The passive formulation Blessed be you may be made active by saying “May God bless you” or “I pray that God will bless you.”

My son David: see verse 17.

Do many things: literally “doing you will do” or “to do you will do.” This may be taken to mean that significant activity will be attempted. And in certain languages the verb succeed is difficult to translate. The basic meaning of the verb is “to be able.” The same word is used elsewhere for being victorious in battle (17.9). The idea is the effective accomplishment of whatever is undertaken. In Revised English Bible the two verbs are translated “you will do great things and be triumphant.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “you shall achieve and you shall prevail.” Others take the two verbs together to mean “in whatever you undertake, you will certainly succeed.”

His place: that is, “his palace” (Nueva Biblia Española).

If indirect discourse is preferred, the following model may prove helpful to translators:

• Saul wished God’s blessing on David and told him that he would do well in whatever he decided to do. Then David went on his way and Saul went back to his 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 .

The concluding verses of the previous chapter leave the impression that all is well between Saul and David, but the content of this chapter shows that this is not the case. So the transition word used at the beginning of this verse is rather important. The common Hebrew conjunction is represented by and in Revised Standard Version, while most other modern versions leave it untranslated. But New American Bible, New Century Version, and Contemporary English Version, which translate “But,” may be better models, since they show the contrast between the reader’s expeCritique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testamention that the two adversaries will be reconciled and the fact that the antagonism actually continues. In fact, David plans to flee to the territory of the Philistines so that Saul will finally give up looking for him in Israel. According to verse 4, Saul does in fact stop looking for him.

Said in his heart: see the same expression in Gen 8.21; 24.45; also the comments on “speaking in her heart” in 1 Sam 1.13. This expression may also be translated “David thought to himself” (New International Version, Revised English Bible), or simply “David thought” (New Jerusalem Bible). It seems to convey the idea of a nagging doubt in the mind of David in spite of the happy ending to the story in the previous chapter. In some languages it may be possible to translate “kept wondering.”

Hand is used two times in this verse to mean “by the power of” or “under the control of.” See the comments on 4.8.

There is nothing better for me may be expressed without the negative as “the best thing for me to do” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible). Another possible model is “I have no choice but to…” (New American Bible).

Escape: see the comments on 19.10.

The land of the Philistines: other ways of expressing this are “Philistine territory” (Revised English Bible) or “the country of the Philistines” (New Jerusalem Bible).

Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel: Revised Standard Version translates the form of the Hebrew here literally. New Jerusalem Bible provides a dynamic model that maintains the image of Saul searching for David throughout the country of Israel: “then Saul will give up tracking me through the length and breadth of Israel.”

In languages where internal thoughts such as David’s are more naturally translated as indirect discourse, the following model may be considered:

• David thought to himself that Saul was eventually going to kill him. So he decided that the best thing for him to do was to run away to Philistine country. He thought that Saul would finally give up looking for him all over Israel, and so he would be safe.

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 .

Arose: see the comments on 9.3. The meaning of this verb in this context is better expressed in English with the verb “set out.” Compare New Revised Standard Version (“So David set out and went over”) and Revised English Bible (“So David and his six hundred men set out and crossed the frontier”). But Good News Translation reflects this first verb, which indicates immediate action, by adding the words “at once” to the second verb.

Went over: David crossed over the border that separated the Philistine territory from the Israelite territory. As noted in the paragraph above, Revised English Bible makes explicit that they went over “the frontier.” The subject of the verbs arose and went over is singular, referring specifically to David, but the verbs are followed by the mention of the six hundred men who were with him, who in fact also participated in the action of the verbs. This is a common occurrence in the Old Testament and serves to keep the focus on the main character in the story. But the same structure may not be natural in the receptor language. Translators should search for a natural equivalent in their own language that will keep the focus on David while at the same time showing that the other men went along with him. In some cases the following model may be helpful: “So David, along with his six hundred soldiers, crossed over….”

Achish the son of Maoch: see note on 21.10. It is Achish who is the king of Gath, not his father Maoch, which is how Revised Standard Version may be misunderstood.

Gath: see note on 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 .

