Company: literally “head,” as in the previous verse.

Beth-horon was located about sixteen kilometers (ten miles) west of Michmash, and the valley of Zeboim was northeast of Jerusalem and southeast of Michmash. The word Zeboim means “hyenas.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “Hyena Valley,” as cited in verse 17, and Chouraqui translates “the valley of the Hyenas.” Fox says “the Ravine of the Hyena.”

The border: the translation of the Hebrew word rendered border is much debated. The Septuagint says “Gabaa,” which seems to be a transliteration of the Hebrew word “height.” Some interpreters have therefore suggested that a slight change be made in the spelling of the Hebrew noun border to create the noun “the height.” This change is the basis for the New Jerusalem Bible translation “and one group made for the high ground overlooking the Valley of the Hyenas” (also Osty-Trinquet). New American Bible also follows the Septuagint and corrects the Hebrew text, but New American Bible understands the Hebrew noun to be the proper noun “Geba”: “and the third took the road for Geba that overlooks the Valley of the Hyenas.”

Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, however, shows that the Hebrew noun rendered the border in both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation can also have the meaning “mountain” or “mountain crest.” There is no need, therefore, to change the Hebrew text, to which Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating. So instead of translating as in Revised Standard Version or Good News Translation, it is proper to follow the Revised English Bible rendering of the Hebrew, “and the third towards the range of hills overlooking the valley of Zeboim.”

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 .

Verses 19-21 are parenthetical, explaining why the Israelite soldiers did not have spears and swords. In order to mark the parenthetical nature of the words that follow, some languages may wish to begin this verse with something like “In those days” or “At this time” (Knox). The use of parentheses may be advisable in those translations where such punctuation devices are used.

Smith: the Hebrew term so translated may refer to various kinds of craftsmen. It is translated in its most general sense as “craftsmen” in Exo 35.35 and 38.23 as well as Deut 27.15. But in the present context there can be no doubt that the writer is thinking of a craftsman who works with iron or other metals. So the meaning “blacksmith” is justified. In some languages it will have to be translated “a person who works with metal” or something similar.

Revised Standard Version preserves the words of the Philistines in direct quotation as in the Hebrew text. The form of the quotation is elliptical in Hebrew, since it depends upon the first part of the verse to supply the rest of what the Philistines were thinking or saying. If translators follow the form of the Hebrew, they may need to say something like “We must not allow any Hebrews to become blacksmiths, or else they may use their skill for making themselves swords or spears.” Compare also New Jerusalem Bible, “There was not a single blacksmith throughout the territory of Israel, the Philistines’ reasoning being, ‘We do not want the Hebrews making swords or spears.’ ”

Some common language translations such as Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente restructure this part of the verse, avoiding either a direct or indirect quotation: “for the Philistines were determined to prevent the Hebrews from making swords and spears” (Revised English Bible).

Regarding the term the Hebrews, see the comments on verse 3.

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 Philistines lived on the Mediterranean coast, while the Israelites lived higher up in the mountainous terrain nearby. For this reason the text says that the Israelites went down to the Philistines. In certain languages it may be appropriate to say something like “went down to the Philistines on the coast.”

Since the Israelites obviously did not actually do the work of sharpening, some translators will have to say “have sharpened” or “cause to be sharpened.”

A plowshare is a metal blade attached to a wooden handle, and a mattock is a digging tool with a metal blade for cutting and a point for digging.

Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation indicate in footnotes that they are following the Septuagint at the end of the verse in reading sickle rather than the word “plows” of the Hebrew text. It seems strange to some interpreters that the writer would have included plowshare twice in this list. Since the Septuagint has the word sickle here as in verse 21, some interpreters have suggested that the Hebrew noun “plowshare” at the end of this verse should be changed to the Hebrew noun “sickle” (in addition to Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, see also New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible).

Others have suggested that, since the Septuagint mentions sickles as the last instrument in both verses 20 and 21, the same noun must have occurred last in both verses of the Hebrew text. On this basis some have changed the fourth Hebrew noun “plowshare” to read “goads” (so early editions of the Jerusalem Bible [Jerusalem Bible]).

La Bible Pléiade suggests that the sign of the direct object before the final noun should be slightly corrected to read “the blade” and should be translated “the blade of [his plowshare].”

Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, however, gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text. Since the first and fourth instruments listed in the Hebrew text are nearly identical in spelling, it is often assumed that they refer to the exact same tool. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, however, suggests that perhaps the two words are technical terms that refer to similar but slightly different tools used for cutting. If possible these two terms should be rendered by similar cutting tools in the receptor language.

