From there: that is, from the region of the Maon Desert, described in verses 24 and 25.

Strongholds: see the comments on verse 14.

En-gedi: located on the west shore of the Dead Sea about twenty-nine kilometers (eighteen miles) southeast of Hebron, En-gedi was an oasis with fresh water and hot springs. The name En-gedi means “fountain [en] of the kid [baby goat].” Nueva Biblia Española translates the name here and elsewhere as “Fuentelchivo,” that is, “Fountain of the kid.” See 24.2, which mentions a place in En-gedi called “Wildgoats’ Rocks.”

The verse numbering of the Hebrew is different from Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation here. This verse is the beginning of chapter 24 in Hebrew. The numbering of verses in chapter 24 will therefore differ in various translations, depending on which system has been followed. See the discussion “Verse numbering problems in 1 and 2 Samuel” in the introductory section of this Handbook, which is entitled “Translating the Books of Samuel,” pages 10 and following.

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 .

When Saul returned: literally “And it happened when Saul returned.” The verbal transition word is used here to mark the beginning of a new episode in the ongoing narrative of the relationship between Saul and David.

The words from following are literally “from behind.” The sense in this context is not that Saul was simply following behind the Philistines, but rather that he had been “pursuing” them (New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, and Revised English Bible). Contemporary English Version has “from fighting off.”

He was told: literally “they told him, saying.” Where the passive is unacceptable, a literal rendering of the Hebrew may be used. Or others may wish to say “someone told him.”

En-gedi: see the comment on 23.39.

In many cases the direct quotation in this verse may be better translated as indirect discourse following the model provided by Good News 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 .

As elsewhere in the Old Testament, the number three thousand is probably a round number (see 13.2; 26.2; and Judges 15.11). The verb form rendered chosen comes from a root meaning “to test,” “to select.” The sense is that these men were chosen because they were the elite or “the best” (Good News Translation). New American Bible says “three thousand picked men,” which is idiomatic English meaning that these men were specially chosen because they were considered superior to all other soldiers in Israel. A similar meaning is translated by New Revised Standard Version (“three thousand chosen men”) and New Jerusalem Bible (“three thousand men selected [from all Israel]”).

In front of: this expression may also mean “east of” (so Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible). Either is possible. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “in the direction of.” Contemporary English Version (“near”) provides another possible model that may be somewhat easier to translate.

Wildgoats’ Rocks: King James Version calls this place “the rocks of the wild goats” (so also New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Most modern translations understand this to be a name, as in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation (so also Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente and Nueva Biblia Española). The Hebrew term for goats in this verse may also be translated as “mountain goats.” Revised English Bible and New Jerusalem Bible say “Rocks of the Mountain Goats.” While the exact location of this place is not certain, it was quite near Engedi. In order to avoid giving the impression that the Wildgoats’ Rocks were far removed from Engedi, Contemporary English Version says “Wild Goat Rocks at En-Gedi.”

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 word sheepfolds (New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, and New American Bible) is not contemporary American English. The Hebrew term refers to a fence-like enclosure made of stones. Some sheepfolds were permanent, consisting of stone walls and a roof; others were temporary constructions.

The words by the way mean that the sheep pens were near the route along which people walked, or “along the side of the road” (Contemporary English Version).

To relieve himself: Hebrew expresses this action by means of a euphemism, “to cover his feet” (so King James Version and also New Jerusalem Bible, which surprisingly translates this idiom literally). Fox keeps the Hebrew idiom, but places “cover his feet” in quotation marks to indicate that the words have a meaning different from the surface meaning. When a man squatted to relieve himself, his robe covered his feet. Various euphemisms are used to translate this in English, such as “to relieve himself” (Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “to ease nature” (New American Bible). The English euphemism “to go to the bathroom” is unacceptable because it implies the existence of a room that certainly did not exist in the cave where Saul was. The same Hebrew idiom occurs in Judges 3.24. While Living Bible uses the unacceptable modern euphemism, New Living Translation wisely reverts to the more appropriate expression, “to relieve himself.”

Innermost parts refers, not to the center of the cave, but to the area farthest away from the entrance, in the rear of the cave.