David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men: as in the previous verse, the structure of the Hebrew focuses on David but includes his men as well. Of course this does not mean that David, all of his troops, and their families lived in the same compound with the king of Gath. Good News Translation, in fact, omits the words with Achish. The sense is that both Achish and all of David’s men lived in the same city.

Ahino-am of Jezreel: see the comments on 25.43.

Abigail of Carmel: see the comments on 25.3. The word order in Hebrew is literally “and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite [feminine].” The Masoretic Text calls Abigail “the Carmelite.” According to the Septuagint, Nabal is called the Carmelite; and this is the basis for those translations such as New American Bible and New Jerusalem Bible that say “Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel.”

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 it was told Saul: in languages where passive forms of the verb are not used, it will be necessary to say either that “someone told Saul,” or that “Saul heard” or “Saul learned.”

Fled: see the comments on 19.18.

He sought him no more: that is, “he did not pursue him any more” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or, perhaps better, “he stopped looking for him” (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 .

Then translates the common Hebrew conjunction, which functions here to move the story on to the next event. Many translations mark the transition by beginning a new paragraph and leaving the conjunction untranslated (so Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible).

David’s words If I have found favor in your eyes imply that he must already have lived at least a short time in the royal city. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch is justified, therefore, in beginning this verse as follows: “After a short time David said to Achish.” Or translators may prefer to say “After a while….” David’s words are prefaced by the particle of entreaty in Hebrew.

Found favor in your eyes: see the comments on 1.18, and compare also 16.22; 20.3, 29; 25.8.

Let a place be given me: literally “they should give me a place.” This may imply that some intermediary authority had to approve the request; but since Achish was the final authority, the passive construction of Revised Standard Version may be better translated as “let me have a place” (New American Bible), or possibly “grant me a place” (Revised English Bible). That the final authority belonged to Achish is confirmed in the following verse.

One of the country towns: that is, one of the smaller towns located around Gath. New Jerusalem Bible and Klein say “one of the outlying towns [or, cities].” La Bible du Semeur speaks of “any village in the countryside.”

Your servant: David is here referring to himself in a polite way. In most languages a personal pronoun will have to be used. See “Indirect reference” on page 12 and following.

The royal city: that is, Gath (see verses 2-3).

For why…? This is a rhetorical question, which is translated in the form of a statement in some common-language translations (Good News Translation, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). The meaning is “I don’t need to live in the royal city with you” (New Century Version) or “I’m not important enough to live here with you in the royal city” (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 .

Good News Translation omits the words that day, which are in the Hebrew. There is, however, no reason why this information should be omitted. Compare New American Bible (“That same day”) and New Jerusalem Bible (“That very day”).

The location of the town of Ziklag is uncertain, but it was apparently situated in the southwestern hills of Judah, northwest of Beer-sheba and about fifty kilometers (more than thirty miles) southwest of Jerusalem.

The statement that Ziklag belonged to the kings of Judah has been understood by some to mean only that from this time on the city remained under the control of the Israelites rather than the Philistines. More likely, however, the words mean that this city became royal property, the private possession of the kings of Judah. New Jerusalem Bible clearly reflects the second interpretation: “has been the property of the kings of Judah to the present day.”

To this day: that is, up to the time that this account was written (see the comment on 5.5). Revised English Bible says “that is why Ziklag still belongs to the kings of Judah.”

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 number of the days is a literal translation. New Revised Standard Version uses more idiomatic English, “the length of time.” Anchor Bible has “the amount of time.” See also New American Bible, “In all, David lived a year and four months….”

The country: better, “the countryside.” This is the same word as in verse 5, “the towns of the open country.” The sense here seems to be that David remained in the open country rather than living in any of the major Philistine cities. Compare Traduction œcuménique de la Bible “in the Philistine countryside” and similarly Nueva Biblia Española. It appears again in verse 11.

A year and four months: literally “days and four months.” On this Hebrew idiom see the comment on 1.21 (also 29.3). In some languages it may be more natural to speak of this period of time in terms of the total number of months (sixteen), as Good News Translation has done.

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 .