Saul answered: literally “Saul answered and said.”

Here again the question format may be inappropriate at least for the first part of Saul’s utterance. He is not asking a question in the strict sense of the word. Rather he is making a strong affirmation that he is indeed a member of the smallest tribe in Israel, the tribe of Benjamin. He also asserts that he comes from the least important family in the tribe of Benjamin.

The least of the tribes of Israel: the tribe of Benjamin was the smallest of the twelve tribes, covering an area less than 230 square kilometers (100 square miles). Regarding the translation of tribes, see the comment on 2.28.

The words family and families may be translated as “clan” and “clans” (so New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Fox).

The final question in this verse is indeed a real question and not a rhetorical one like the first two. In view of the insignificance of his tribe and clan, he sincerely wonders why Samuel spoke to him as he had.

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 .

Took … and brought: see the comments on serial verbs in “Translating the Books of Samuel,” pages 20 and following. In some languages it will be better to use a single verb, as in “Samuel brought Saul and his servant” (Revised English Bible).

The hall refers to a large dining room. The same word is used for rooms connected to the temple in Jerusalem (see Jer 35.2, 4, where Revised Standard Version renders this word “chamber”).

Samuel gave Saul and his servant a place at the head. Good News Translation expresses this as “at the head of the table,” which in English signifies the place of honor. In some languages it may be better to say something like “he gave them the place of honor among those who had been invited” (so Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

Thirty persons: the Septuagint has “seventy persons,” but this is not followed by any major English translation and is not recommended to other translators.

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 reference to the cook with the definite article refers to the person preparing the food for the meal for Samuel, Saul and his servant, and the other guests (verse 22). Anchor Bible translates “the butcher,” since this noun seems to be related to a word having to do with the killing of animals as well as preparing them for eating. In this context cook seems to be a better translation than “butcher,” even though this person may have killed the animal and cooked it.

This verse contains a quotation within a quotation. Good News Translation has restructured it and turned Samuel’s earlier statement, “Put it aside,” into an indirect quotation.

As verse 24 makes clear, the portion refers to a “piece of meat.” Many languages will find it necessary to add this implied information.

Another way of reordering the elements in this sentence and avoiding the embedded quotation may be to say “I told you earlier to set aside a certain piece of meat that I gave you. Now I want you to bring it to me.”

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 .

Took up the leg: the translation took up fails to capture the cultic significance of the cook’s action. Here, as in 10.4, Saul is being given food that should be eaten only by priests, according to the law of Moses. Saul is being given “the thigh that is raised.” See Lev 10.14-15 in New Revised Standard Version, which refers to the “thigh that is raised.” In this same passage Revised Standard Version says the “thigh that is offered.” It may be wise to state in a footnote that, because Saul is given the thigh in this verse and the two loaves of bread in 10.4, which only priests are supposed to eat, it is shown that his kingship is considered to be holy, or sacred. The Hebrew word translated leg in Revised Standard Version is better translated “thigh” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Fox) in languages which make such distinctions.

The upper portion: this represents a single word in Hebrew. It is rare but apparently means “what was on it” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “what went with it” (New Revised Standard Version and New American Bible). Various corrections have been proposed, which result in translations such as “the whole haunch and leg” (Revised English Bible), “the leg and the tail” (New Jerusalem Bible, Osty-Trinquet, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), and “the fat-tail” (Fox). Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {C} rating to the word in the Masoretic Text and suggests a translation similar to that found in New Revised Standard Version.

As the note in Good News Translation indicates, there is some question about whether the Masoretic Text says that it was the cook or Samuel who spoke to Saul. The Hebrew says “the cook set them before Saul and he said.” The most natural reading of the Hebrew is to assume that the cook is the subject of both verbs, set and said (so New Jerusalem Bible). Yet it is difficult to think that the cook, and not Samuel, would have spoken such words to Saul. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “And [Samuel] said,” showing by the use of brackets that the name “Samuel” is not in the Hebrew text. New Revised Standard Version, like Revised Standard Version, says “Samuel said.” New Jerusalem Bible, however, translates as follows: “This is for you. This is what was left. Make a good meal.” If this is the correct sense of the Hebrew, then one can more easily understand the cook speaking them, as indeed he does in New Jerusalem Bible. It is difficult to decide here, but since it is grammatically possible that the pronoun “he” refers to Samuel, this seems to be the better interpretation.

