Since Saul has just been speaking to God and is now speaking to the leaders of the people of Israel, Good News Translation correctly indicates this change. In effect, you leaders of the people is taken out of the direct quotation and made a part of the introduction to it.

Leaders: the Hebrew word means “corner,” “cornerstone,” “corner tower.” Fox says “cornerstones” but places the word in quotation marks to show a nonliteral meaning is intended. The term is used here in a figurative sense as the leaders are compared to the cornerstone of a building, as also in Judges 20.2 and Isa 19.13. As is often true in 1 Samuel, the people here refers to Saul’s army. Compare New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, “Come forward, all chief officers of the troops.”

How this sin has arisen today: this seems to refer to some specific, known sin with the question being precisely how it happened. But this is not the case. Rather Saul is aware that there is some sin that is causing God to remain silent. But he does not know what the sin is. The meaning to be translated is therefore “where the sin lies this day” (Revised English Bible) or “what sin has kept God from answering” (Contemporary English Version). Another slightly different way of understanding this is to take the word translated sin as meaning “guilt.” The question would then be “how this guilt was incurred today” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

If direct speech is to be avoided, translators may wish to say something like:

• Saul called the army officers together in order to try to find out what sin had occurred that day to prevent God from answering 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 .

For: the Hebrew conjunction at the beginning of this verse is often translated “because.” It is used to show a causal relationship between what has been said previously and what follows. While it is ignored by Good News Translation and certain other modern translations, it is probably better not to leave it out. In addition to the usual translation “For” (New Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), Traduction œcuménique de la Bible begins the verse “Yes…” in the sense of “indeed,” understanding the conjunction as expressing emphasis. Either interpretation is possible.

As the LORD lives: literally “on the life of the LORD.” This expression is used frequently in 1 Samuel (see verse 45; 19.6; 20.3, 21; 25.26, 29, 34; 26.10, 16, 28.10; 29.6) and is found also in Judges 8.19 and Ruth 3.31. It constitutes a very strong oath or promise that Saul will actually do what he says in the following verses. In many languages translators will be required to add something like “I promise” (Good News Translation) or “I swear” (Contemporary English Version), to show clearly that this is a forceful oath.

He shall surely die: this emphatic construction in Hebrew uses two forms of the same verb, which may be translated more literally “to die he shall die.” The same kind of expression is used in the story of the Fall in Gen 2.17. This emphasis should be retained in translation where possible. Fox attempts to capture the force of the Hebrew by saying “indeed, he must die, yes, die!”

Not a man among all the people: this is a rather strong way of saying “no one at all.”

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 words to all Israel really mean “to all those Israelites present” at the time. It may be more naturally translated “to all the army,” or simply “to them” (Good News Translation).

Jonathan my son: for reasons of English style, Good News Translation omits the words my son and also reverses the order of I and Jonathan. Translators should follow what is natural in their own language.

It is unclear whether the separation of Saul and Jonathan from the rest of the troops indicates that Saul was aware of Jonathan’s guilt and was trying to manipulate the situation. There is no clear evidence that he had any idea what Jonathan had done.

If indirect speech is preferred instead of a direct quotation, the following model may be helpful:

• Then Saul instructed his army to stand opposite him and his son Jonathan. And the soldiers agreed that Saul should do whatever he saw fit to do.

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 Masoretic Text is considerably shorter than either Revised Standard Version or Good News Translation. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh is a literal translation of the Hebrew: “Saul then said to the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Show Thammim.’ Jonathan and Saul were indicated by lot, and the troops were cleared.” Other translations that follow the Masoretic Text include New International Version, Fox, and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente may provide a good model for translating the Masoretic Text: “Saul questioned the LORD with this request: ‘God of Israel, show who is innocent.’ The lot was thrown and the people were shown to be innocent, unlike Saul and Jonathan.”

Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and many other modern translations (New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible) follow the longer text of the Septuagint. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives an {A} rating to the text of the Septuagint, suggesting that the Hebrew contains an accidental omission. The scribe’s eye probably jumped from the first Israel to the second, thus omitting the material in between.

Translators will remember that the use of the archaic pronoun thou does not mean that there is a difference in the Hebrew (see the comments at 3.9-10). It will also be recalled that Saul’s referring to himself indirectly as thy servant is better translated by the pronoun “me” in most languages.

Urim … Thummim: these were small objects used by Israelite priests to find out God’s will. It is not known precisely how they were used (see Exo 28.30; Num 27.21; Deut 33.8; Ezra 2.63; Neh 7.65). Translations vary in how they translate this part of the verse regarding Urim and Thummin. New Revised Standard Version and New Jerusalem Bible say “give Urim … give Thummim,” Revised English Bible says “let the lot be Urim … let it be Thummim,” and New American Bible says “respond with Urim … respond with Thummim.” A rendering like that in Good News Translation or Revised English Bible may perhaps be more meaningful.