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 charge: literally “the sharpening” or “the file.” The price for doing this work was determined by which implement was being sharpened. This may be expressed in a variety of ways: “the Philistines … charged” (New Century Version) or “the Israelites had to pay….” Or simply “the price was….”

Pim is a transliteration of a Hebrew word that occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament. Archaeologists, however, have discovered ancient weights with the word pim written on them, so the meaning of this Hebrew term is now clear. Bible en français courant says “two-thirds of a silver coin,” and New Living Translation says “a quarter of an ounce of silver.” New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible all translate pim according to its value as “two thirds of a shekel” (New International Version). Good News Translation does not use the term shekel, since this term is unknown to most readers today, and where it is known the value is quite different today. Good News Translation does, however, maintain the distinction that the cost for sharpening plowshares and mattocks was twice the cost (“two coins”) of sharpening the other tools (“one small coin”). Virtually all versions leave uncertainty in the minds of the reader as to whether the charges of the Philistines were reasonable or exorbitant. This would not have been a question to the original readers and hearers. They would have known that the prices were unreasonably high. For this reason Contemporary English Version translates the meaning of the text by saying “the Philistines charged high prices,” providing a footnote that gives a more literal rendering of the Hebrew.

Goads were sharp instruments used to control oxen. The Hebrew noun “sharpening,” rendered charge in Revised Standard Version, takes the nouns plowshares, mattocks, and axes as objects. The noun goads, however, is the object of a verb meaning “to erect” or “to set up.” New International Version renders this “for repointing goads,” and New Jerusalem Bible and Stuttgarter Erklärungsbibel say “straightening goads.”Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente uses a general verb “to repair the goads.”

As the footnotes in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation state, the Hebrew of this verse is difficult to understand. A literal translation of the Hebrew reads “and was the sharpening a pim for the plows and for the mattocks and a third of a fork [a three pronged fork?] and for the axes and for setting the goads.” Some interpreters consider the words “and a third of a fork” too difficult to make any sense. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible simply places three dots in the text rather than attempt to make sense of these words.

Other interpreters, looking to the Septuagint for help, suggest that the Hebrew text originally read “a third of a shekel.” This is the basis for the translation “a third of a shekel” found in Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, and La Bible Pléiade in place of “a third of a fork.”

Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, however, gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text and proposes a translation such as “The charge for sharpening was two-thirds of a shekel for the plows, for the mattocks, and for the three-pronged instrument and the axes and for straightening [or repointing] the goads.” Nouvelle version Segond révisée, Bible en français courant, Stuttgarter Erklärungsbibel, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, and Fox follow the Hebrew text. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente provides a good model: “[to the Philistines] who made them pay dearly: two-thirds of a piece of silver to sharpen the blade of a plow or a hoe or a three-pronged fork or a goad.”

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: the common Hebrew conjunction followed by the verb “to be” is rightly taken as a logical transition marker resuming the story following the parenthetical explanation about the reason for the absence of swords and spears on the side of the Israelites. La Bible du Semeur translates the transition more specifically as “That is why,” showing more clearly that the previous verses provide an explanation as to why only Saul and Jonathan had metal weapons.

On the day of battle: Revised English Bible says “when war broke out.”

Good News Translation has restructured this verse since the Hebrew style tends to be heavy in English. Another possible model for restructuring this verse may read:

• Therefore only Saul and Jonathan, his son, had swords and spears when the battle [with the Philistines] began. None of the other Israelite soldiers had such weapons.

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 garrison: this represents a Hebrew word that is different from, yet related to, the word translated in this way in verses 3 and 4, and in 10.5 and 2 Sam 8.6, 14. The term used here and several times in chapter 14 is a somewhat technical one for a rather large group of soldiers more or less permanently established in a particular location. New International Version uses the rather technical English term “detachment,” while Revised English Bible speaks of “a company of troops,” and New Jerusalem Bible has “a Philistine unit.”

The pass of Michmash: on the place name Michmash see verse 2. The valley, or canyon, that separates Michmash on the north and Geba on the south side was too deep to cross. It was necessary to cross a short distance to the east at Michmash Pass, which is also called “the pass at Geba” in Isa 10.29. The Hebrew text leaves implicit the reason that the Philistine troops went to the pass of Michmash. Good News Translation makes the reason explicit: “to defend” the pass. Compare also “The Philistines had posted a company of troops to hold the pass of Michmash” (Revised English Bible) and “The pass at Micmash had meanwhile been secured by a contingent of the Philistine army” (New Living Translation).

