Good News Translation makes explicit the reason that David asks Ahimelech if he has a spear or sword by adding the words “to give me.”

The negative question of Revised Standard Version may be better translated in certain languages as “you surely have a spear or a sword, don’t you?”

At hand: see verses 3 and 4.

The word for introduces David’s reason for asking for a weapon. But in some languages it may be more natural to leave this word implicit.

Since the sword is obviously a weapon, Good News Translation finds it more logical to translate my weapons as “any other weapon.”

The king’s business: compare “the king has charged me with a matter” (verse 2).

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 .

Rose: see the comment on this verb in series with others at 9.3. Here it does not necessarily imply that David was seated or lying down. Rather it merely indicates that he took action.

Fled: see the comments on 19.18. In some languages it may be necessary to indicate that David “kept on running from Saul” (Contemporary English Version), since this may be seen as a part of a process that started much earlier. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh also adopts this meaning: “continued on his flight from Saul.”

Good News Translation leaves out any mention of that day, but there seems little reason to omit this idea. In some cases an adverb like “immediately” may serve to convey the thought.

Achish appears here for the first time in the Old Testament and reappears again in chapters 27–29. Regarding the Philistine city Gath, see 5.8.

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 servants of Achish: regarding the range of meanings and translation of the word servants, see page 12 and following. The usual translation of the Hebrew noun as “servants” will probably suggest to most readers that these people took care of the king’s personal needs. The Hebrew noun is also used to refer to officials and advisors who were subordinate to a king (see, for example, 29.3; 2 Kgs 22.12; Neh 2.10, 19). The latter meaning seems more likely in this context (so Good News Translation, La Bible du Semeur, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Bible en français courant, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). See also verse 14.

The king of the land: in Josh 12.7-24, “kings of the land” designates rulers of small city-states. The translation “the king of his country” (Good News Translation) probably suggests that David ruled a very large area, since in English the word “country” is used for such a large geographical area. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente says “He is like a king in his land.” Most interpreters understand these words as referring to David. It is possible, however, to understand this as a direct address to Achish. Compare La Bible Pléiade, “The servants of Achish said to him, ‘King of the land, is not this David?’ ”

The question format that includes the familiar song about David may be quite unnatural in certain languages. The purpose of the question is certainly not to obtain information, so it may be better translated as a strong affirmation. New Century Version introduces the quotation by saying “He’s the man they dance and sing about, saying….”

Saul has slain … ten thousands? This repeats the words of 18.7, which occur again in 29.5.

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 … to heart: literally “put [or, placed] in his heart.” This is a common Hebrew idiom, though expressed in slightly different forms in Hebrew (see 2 Sam 13.20, 33), meaning “to pay attention to,” “to lay to heart.” The sense of this idiom may be expressed in various ways: “These comments were not lost on David” (Revised English Bible), “these words worried David” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), “David took note of these remarks” (New American Bible), and “David pondered on these words” (New Jerusalem Bible). On the place of the heart in Hebrew thinking, see the comments on 1.8.

And was much afraid: the relationship between David’s consideration of the words of the people of Gath and his becoming afraid of King Achish leaves a great deal to the imagination of the reader. Contemporary English Version makes it somewhat clearer by saying “David thought about what they were saying, and it made him afraid of Achish.” That is, the quoting of the song about David implied that he was therefore a threat to Achish, but since he was all alone, he was afraid that he might be killed in order to do away with the threat.

Achish the king of Gath: Good News Translation has omitted the words of Gath in the interest of English style, since Achish was already identified as king of Gath in verse 10.

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 titles of Psa 56 and 34 link those psalms with the incidents in verses 12-13.

So: the common Hebrew conjunction is correctly translated as a logical connector in this context. It was because of his fear of Achish that David pretended to be insane.

The pronouns he and his refer to David. However, since King Achish was the last person mentioned by name in verse 12, use of the pronoun rather than the name “David” may result in initial confusion in some languages.

Before them: that is, when other people were watching, or “in front of Achish and his servants” (making the pronoun them explicit). New Jerusalem Bible conveys the same meaning but without making the pronoun explicit: “when their eyes were on him.” Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente says simply “in public.”

In their hands: these words are subject to various interpretations: “when they held him” (New Jerusalem Bible); “for their benefit” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh); “while in their custody” (Anchor Bible); “as they sought to restrain him” (Klein). Perhaps the latter is a bit more likely.

Made marks on the doors of the gate: on the “gates” of city walls, see the comment on 4.18. The verb translated made marks expresses the sense of scribbling. However, some take the verb to refer to scratching or “clawing” (New Century Version).

The Septuagint reads “drummed,” a translation based on a Hebrew verb similar in appearance to the verb made marks. New American Bible (“drumming on the doors”) and New Jerusalem Bible (“drummed his feet on the doors”) are based on the Septuagint (also Fox, Osty-Trinquet, and La Bible Pléiade).

Anchor Bible accepts the Septuagint reading but considers the Hebrew word behind the Septuagint translation to be related to the word “spitting,” that is, David “spat [upon the doors].” Such a translation certainly fits well with the words that immediately follow. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text and recommends that the verb be translated “he made marks.”

The gate referred to may be either that of the city as a whole or the gate of the royal palace. Probably the city gate is intended, but kings often set up their throne in the open area just inside the city gate to receive visitors. So in either case King Achish would have been aware of David’s bizarre behavior.

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 .

Servants: see the comments on verse 11.

Lo translates the Hebrew word traditionally rendered “Behold.” Here it is used to focus attention on the unusual situation of having an apparently insane person in the presence of the king.

Mad: not angry but “insane” (Revised English Bible) or “crazy” (Contemporary English 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 .

Do I lack madmen…? This question may be better translated as a strong declaration in some languages, since it is not asked for the purpose of obtaining information. The meaning is rather “I have enough crazy people…” (Contemporary English Version).

To play the madman in my presence: New American Bible says “to carry on in my presence.”

The final question (Shall this fellow come into my house?) is rhetorical and may be translated as an imperative statement as in Contemporary English Version: “Keep him away from my palace!” New Century Version translates similarly: “Don’t let him in my house!”

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 .