The imperative verbs in this verse alternate between singular and plural, with the verb utterly destroy in the second person plural. But go and smite as well as do not spare and kill are all singular. The reason for the shift from singular to plural is not clear. But it will be more natural in most languages to make them either all singular (Bible en français courant, Osty-Trinquet, La Bible du Semeur) or all plural.

In the Septuagint the verbs in this verse are all singular, and the verb utterly destroy has two objects: “him and all that belongs to him.” Perhaps the plural verb in the Masoretic Text and the omission of the direct object “him” are the result of a scribal error. New Jerusalem Bible is based on the text of the Septuagint and says “put [singular] him under the curse of destruction with all that he possesses” (similarly New American Bible). See also Revised English Bible, “destroy them and put their property under ban.”

Amalek lived at the time of Moses and was no longer living (see the comment on verse 2). Here, as previously, the name of the ancestor is used to refer to his descendants.

All that they have: literally “all that is to him [that is, to Amalek].”

Do not spare them: literally “do not spare him.” If translators follow the recommendation of this Handbook and change Amalek to “the Amalekites,” then it will also be necessary to change the pronoun “him” to “they” and “them.” See also verse 18 below.

Utterly destroy: this verb in Hebrew is a technical term meaning “to put to the ban” (see the comments below on verse 8). This holy-war practice, which was followed also by Israel’s neighbors, consisted of devoting everyone and everything to the god or gods that the people worshiped. This devotion to the deity required the total destruction of everything captured in war (see Josh 6.17). See also comments on 22.19. Fox translates this verb “devote-to-destruction.” All of the nouns that follow are singular in Hebrew, referring to particular classes or groups. The sense is plural, since these nouns are collective, that is, “men,” “women,” “children,” and so on. Translators will need to use the appropriate form in the receptor language.

Infant and suckling: this refers to “children and small babies” (New Century Version). The latter would be those that were still young enough to be nursing at their mother’s breast. Contemporary English Version attempts to capture the meaning with “children, and even their babies.” The list is intended to be all-inclusive.

Camel: in some languages camels are completely unknown. The same Hebrew term is used in 27.9 and 30.17. The word translated sheep means “member of a flock” and very probably includes goats as well as sheep, as in 8.17. Here La Bible du Semeur translates this term “sheep, goats, ….”

Verse 9 states that Saul did not completely obey the command of Samuel.

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 .

Summoned the people: literally “called the people.” But the word people again refers to the fighting force, or the “troops” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). New American Bible says “alerted the soldiers,” while Bible en français courant has “mobilized the army.”

The verb numbered is elsewhere translated “mustered” (11.8). Some other good translations in this context are “inspected” and “reviewed” (Revised English Bible).

Telaim (see Josh 15.24, where the same city is spelled “Telem”) was a city in the southern territory of Judah, but the exact location is unknown. See also the comments on 27.8, where Telem is probably the correct reading of the text. In order to avoid confusing the readers, it will be wise to use the spelling “Telem” throughout, as in Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, Moffatt, and others.

The Hebrew text leaves implicit that the two hundred thousand men on foot (that is, “foot soldiers” [Bible en français courant]) were from the northern tribes of Israel, but that is almost certainly the intended meaning, since the troops from the tribe of Judah are listed separately. “Foot soldiers” stands in contrast with those who rode in chariots, or on horses or camels.

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 .

Although the subject of the two verbs in this verse is singular, referring to Saul, it should be obvious that as king he represents his whole army. If there is any danger that the readers or hearers will think that Saul acted alone, it will be better to translate “Saul and his soldiers” or something similar. Contemporary English Version deals with the problem by indicating that Saul “led them [the army] to a valley.”

The city of Amalek: there is some doubt that the nomadic Amalekites ever had a central capital city. Some therefore understand the word city in this context to mean “fortified camp.” Others, however, suggest that this city was located nearly eleven kilometers (seven miles) east-southeast of the city of Beer-sheba. Still others think it was located near Kadesh-barnea, in northern Sinai. It is probably best to keep the word “city” here, but it may be confusing to say the city of Amalek as in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. A better model may be that of New Revised Standard Version, “the city of the Amalekites.”

Lay in wait: the meaning of the corresponding Hebrew word is uncertain here. The verb seems to come from the root meaning “to dispute” or “to quarrel.” But it is also possible that it is an irregular form of the verb “to lie in wait” or “to lie in ambush.” The latter certainly fits the context better. Probably it indicates that Saul and his men “prepared an ambush,” as indicated by the translations of New International Version, New American Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible. But Revised English Bible takes the verb to mean simply “halted for a time.” The same verb, however, is used in Deut 19.11; Josh 8.2; Judges 9.25, and a number of other passages where the idea of an ambush seems quite clear.

The valley: this term occurs also in 17.40; 30.9, 21; and 2 Sam 15.23; 17.13; 23.30; 24.5. Though sometimes translated valley in this verse (so Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, and Revised English Bible), this term refers to a small river or stream. It often refers to a dry riverbed, called a “wadi,” that carries water only in the rainy season. New Jerusalem Bible renders this term “the riverbed,” and Fox says “in the wadi.”

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 verb said is a good literal translation of the Hebrew, but the context seems to suggest something more specific: “sent word to” (Revised English Bible) or “warned” (New American Bible). It is doubtful whether Saul spoke directly to the Kenites, so it may be better to transform the direct quotation into indirect discourse. Good News Translation does this partially, but the remaining words may be translated “warned them to get away from the Amalekites in order to avoid being killed along with them.”

In the Hebrew text, the words for you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up out of Egypt are part of the words spoken by Saul to the Kenites. Good News Translation restructures to make these words part of the information that the author supplies to the reader about the Kenites, but it is better to keep these words as part of the message spoken to the Kenites.