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 .

This narrative concerning Jonathan and his armorbearer continues from chapter 13, where Jonathan is encamped in Geba, on the south bank of a steep valley, and the Philistine army is encamped at Michmash, on the north side of the valley.

One day: literally “And it happened the day.” The presence of this transition marker is taken by some as evidence that this is the proper place to consider as the beginning of the new episode and thus the correct place for the section heading.

Jonathan the son of Saul: since Jonathan is not being introduced here for the first time to the reader, Good News Translation omits the son of Saul for reasons of English style. This information is given in the previous chapter in verse 16 and again in verse 22. Good News Translation does, however, make explicit the name of Jonathan’s father at the end of the verse.

The young man who bore his armor: this person carried the large shield of his commanding officer and perhaps also other weapons. He was responsible for protecting the commanding officer during a battle. The shorter expression “armor-bearer” without the young man occurs in verse 7.

Garrison: the same word occurs in 13.23 and in 14.4, 6, 11, 15. See also comments on the related Hebrew term at 10.5.

Jonathan’s exhortation to go over to the Philistine garrison on yonder side may be rendered “Let us go across the valley to the Philistine garrison on the other side.”

If the antecedent of the pronouns he and his in the final sentence will not be clear, it will be wise to use the name “Jonathan.” Translators should certainly avoid giving the impression that the armorbearer did not tell his own father or that Jonathan did not tell the armorbearer’s father. The meaning is that Jonathan did not tell his own father, Saul.

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 .

Outskirts: that is, “edge” or “extremity.” Good News Translation‘s rendering “not far from” is quite legitimate. See the comments on 9.27.

Gibe-ah: see the comments on 10.5. But note that in this context several versions translate “Geba” (Contemporary English Version, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and Moffatt).

Instead of under the pomegranate tree, it will be more natural in some languages to say “in the shade of the pomegranate tree.”

The pomegranate tree: Hebrew has the definite article, “the pomegranate tree” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible), and the translation should indicate that a specific tree is referred to. The plants on which pomegranates grow are shrublike, but some may grow as tall as thirty feet (or about ten meters). So in many languages they would have to be considered trees. They have bright green leaves and bright scarlet blossoms. The juice from the fruit was made into a sweet wine (see Song 8.2).

It is possible that the Hebrew word rimmon, translated pomegranate, should be understood as a place name. See “En-rimmon” (Josh 19.7), “Rimmon” (Josh 19.13), “Gath-rimmon” (Josh 19.45), and “Rimmon-perez” (Num 33.19). According to Judges 20.45-47, the rock of Rimmon was located near Gibeah, and six hundred of the Israelite army stayed there for four months. It is possible that rimmon here in verse 2 refers to the rock of Rimmon, near the outskirts of Gibe-ah. This understanding is expressed in Fox‘s translation, “beneath the Pomegranate (Rock) that is in the Migron.” In a footnote on this verse, Fox states, “If related to Heb. n-g-r, ‘gushing,’ it [the Migron] possibly refers to the Wadi es-Swenit, not too far from Gibeah; the ‘Pomegranate’ would then be the cave referred to in Judges 20:45-47.” Though this interpretation of the Hebrew may well be correct, it cannot be recommended as representing widespread agreement among interpreters.

Migron is located near Geba and Michmash (see Isa 10.28, though some think that this Migron in Isaiah refers to a different town, located north of Michmash). As the word Migron is spelled in the Masoretic Text, it clearly refers to a place; and the preliminary report of Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives an {A} rating to the Masoretic Text. It is, however, possible to use different vowels and understand this word to mean “at the threshing floor” instead of at Migron (see 1 Kgs 22.10). Compare Anchor Bible: “Saul was on the outskirts of Geba sitting under a pomegranate tree, which was on the threshing floor” (so also New American Bible and New Jerusalem Bible).

It is also possible that the word Migron refers, not to a town, but to the bed of the canyon running between Michmash and Geba. The name may come from a verb meaning “to gush forth” and may refer to the floods that came through this wadi, modern Wadi es-Swenit, in the rainy season. While this interpretation is possible, it is not reflected in any modern translations, although as noted above, Fox suggests this possible interpretation in a footnote. Translators are advised to translate the text reflected in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation.

About six hundred men: the same number given in 13.15.

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 .