In some languages it may be advisable to restructure this verse as Revised English Bible has done, so that it speaks of David and his men hiding in the back of the cave before mentioning that Saul entered in order to answer the call of nature.

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 contains a quotation within a quotation. Good News Translation has turned the embedded quotation, that is, the words of the LORD, into an indirect quotation, providing a good model for certain other languages.

Here is: translates the Hebrew particle traditionally rendered “behold.” The focusing particle actually occurs twice in this verse, but in this case “behold the day” may be more naturally translated “now is the time” or “this is the opportunity.”

Into your hand: see the comments on 4.8.

Good to you: literally “good in your eyes” (so Fox).

David stealthily, or secretly, cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe. The word stealthily, as well as all that follows, implies that Saul did not know what David had done. Good News Translation therefore says “without Saul’s knowing it.” The skirt (literally “corner”) refers to the extremity or end of the robe. Various renderings are found in English translations: “a piece” (Revised English Bible), “an end” (New American Bible), “a corner” (New Revised Standard Version), and “the border” (New Jerusalem Bible). The Hebrew word translated robe refers to a sleeveless, cloak-like outer garment. The word “cloak” (New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Fox) may be a better translation than robe.

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 “and it came to pass” (see page 19). Since this verse contrasts David’s feelings with his action in verse 4, Good News Translation links the two verses with the conjunction “But.” Contemporary English Version and New Revised Standard Version begin this verse with the word “Afterward.” And New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh uses both words, “But afterward.”

Heart smote him: this literal rendering may be misunderstood or considered unnatural in many languages. The meaning is expressed in a variety of ways in the English versions: “reproached himself” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), “was sorry” (Contemporary English Version), “was struck with remorse” (Revised English Bible), and “regretted” (New American Bible). In some languages it will be quite natural to retain the word “heart,” using an expression like “felt sad in his heart” or “his heart was sorrowful.” La Bible du Semeur takes this clause in a slightly different way and retains some of the wording of the original expression, “his heart began to beat very strongly.” But it is probably better to represent the idea of remorse or regret more directly. See the same expression in 2 Sam 24.10.

Though Hebrew states explicitly the reason that David’s conscience bothered him, Good News Translation leaves this information implicit.

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 .

Saul is called my lord and the LORD’s anointed. On the LORD’s anointed, see the comments on 2.10. In English the repeated use of the words the LORD and the lord with different reference may be confusing, especially to one who is hearing the text read. Translators in other languages may also normally use the same word for the LORD God and a human master or chief. In such cases it may be better to rephrase in order to avoid confusion, as Revised English Bible has done: “God forbid that I should harm my master, the LORD’s anointed.” Another possible way of saying this is “May God help me not to do anything to harm the one that he has anointed to be king, that one who is also my own master.”

This thing seems to refer to the attack on Saul suggested by David’s men and not to the cutting off of the edge of his robe. But some modern versions take it in very general terms as referring to “any harm” (Good News Translation). Contemporary English Version translates quite explicitly, but rather dynamically, changing the first person singular pronoun to first person plural: “We’re not going to attack 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 .

The precise meaning of the verb rendered persuaded is disputed. The verb in its root form means “tear apart” or “divide.” In the form in which it occurs in this verse, the meaning is not clear. One Jewish translation keeps close to the root form: “broke by his words the intentions of his men.” Other translations include “scolded … severely” (New Revised Standard Version) “reproved” (Revised English Bible), and “restrained” (New American Bible and New Jerusalem Bible).

With these words: that is, with the words recorded in the previous verse. The fact that this whole section seems to be out of chronological order has led several modern versions to restructure the passage. Revised English Bible combines verses 4-7, and Contemporary English Version puts 6 and 7 together.

In view of the shift in focus in the middle of this verse, it may be helpful to begin a new paragraph with the last sentence, as in Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, and certain other versions.

Rose up: because Saul had been in a squatting position, this verb may be taken in its literal sense and not as a serial verb, as may be the case in another context.

Went upon his way: the context makes it clear that Saul did not get very far away from the cave before the next episode in the story took place. For this reason New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh translates in a manner very similar to Good News Translation, “started on his way.”

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 .