And Jonathan and Saul … the people escaped: that Jonathan and Saul were taken (the same verb occurs in 10.20) means that they “were chosen” (New Century Version). That the people escaped means that the others “went free” (New Century Version). The passive verb rendered were taken will have to be made active in some languages. This will require a clear statement about who the agent was. In this context it seems quite clear that “the LORD took Jonathan and Saul.”

Escaped does not mean “ran away” in this context. The actual Hebrew verb is the ordinary term meaning “they went out.” This has been translated “were cleared” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New International Version) and “went free” (New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Century Version). Another way of saying this may be “they were released from any blame.”

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 Septuagint contains a longer text of this verse. La Bible Pléiade follows the Septuagint, placing the additional words within brackets:

• Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and Jonathan my son: [the one that Yahweh will designate, he will die.” The people said to Saul: “This cannot happen!” But Saul prevailed over the people and the lot was cast between him and Jonathan his son,] and Jonathan was indicated.

Klein and Anchor Bible also follow the text of the Septuagint, assuming that a scribe accidentally skipped from the first occurrence of “Jonathan my son” to the second occurrence and omitted the words in between. The Septuagint may well contain the original reading, but since nearly all translations follow the Masoretic Text, the shorter text should be followed.

The verb rendered Cast the lot is literally “cause to fall,” although the word “lot” is clearly implied. The purpose of this action was to determine whether it was Saul or Jonathan who was guilty of sin. In some languages it may be better to concentrate on this meaning rather than on the form of the decision-making process. New Century Version, for example, says simply “now let us discover if it is I or Jonathan my son [who is guilty].”

If indirect speech is preferred, translators may say:

• Then Saul told the people to do what was necessary to determine whether it was him or Jonathan who had done wrong. And it was Jonathan.

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 .

If indirect discourse is preferred over the first direct quotation of this verse, the model is relatively simple: “Then Saul asked Jonathan to tell him what he had done.”

Jonathan’s explanation follows very closely the wording of the actual event recorded in verse 27, although it is briefer. The Hebrew construction expresses a slight note of emphasis that is missing in both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh attempts to capture this by inserting “only,” that is, “I only tasted a bit of honey.” Fox says “I tasted, yes, tasted … a little honey.”

Here I am: as in 3.4-16 and 12.3, this indicates the speaker’s availability. But in this context he is accepting a very negative fate.

I will die: that is, “I am prepared to accept the consequences of my actions.” Nearly all versions render the last words of this verse in the form of a statement: I will die. New International Version, however, says “And now must I die?” (so also New Century 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 .

This verse begins in Hebrew with the common conjunction. Revised Standard Version translates it as Then, indicating a logical progression in time. In this context, however, the response of the soldiers is unexpected, since they dared to challenge King Saul. For this reason some translations begin this verse with the conjunction “But” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Fox).

Said: in view of the content of what follows, some modern versions have considered that the context requires a more emotive verb. Bible en français courant, for example, has “cried out,” and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente says “Saul swore [or, took an oath].”

God do so to me and more also: on oaths of this form, see the comments on 3.17. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente says “May the LORD punish me severely if I don’t put you to death.”

You shall surely die is the same emphatic expression as in verse 39 above. Fox has “for you shall die, yes, die, Yonatan!”

A good model for those languages that prefer to avoid direct discourse is found in Revised English Bible: “Then Saul swore a solemn oath that Jonathan should die.”

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 … the people: Bible en français courant correctly says “the soldiers … the army” (so also Contemporary English Version).

Shall Jonathan die: the question asked by the troops of Israel is immediately answered by the same people who were asking the question. They are thus emphatic in their opposition to the death sentence for Jonathan, who had led them in great victories. In Hebrew the response, rendered Far from it, is a single adverb and is the same as used in 2.30 and 12.23.

As the LORD lives … fall to the ground: the same oath occurs in verse 11.

As the LORD lives: see also comments on verse 39.

There shall not one hair … fall to the ground means that not even the smallest injury shall be inflicted on Jonathan (the same expression occurs in 1 Kgs 1.52). Fox gives a literal translation of the Hebrew: “if a (single) hair of his head should fall to the ground…!” While this shows the form of the oath in Hebrew, it fails to communicate the meaning clearly. In some languages a less literal rendering like the following will be more meaningful: “or even lay a hand on him” (Contemporary English Version), or “allow any harm at all to come to him.”

The verb ransomed is the same verb used in Exo 13.13, 15; 34.20 of rescuing an animal or a son that belonged to God by sacrificing another animal in its place. People could also be ransomed by payment of money to the priests (see Num 3.46-51 and 18.15-16). How the people ransomed Jonathan is not stated. They may have offered an animal sacrifice, an Israelite, or a prisoner of war as a substitution for Jonathan. Some possible renderings for the verb in this context are “rescued” (Anchor Bible, Moffatt, New Living Translation), “delivered” (Revised English Bible), and “saved [Jonathan’s life]” (Knox). The idea of a ransom, however, should be kept in translation if possible. Perhaps a word that expresses this concept exists in the receptor language. If not, something such as “made a substitute payment” may be said.

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 .