to be translated literally into other languages. There are two main parts to this sentence: (1) a comparison of Israel’s treatment of Samuel and of Yahweh in the first and last elements in the verse, and (2) a historical reference to Israel’s past in the middle of the verse. These may be translated by two separate sentences. A possible model for this is the following:

• These people are treating you the same way they have habitually treated me. They have abandoned me and worshiped other gods beginning from the time I rescued them from the land of Egypt up to the present day.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Hearken to their voice: or “do what they ask” (New Jerusalem Bible). See the comments on this idiom in verse 7, and compare also verse 22 below.

The warnings that follow recall the words of Deut 17.16-17. The Hebrew text says the king, but the singular is used collectively, and the reference seems to be to any and all kings who will rule over them. For this reason Good News Translation says “their kings.”

The word only is the same as in 1.23. The Hebrew adverb strongly emphasizes the importance of what follows, and at the same time marks a sharp contrast. Yet in some cases the best translation may be a simple “however” or “but” (New American Bible and Revised English Bible as well as Good News Translation).

You shall solemnly warn them: literally “to warn you shall warn them.” The emphatic nature of the Hebrew is expressed in various ways in English: Revised Standard Version says solemnly warn, Good News Translation has “give them strict warning,” and Fox says “indeed, you are to warn, yes warn them.”

Show them the ways of the king: Samuel is instructed to inform or explain to the people of Israel what it will be like when they actually get what they are asking for. This is not totally separate from the solemn warning mentioned in the preceding verb. Rather the explanation itself should serve as a warning. So the conjunction and between the two elements may not be appropriate. In some cases the following translation may be best: “warn them by telling them what the king will be like when he rules over them.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

So: this translates the common Hebrew conjunction, which may be taken as a logical connector (New Revised Standard Version also), as a temporal connector (“Then”), or simply omitted. Naturalness in the receptor language should determine which option is followed.

All the words is probably not to be taken as a special emphasis on each individual word spoken by the LORD. Rather it merely means “everything that the LORD had said” (Good News Translation) or “[the message] in full” (New American Bible).

As noted in 1.20, the name “Saul” comes from the same root as the verb “to ask.” The original readers would have seen a play on words here in the verb were asking and the fact that Saul was their first king. However, such a play on words can seldom be retained in a translation; a footnote may be useful.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

The structure of the initial sentence of Samuel’s explanation may need to be reordered in some languages. The sentence serves as an introduction to the more detailed list of royal rights that continues through verse 17. Some other ways of translating it are “Here is a list of things that your king will do,” “If you have a king, this is how he will treat you” (Contemporary English Version), or “the rights of the king who will rule you will be as follows:…” (New American Bible).

The word translated ways is the same as in verses 3 and 9. It is elsewhere translated “custom” (2.13), “rights,” (10.25), and “ordinance” (30.25). In this context the idea of “habit” or “custom” probably fits best.

He will take: these are keywords in verses 11-18, occurring six times (verses 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17). If possible the receptor language should preserve the repetition of this verb, which expresses a negative attitude toward the future king’s actions. The sense in each of these six statements is that the king will act without regard for the desires of the people. Good News Translation‘s “He will make soldiers of your sons” does not adequately capture the negative force of the Hebrew. It may be better expressed “he will take your sons and make them serve as soldiers.”

In this context chariots and horsemen must be understood as military terms (as also in 1 Kgs 9.22 and 1 Sam 13.5). For this reason Good News Translation and Bible en français courant speak of “war chariots” and “cavalry.” See also Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, which also say “cavalry.” The law of Deuteronomy (17.16) prohibited kings from having chariots and cavalry forces.

To run before his chariots: in some languages this may be misunderstood to mean that the young men would eventually be run down by the chariots and killed. Since this is not the case, translators should seek to clarify the meaning by translating something like “to serve as bodyguards running ahead of his chariots” or “to clear the way for his chariots.” See the fulfillment of these words during the time of David’s sons Absalom (2 Sam 15.1) and Adonijah (1 Kgs 1.5). These “runners” were royal guards who protected the doors of the palace and the room where the king’s treasures were kept. In 1 Kgs 14.27-28, Revised Standard Version calls them “the guard” (literally “the runners”).

