That David went out and was successful must be understood in the context as referring to military exploits. Bible en français courant is a good model: “Every time that Saul sent him on a military expedition, David had success.” See also New Century Version, “Saul sent David to fight in different battles. And David was very successful.” See also comments on verse 14.

So that translates the common Hebrew conjunction, which here relates David’s success and his appointment over other soldiers. It is therefore not incorrect to translate as in New Revised Standard Version, “as a result….”

The people and … Saul’s servants: the people refers to the lower-ranking “troops,” while the servants were higher-ranking officers. On the latter see the comments on 8.14.

The structure of the last part of this verse may have to be radically altered in some languages to make the military officers and foot soldiers the subject of the sentence: “the troops and even all the officers were very happy about this.”

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 .

Sang to one another: some understand this verb to mean that the women sang to one another (Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, and Revised English Bible), but others, to mean simply that they sang (Good News Translation, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New American Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible). The latter seems preferable.

As they made merry: that is, “as they rejoiced.” This represents the same verb that is translated “made sport” in the story of Samson (Judges 16.25, 27) and “play” in 2 Sam 2.14.

The words of this song are repeated in 21.11 and 29.5. The conjunction waw (and [David]) connects what is said about Saul to what is said about David. Were the singers intending to contrast what Saul and David had accomplished (“but”), or were they simply stating what both had done (and)? Either is possible, but at least some sense of contrast or addition seems intended.

In addition to Good News Translation, the following versions mark that contrast with the conjunction “but”: Revised English Bible, New Century Version, and An American Translation. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Bible en français courant, Moffatt, and Knox omit the conjunction altogether. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch also uses a conjunction marking contrast. Curiously, New American Bible has “and” in this case but uses the contrasting conjunction “but” in 21.11 and 29.5. Translators are, however, advised to be consistent whichever solution is adopted.

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 conjunction and between the first two clauses in this verse should probably be taken as showing a relationship of cause and effect. It was because Saul was displeased that he became very angry. It is therefore legitimate to translate “Saul was very angry because this saying displeased him” or, reversing the order of the elements, “This saying displeased Saul, so he became very angry.”

This saying displeased him: literally “this saying was displeasing in his eyes.” In many languages, however, this will have to be restructured to make him (Saul) the subject, as he is of the first verb in this verse, “he [Saul] was not pleased with this.”

He said is a literal translation of the Hebrew. Perhaps David said the following words to someone else, but most likely Fox captures the intended sense by saying “he said (to himself),” placing the words “to himself” in parentheses to show that they are not in the Hebrew. Compare “he thought” (New American Bible, New International Version, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, Bible en français courant).

They: there is no specific referent for this pronoun, which serves for both masculine and feminine in Hebrew; it probably does not refer only to the women who had been singing (verse 6). It seems rather to refer to the people in general. In many languages the third person plural pronoun will convey this idea quite naturally. But if not, translators may substitute “the people [of Israel].”

Ten thousands … thousands: instead of translating the numbers themselves, Bible en français courant says “They have ascribed to him ten times more than to me!”

What more can he have but the kingdom? The Hebrew noun rendered kingdom is better translated “kingship.” Saul’s question is rhetorical and may be changed into a statement or exclamation as in Good News Translation. Compare New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, which says “All that he lacks is the kingship!” and Fox, who says “There yet (remains) for him only the kingdom!”

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 .

And translates the Hebrew verb traditionally rendered in English “and it came to pass” (see page 19).

Saul eyed David: this verb appears only here in the Old Testament and means “to eye or treat with suspicion.” La Bible Pléiade renders this “Saul saw David with an evil eye.” Contemporary English Version translates the meaning more dynamically: “Saul never again trusted David.” Klein may also be helpful: “Saul watched David suspiciously from that time forward.”