That you might eat with the guests: the Masoretic Text says “saying the people I have invited.” Revised Standard Version (also New Revised Standard Version) is based on a suggested correction. Revised English Bible (“to which I have invited the people”) is based on a different correction of the Hebrew text. New Jerusalem Bible does not even translate these words.

Part of the difficulty is that the meaning of the words “saying the people I have invited” is not clear in Hebrew. Is it Samuel or Saul who says “I have invited the people”? Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text and proposes the following translation: “so that you [Saul] may say, ‘It is I who have invited the people.’ ” On the other hand New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, like Good News Translation, retains Samuel as the speaker: “And [Samuel] said, ‘What has been reserved is set before you. Eat; it has been kept for you for this occasion, when I said I was inviting the people.’ ”

The variety of interpretations and suggested changes show that this is a difficult verse to understand in Hebrew. The following translation reflects the interpretation proposed in this Handbook (though some languages may need to avoid the embedded quotation at the end of the verse):

• So the cook lifted up the thigh and what went with it, which are to be eaten by the priests, and set them before Saul. And Samuel said to Saul, “See, what was kept is set before you. Eat, because it was kept for you until the hour appointed so that you may say ‘It is I who have invited the people.’ ”

Such a translation will probably require a footnote stating that Lev 10.14-15 says that the thigh belongs to the priests, and that this action suggests that Saul’s kingship is considered to be holy, that is, that God has chosen him.

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 high place: see the comments on verse 12.

A bed was spread for Saul upon the roof, and he lay down to sleep: both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation follow the Septuagint here (so also New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible). After into the city the Masoretic Text ends verse 25 with these words: “and he [Samuel] spoke with Saul on the roof.” The Masoretic Text does not mention that a bed was prepared for Saul on the roof, or that Samuel slept inside the house and Saul slept on the roof (but see verse 26). Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text, which is followed by New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, and Fox. New International Version renders verse 25 as follows: “After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof of his house.”

Upon the roof: see note in Good News Translation; the same practice is alluded to in Deut 22.8; 2 Sam 16.22; and Pro 21.9. Since it is unthinkable to sleep on the roof of a house in many cultures, translators must take special care in rendering these words. While the original readers and hearers would have understood that the roof was flat, in other cultures this information may have to be supplied with a footnote.

If the reading a bed was spread … is retained, the passive may have to be made active. This may be done by saying “someone prepared a bed” or “they [indefinite] made a bed.”

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 outskirts of the city: the word translated outskirts is elsewhere rendered by the more common word “end” (Gen 23.9; Ruth 3.7) or “edge” (Exo 13.20). It refers to the place where there are no more houses.

And when he has passed on: according to Revised Standard Version and New Revised Standard Version, these words are still part of the instructions that Samuel is giving to Saul. Others, however, understand these words to be the author’s comment, which interrupts Samuel’s words (so Good News Translation, New International Version, Revised English Bible, Fox, and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), and this seems to be the more probable sense of the Hebrew construction. The Septuagint omits these words and is followed by some translations (New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Klein, and Anchor Bible).

Going down: as they had earlier “gone up” to the city to enter it (verse 11), they must now “go down” to leave.

The word of God: these words should not be translated in such a way that readers or hearers will understand a reference to the Bible as we know it today. These words, in fact, do not refer to any written Scripture. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente says “and I will make known to you the will of God.” See also New Century Version, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us. I have a message from God for you.”

If translators wish to avoid the direct quotations of this verse, the following model may be helpful:

• When they arrived at the end of town, Samuel told Saul to instruct his servant to keep on going and not to stop. So the servant continued walking while Samuel stopped Saul for a time so that he could tell him the message from God.

It is not generally considered appropriate to have a section heading at the beginning of chapter 10, since it would break up the continuity of the section that begins at 9.26b. See the comments at that point.

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 .

Samuel’s words to Saul are in the form of a direct quotation and continue to the end of verse 8. Within this direct quotation are several layers of embedded quotations. It will be desirable in most languages to transform some of these direct quotations into indirect ones. See especially verse 2.

