The common Hebrew conjunction here marks contrast between the course of action proposed by Abishai and David’s response, which rejects the proposal. It is properly translated But or “However.”

The verb said may in this context be translated “whispered” (New American Bible) or “whispered back” (Contemporary English Version) in order to maintain the hushed atmosphere of the scene.

David responds to the question of Abishai by an imperative that unquestionably opposes the idea of killing Saul. He then poses a question that is clearly rhetorical. In some languages it may be necessary to change the question into a statement, as in Good News Translation. But others may prefer to retain the question format, following the model of Bible en français courant: “Do you think one can remain unpunished after having made an attempt on the life of the king whom the Lord has chosen?”

The expression put forth his hand against is a way of saying “do harm to” or “cause injury to.”

The LORD’s anointed: that is, King Saul. See the comments on 2.10.

And be guiltless: or “and not be punished.” But where passive forms are a problem, it may be necessary to restructure the whole of David’s utterance: “Don’t kill him! If a person tries to kill the king chosen by the LORD, the LORD will certainly punish that person.” Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente provides another useful model: “ ‘No’ David replied, ‘don’t kill him: no one has the right to injure the king consecrated by the LORD.’ ”

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 And David said may be considered redundant in some languages and may therefore be omitted. David is speaking in verse 9, and he continues to speak here. New Century Version and Contemporary English Version continue the quotation begun in the previous verse without these words.

The antecedents of the pronouns him, his, and he may be ambiguous, since the reader may think that the reference is the person “who puts his hand against the LORD’s anointed” (verse 9). To avoid ambiguity translators may use the name Saul the first time the third person pronoun occurs.

As the LORD lives: see the comments on 14.39.

Smite: as in previous verses (15.3; 20.33) this verb refers to killing with a blow or strike. Similarly the expression go down into battle and perish also refers to death in the course of warfare. This is in contrast to the previous clause, his day shall come to die, which refers to natural death.

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 .

David had earlier spared Saul’s life for the same reason (see 24.6).

The LORD forbid: literally “Far be it from me by Yahweh.” See 24.6, where the same idiom occurs.

Put forth my hand: literally “send my hand.” See the comments at verse 9 above. The same expression is used again in verse 23.

The LORD’s anointed: see the comments on 2.10.

The jar: this was a small rounded jar for carrying water or oil. Other renderings of this term are “cruse” (Anchor Bible, Fox), “jug” (New American Bible), and “pitcher” (New Jerusalem Bible). Some translations say “water jar” (Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), but this should not be taken to imply that there was no water in the jar. The meaning is rather “jar of water” (Revised Standard Version), “jug of water” (An American Translation), or “pitcher of water” (New Jerusalem Bible).

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 .

No man saw it, or knew it: that is, none of Saul’s soldiers were aware of what had happened. There is no pronoun it in the Hebrew. Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation supply it after both verbs, and it is clear from the context that what no one saw or knew was the entire event of David and Abishai being in the camp of Saul and taking the spear and water container. In some cases the best translation may be “there were no witnesses and no one was even aware of what had happened.”

That God causes people to sleep in a deep sleep is expressed elsewhere in the Old Testament (see, for example, Gen 2.21; 15.12; Isa 29.10). But the idea may be worded differently in this context in certain languages. For example, some may say “the LORD caused them to sleep deeply” or “the LORD made them all continue to sleep soundly.”

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 other side: see verse 3. A valley separates David from Saul’s camp.

With a great space between them: that is, between David and the camp where Saul and his soldiers were sleeping. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente says “There was a great distance between him and the camp.” New American Bible translates “at a great distance from Abner, son of Ner, and the troops,” shifting certain information forward from the following verse. The expression implies that David will be in a place where it will be safe for him to speak out without fear of immediate danger. This implicit information is made explicit in Good News Translation, which says that David was “a safe distance away.”

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 at the beginning of this verse contrasts with the whispering that went on between David and Abishai when they were in Saul’s camp. It will be appropriate to translate it “shouted” (New American Bible, New Century Version) or “cried out” (La Bible du Semeur). Similarly the verb answered, which introduces Abner’s response, may be rendered “shouted back” (Contemporary English Version).

The army: literally “the people” (see verse 5), referring to Saul’s soldiers.

Abner the son of Ner: since Abner has already been identified in verse 5 as the son of Ner, Good News Translation omits these words here for reasons of English style.

The question directed to Abner, Will you not answer…? is merely a way of attracting the attention of Abner and the entire camp. Since a literal rendering may be subject to misunderstanding, translators may feel free to use whatever attention-getting device the receptor language may use in such a situation.

The words to the king are lacking in the Septuagint, which is followed by New Jerusalem Bible, An American Translation, and Osty-Trinquet. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, however, gives a {B} evaluation to the Masoretic Text, which includes these words. The sense is that Abner wants to know who dares to trouble the sleep of King Saul by shouting loudly to Abner. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente says “ ‘Who is it who is disturbing the king?’ Abner replied.”

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 .

Are you not a man? Who is like you in Israel? The context makes clear that these are rhetorical questions. Some versions change one or both of these questions into strong statements of affirmation (so Nueva Biblia Española and La Bible du Semeur). David’s questions function almost as taunts to criticize Abner for not doing his job well, even though he is a great military leader. Bible en français courant says “Abner, you are a man, aren’t you?” David asked. “There is not a better soldier than you in Israel!”

The words your lord are used twice in this verse in the sense of “your master,” and they refer to Saul. If there is any doubt as to whom they refer, the name of Saul may be added, or “the king,” as in Good News Translation.

For: the transition word shows the relationship between David’s taunts and what had just happened in the camp for which Abner was responsible. Abner’s importance is questioned precisely because he had allowed someone to enter the camp without his knowledge.

One of the people: this expression refers to “one of the soldiers” (Anchor Bible) or simply “a soldier.”

Came in: that is, “came into the camp” or “came into your camp” (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 thing that you have done is not good: Abner is in fact accused of failing to fulfill his responsibilities rather than of actually doing something. The idea is “You have performed poorly” or “What you have allowed to happen is not good.” Contemporary English Version translates dynamically “You’re a complete failure!”

As the LORD lives: see verse 10 above.

You deserve to die: literally “for you [are] sons of death.” This may also be translated “you are destined to die.” See the same Hebrew idiom in 20.31 and 2 Sam 12.5. In Hebrew these words and the following verb you have not kept watch are plural, referring to the soldiers under Abner as well as to Abner himself. Good News Translation adds the word “all” in order to show that David is talking to both Abner and the army. But in languages that distinguish the singular and plural second person pronouns, the use of the plural pronoun alone should be adequate.

The LORD’s anointed: see the comments on 2.10.

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 .