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 verb that is often translated as “And it came to pass” (see verse 9). Commentators generally consider verses 10 and 11 to be “out of place” at this point. They are very similar in content to 19.9-10. The two verses are enclosed in square brackets by Moffatt and New American Bible. Klein considers them to belong to a later revision of the Masoretic Text and prints them in a different typescript. Nevertheless the text must be translated as it stands in its final form.

An evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul: see the comments on 16.14. The Hebrew verb rendered rushed is translated “[the spirit of God] came mightily upon” in 10.10.

The verb raved is rendered “prophesied” in 10.5 and 10. See the comments on 10.5. New Century Version uses the same verb, “prophesied,” in this case. Revised English Bible and New Jerusalem Bible have “he fell into a frenzy.”

Within his house: that is, “while he was indoors.”

David was playing the lyre: literally “David was playing with his hand.” The Hebrew verb implies playing a stringed instrument (see the same words in 19.9). The instrument is not named but may be supplied from 16.23 (see also the comments on 10.5). In languages where the specific name of the instrument is difficult and may distract the reader from the main point of the story, translators are justified in saying something more general like “while David was making music.”

Day by day: this emphasizes the fact that David’s playing the lyre was not something that happened only once, but it was a regular occurrence. In some languages this meaning may be underlined by the use of the habitual verb form.

Saul had his spear in his hand: the word for spear in this verse is the same as in 13.19, 22; 17.7, 45, and 47.

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 this entire verse, see the parallel verse in 19.10.

Cast the spear: the Hebrew leaves implicit that Saul cast the spear “at David.”

He thought: literally “he said.” Traditional versions say that “he said” (King James Version and Reina-Valera revisada), without indicating to whom he spoke. In certain contexts this verb should be translated as “thought” or “said to himself.” The direct quotation will be more naturally translated as indirect discourse in some languages, since it represents the thoughts of Saul. A possible model is “Saul thought he would be able to pin David to the wall.”

The beginning of this verse in Hebrew is literally “and Saul threw the spear and he said I will strike in David and in the wall.” In an attempt to keep the form of the Hebrew, Fox says “I will strike David and the wall (together)!” But such a translation, unlike Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, is not idiomatic English. The expression pin David to the wall may have to be made more explicit. To pin someone to the wall means to throw a spear so hard that it goes through the person’s body or clothing and sticks into the wall behind him. The person is then unable to move. One African language has to say “I will hit him with my spear against the wall.”

Good News Translation makes explicit what is implied in the statement that David evaded him twice, namely that Saul threw a spear at David two times.

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 LORD was with him: see the comments on 16.18. The context clearly shows that David is the antecedent of the pronoun him (see also 16.13-14, where it is said that God’s spirit was with David but departed from Saul).

In some languages this verse will sound more natural if restructured to indicate the reason for Saul’s fear before stating the fact. A possible model is “The LORD was with David, but he was no longer with Saul. Therefore, Saul was afraid of David.”

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 conjunction is rightly taken as a logical connector showing that Saul’s sending David away was a direct result of his fear of David. Revised English Bible has “Therefore,” and New American Bible has “Accordingly.”

The context suggests that Saul sent David into battle in the hope that David would be killed (see verse 17). David himself later uses the same tactic to get rid of Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba (2 Sam 11.14-17).

He went out and came in: the antecedent of the pronoun he may be ambiguous in some languages. David, at the head of the army, went out into battle and came in, that is, he returned victoriously. New Revised Standard Version correctly translates “David marched out and came in, leading the army.” See also verse 16 and 29.6, where the same kind of expression is used.

Before the people: this does not mean that he was parading in front of the people of Israel, but rather that he was leading the troops of Israel. It refers specifically to David’s leading the soldiers. Such is the interpretation in various translations: “to march at the head of the troops” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh); “David led his men into action” (Revised English Bible); “So David led the people on their military expeditions” (New American Bible); and “David left and came back at the head of the people” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible).

It is possible, however, that before the people refers to all the people, not just the soldiers (see verse 16 below). If this is the meaning, then one may say that “he led his troops into battle and returned victoriously to his people.”

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 .