A vial of oil: this small container was probably made of ceramic and contained olive oil and a mixture of spices, as in Exo 30.22-26. That the oil was “olive oil” may be made explicit, as Good News Translation has done. And in some languages the word translated vial may have to be rendered by a more general word like “container” or “receptacle.” But of course, if there is a word for a ceramic container, that word should be used. The only other occurrence of this word is in 1 Kgs 9.1, 3, where Revised Standard Version translates “flask.” The English word “flask” is also used in this context by several versions (New International Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible).

Poured it on his head: if there is any danger that readers or hearers may think that Samuel poured the oil on his own head, it will be essential to follow the model of Good News Translation in saying “on Saul’s head.”

It is not clear whether Samuel kissed Saul out of affection or as a sign of honor. In either case, certain languages have a very difficult time with the idea of one grown man kissing another. This is especially the case where the verb “kiss” is normally rendered “suck lips” or something similar. The idea here is rather one of an affectionate embrace. In some languages one will have to translate “placed his arms around him” or “hugged him.” (This is discussed in Ellington, 1990).

Samuel’s question in this verse is a rhetorical one, which Good News Translation has turned into a statement (also New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, and New American Bible). It is in effect a strong affirmation of the fact that “the LORD has appointed you to lead his people” (New Century Version).

Anointed: see the comments on 2.10.

As the footnotes in both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation indicate, the Hebrew text is considerably shorter than the Septuagint in this verse. Many translators think that part of the verse was accidentally omitted in the Hebrew text, and they follow the Septuagint in translation (so Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible). Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, however, considers the Septuagint to be an expansion of the Hebrew and therefore gives a {C} rating to the Masoretic Text. Translations based on the Masoretic Text include New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Fox, and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente.

The hand of their enemies: or better, “the power of their enemies.” On the metaphorical use of hand, see 4.8.

Enemies round about refers to neighboring non-Israelite tribes. This expression is fairly common in Old Testament writings (Deut 12.10; 25.19; Josh 23.1; Judges 2.14; Psa 27.6), although it is not a part of the Masoretic Text here.

Prince: see the comments on 9.16.

The sign is not the anointing but rather the events that follow in verses 2-6. By placing colons at the end of verse 1, some translations show that what follows are the signs (so Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible). But if this can be done without resorting to punctuation alone, this is preferable. Some languages will say “Here are the things that will show that the LORD has chosen you to be the ruler of his people.”

His heritage: see also 26.19, where the heritage is the land of Israel. One’s heritage is that which belongs to the person as a birthright or by inheritance. Here the people of Israel are called God’s heritage, as they are also in Deut 9.26, 29; 32.9.

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 .

In this verse Samuel quotes the words of two men. The two men, in turn, quote the words of Saul’s father. Good News Translation has turned the words of the two men into indirect quotations. Translators will need to use a form that is clear and natural in the receptor language.

Rachel’s tomb: Rachel, the second wife of Jacob (Gen 29), died giving birth to Benjamin and was buried near Ephrathah (Gen 35.20). The word tomb is translated “place of … burial” by Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation in Deut 34.6. And that may be a better model for certain languages here.

Zelzah: nothing is known concerning Zelzah. Some would change the Hebrew to read “Zela,” a city in the territory of Benjamin mentioned in Josh 18.28 and 2 Sam 21.14. Others question whether this is even a place name. The Septuagint reads “leaping [or, dancing] vigorously.” Rather than translate the name Zelzah, New Jerusalem Bible and Anchor Bible simply leave a gap in the text (“on the frontier of Benjamin … and they will say”), suggesting that the Hebrew makes no sense. Reference to Zelzah is also absent from the translation of Moffatt and Knox, although the latter is undoubtedly influenced by the Latin Vulgate, which does not have Zelzah. In any case, this is not recommended to other translators.

Your father has ceased to care …: what the men say resembles Saul’s own choice of words in 9.5. In the Hebrew a focusing particle occurs before these words. Most translations do not attempt to translate it here, although some have “but now” (New Century Version). Compare Fox, who says “Here, you father has left-off the matter of the she-asses.”

Instead of the final embedded direct quotation in this verse, some languages will prefer to render the meaning indirectly by saying something like “he is asking what he should do to find his son [who has been gone for so long].”

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 .