The Kenites apparently lived in the southeast part of Palestine, near the border with Moab (see also comments on 30.29). These nomadic tribes had showed kindness to … Israel by serving as guides in the desert when the Israelites had fled Egypt at the time of Moses (Num 10.29-32; Judges 1.16).

The first three verbs in this verse, go, depart, and go down, are plural. The pronouns you and the verb showed kindness are singular. The plural is used as the people are addressed collectively as a single unit, and then the singular is used to address each Kenite individually.

With them: literally “with him” (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 .

As earlier in this story, Saul represents his whole army. If necessary, translators may say “Saul and his soldiers” or something similar.

The Amalekites: literally “Amalek” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New American Bible, Fox). See the comments on verse 2 and 14.48.

From Havilah as far as Shur: the location of Havilah is uncertain, but apparently it was on the west coast of Arabia, north of modern Yemen. Shur is located in the desert region in the Sinai Peninsula, on the northeast border of Egypt and east of the present Suez Canal. According to Gen 25.18, Havilah and Shur formed the western limit of the territory where the Ishmaelites lived.

East of: literally “in front of” (Chouraqui, Fox). Other translations include “close to Egypt” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), “at the border of Egypt” (New Century Version), “on the borders of Egypt” (Revised English Bible), and “on the frontier of Egypt” (New American Bible). Some interpreters think the Hebrew “in front of” here means “east.” Translations reflecting this interpretation include Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Good News Translation, and Contemporary English Version (“just east of Egypt”).

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 .

Agag is usually understood as a proper noun, but some consider it to be a title for Amalekite kings, just as “Pharaoh” was a title for kings of Egypt.

Utterly destroyed: for the technical meaning of this verb, see the comments on verse 3. If possible, translators may wish to follow the models of New American Bible and New Jerusalem Bible and express the idea of the “ban” both here and in verse 9. New American Bible says “but on the rest of the people he put into effect the ban of destruction by the sword.” New Jerusalem Bible is similar: “and, executing the curse of destruction, put all the people to the sword.” The translation in Traduction œcuménique de la Bible is comparable. Moffatt says that he “massacred all the people, giving no quarter.”

With the edge of the sword: Good News Translation says simply that he “killed” the people, but translators are urged to keep the specific method stated in the Hebrew, “putting them to the sword” (Revised English Bible). While it is important to retain the mention of the instrument used (the sword), it will be unwise in most languages to emphasize the edge of the sword (literally “the mouth of the sword” [so Chouraqui, Fox]).

In some languages it will be more natural to reverse the order of the elements in this verse by stating that “Saul and his army killed all the Amalekites except King Agag,” instead of talking about Agag first and then saying that all the Amalekites were killed.

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 had told Saul that all of the people and animals of the Amalekites were to be completely destroyed (verse 3). So the sparing of King Agag and the best of the Amalekites’ animals was directly contrary to the instructions received. Since the sparing of Agag’s life is already stated in the previous verse, it may be more natural in some languages to begin this one by saying simply “They also spared the best of the sheep….”

The fatlings: the Hebrew word is literally “second” or “double portion,” and the meaning is uncertain. (See 8.2 where it clearly means “second.”) Fox takes this to mean “second best,” that is, “But Shaʾul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and the cattle, and the second-best, the lambs and all that was goodly.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible attempt to translate the Masoretic Text, saying “the second-born,” and some have suggested that the second calf born to a cow was of greater value than the firstborn. But the Masoretic Text is obscure, and different small changes in the Hebrew text have therefore been suggested so that the text will read “food with much fat” or “fat animals.”

The words utterly destroy and utterly destroyed are technical terms (see the comments on verses 3 and 8 above). New Jerusalem Bible maintains the technical aspect, as in verse 8: “They did not want to consign these to the curse of destruction; they consigned only what was poor and worthless.”

Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {C} rating to the Masoretic Text and suggests that the meaning is that some animals, called “the seconds,” were kept and fattened after the firstborn had been given to God. A translation such as “best calves” or “fattest calves” is recommended.

Despised and worthless: the Masoretic Text is uncertain and the meaning is not clear. Furthermore, the first participle is feminine and the second is masculine. On the basis of the Septuagint, many change the first participle to a verb meaning “to be despised” and the second participle to a verb meaning “to be rejected.” In order to heighten the contrast between what the people did destroy and what they did not destroy, some translations insert the word “only” (so Good News Translation, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, and Fox, in parentheses).

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 .

I repent: at various times in the Old Testament, when people do not behave as God had wanted them to, he changes his attitude toward them (for example, Gen 6.6-7; Jer 18.7-10). This may seem to be in direct conflict with verse 29 of this chapter, but the same Hebrew word is used in both cases, and translators should not attempt to hide the similarities that exist between the two verses.

Turned back from following me uses the image of physical turning away from to express the idea of refusal to obey. The same idea is then expressed negatively as has not performed my commandments. The presence of the conjunction and between these two should not be taken to mean that they are two totally different matters. Rather they are two ways of talking about the same thing. Some may say “turned away from me by not doing what I commanded.”

Samuel was angry: the Hebrew verb means “to be hot” and often refers to anger. Some interpreters think that the context favors a milder sense than anger here. This is reflected in translations that say that Samuel “was upset” (Fox, Bible en français courant, La Bible du Semeur), “was distressed” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), or “was appalled” (New Jerusalem Bible). Traduction œcuménique de la Bible says “emotion overtook Samuel.” Whatever the precise emotion, Samuel was apparently angry or upset, not with Saul, but with God, because God had changed his mind concerning Saul. See also 2 Sam 6.8, where it is stated that David became angry with God. That Samuel cried to the LORD means that he prayed or “pleaded” (see also 7.5, 8-9; and 12.19, 23).

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 .