The word chariots itself may present problems for translators in cultures where such vehicles are unknown. A chariot of the type depicted in the Old Testament is a light, open, two-wheeled vehicle pulled by one or more horses and used in battle. It is distinguished from the “cart,” or “wagon,” used in the transportation of the Covenant Box (6.7-12), which was a heavier vehicle with four wheels.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties: the Hebrew word translated commanders has a wide range of meanings and must be translated according to the context each time. The term is used of leaders or officials in civil, military, and religious functions. It is used of military commanders here (see also, for example, 12.9; 14.50; 17.18, 55; 18.13; 2 Sam 2.8; 4.2). Revised Standard Version sometimes renders this same Hebrew term “princes” (see 18.30 and 2 Sam 10.3), although it does not mean being the son of a king.

Thousands was a standard military unit (see also 17.18 and 18.13), as was a unit of fifty soldiers (see 2 Kgs 1.9, 11, 13). The Septuagint reads “commanders of hundreds and commanders of thousands.” New American Bible follows the Septuagint here, reading “hundred” rather than “fifty,” but translators should follow the Masoretic Text here, as do most versions.

To plow his ground and to reap his harvest: literally “to plow his plowing and to harvest his harvest.” The third person singular pronouns are important here, since the work of plowing the soil and harvesting the crops is for the benefit of the king and not for those doing the work. In languages that have benefactive verb forms, they may be used here, but it will be important to show that the king would be the one to benefit from the labor of the people.

The words implements and equipment may be difficult for some translators. In some cases implements of war will become “soldiers’ things” or “things for war.” And equipment may also have to be translated by a very general term like “gear” (New Jerusalem Bible) or even “things.” This probably refers to the items necessary to attach the horses to the chariots.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

He will take: see the comments on verse 11.

Perfumers, that is, someone who mixes or blends ointments to be used for anointing or for wearing as perfume. New American Bible renders this term “ointment-makers,” and Fox says “ointment-mixers.” The same term occurs in Neh 3.8 and in Exo 30.25, 34.

In many languages the nouns perfumers and cooks and bakers will be more naturally rendered as verb phrases. So the whole verse may read “he will take your daughters and force them to make perfume and cook food and bake bread.” While it is not specifically stated as it was in the previous verse, the king is again seen to be the one to benefit from this work. Good News Translation makes this implied information explicit by adding “for him” and “his,” so that this verse conforms to the overall pattern of this passage.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Saul, the first king of Israel, will do just what Samuel here warned the people that a king would do (see 22.7). He will take: see the comments on verse 11.

The best may be difficult to translate in certain languages. This English superlative reflects the plural form of the Hebrew adjective meaning “good,” preceded by the definite article. In some languages the superlative idea may be expressed by something like “what is good surpassing all other parts.”

The fields mentioned here were most likely those in which grain (such as wheat and barley) was grown.

Vineyards are areas where grapevines are grown in order to produce grapes for the making of wine. They are generally on fertile ground that gets plenty of sun. The vines in question sometimes grow to be quite large, so that a person may “sit under his vine” (Micah 4.4).

Olive orchards are groups of trees that produce olives from which olive oil is made. These trees grow slowly but live for a very long time. Olive oil was used in a wide variety of ways in Old Testament times, including the anointing of kings.

The Hebrew noun rendered servants may refer to domestic servants, but this term also has a wide range of uses, indicating various types of subordination. In 1 and 2 Samuel this noun frequently refers to officers of a king or of a military commander. In this context it is rather unlikely that confiscated lands would be given to domestic servants. In such contexts Good News Translation usually translates with the term “officials” (see, for example, 18.22, 24, 26; 19.1; 21.11). Some other possible translations here are “courtiers” (New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) and “attendants” (New International Version).

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

The people are already required by the law to give a tenth of their produce to support the temple and priesthood (so Deut 14.22-29; 26.12-14). Now the king also will take a tenth of their produce and a tenth of their flock (verse 17).

He will take the tenth: literally “he will tithe” (New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible), meaning that the king would seize ten percent of what was produced by the fields of grain and by the vineyards that had not been taken over by the king. In other contexts the verb means “give a tenth,” but here the obvious meaning is “take a tenth.” Compare Gen 28.22; Deut 14.22; 26.12; Neh 10.37-38.

Officers and … servants: the word rendered officers in Revised Standard Version and “court officers” in Good News Translation is the same word translated “eunuchs” by Revised Standard Version in the book of Esther (for example, 1.10, 12, 15). Revised English Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, and New American Bible say “eunuchs” here in verse 15. Eunuchs were castrated men who were commonly used both domestically and politically in the service of the king. The term “eunuch” is sometimes a taboo word, and it may have a very disrespectful meaning, or the practice may be completely unknown. It may then be necessary either to find an appropriate euphemism or to use a descriptive phrase. The significance of the term in this context is not, however, that these were castrated men, but that they were important trusted officials in the royal court. Regarding servants, see the comments on verse 14.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .