Came to Ziklag: the king of Gath had given the city of Ziklag to David, for him to live there (see 27.5-7). David was returning to Ziklag from Aphek (29.1-2), a distance of about 120 kilometers (or 75 miles). It will be natural in many languages to say that David and his men “arrived back” or “returned.”

On the third day: counting the day on which they left as the first day, they arrived on the third day. Good News Translation expresses this in the common way of calculating time in English as “Two days later.” This information is also shifted forward to the beginning of the verse. Its placement in other translations, however, will depend on what is most natural in the receptor language.

Amalekites: see the comments on 14.48. No reason is given in the narrative for the raid by the Amalekites, but probably it was in retaliation for David’s earlier raids against them (see 27.8-9).

The verb forms had made and had overcome … and burned indicate that these actions of the Amalekite army took place prior to David’s return to Ziklag. The description of the Amalekites’ actions continues, in fact, in verse 2. Some languages may require a restructuring of these two verses so that the Amalekite attack is described before the description of David’s arrival in Ziklag. In fact verse 3 begins with a repetition of the account of the arrival of David and his men in Ziklag.

The Negeb: see the comments on 27.10. In this context it is advisable to translate “southern Judah” (Good News Translation) or “the southern part of Judah.”

Burned it with fire: the mention of fire may be redundant in many languages. While it is possible to burn an object with something other than fire (such as acid), the most commonly understood meaning of the verb “burn” is to burn with fire. Many versions therefore say simply “burned it down” (New Revised Standard Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “set it on fire” (Revised English Bible, New American 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 .

As the note in Revised Standard Version indicates, the Masoretic Text does not have the words and all after the word women. Revised Standard Version and many other versions follow the Septuagint by including these words. The difference in meaning is considerable. In the Hebrew of this verse, only women seem to have been taken captive, although children are specifically mentioned in verse 3. In the Septuagint rendering of this verse, both the women and all others (including men) are taken captive.

Some versions reflect a mixture of the Hebrew and Greek texts, following neither completely. Good News Translation and Revised English Bible, for example, say “all the women.” Hertzberg says “the women and what was in it.”

Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament suggests that there were no men in the city, since they had traveled with David. Even if translators accept the recommendation of Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament regarding the correct text, for translation purposes it may be best to follow the model of Revised Standard Version. Since verse 3 indicates that there were sons and daughters with the women, that information may be shifted into verse 2 by saying the women and all who were in it.

Small and great do not refer to the physical size of the persons captured. Possibly these words indicate their social status. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “low-born and high-born alike.” It is also possible, however, that the reference is to “young and old” (Revised English Bible and New American Bible), as also in 5.9. See also verse 19 below, where the same Hebrew words occur. Since the context does not clearly indicate the precise sense, translators must simply choose one of the possible meanings.

Carried … off translates a Hebrew verb meaning “to lead” or “to drive off.” The Revised Standard Version translation (also New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible) is an idiom in English and should not be understood to mean that the captives were carried off in wagons. The captives were almost certainly forced to walk.

If translators follow the Hebrew rather than the Septuagint, they may say “They had taken all the women captive, both the young and the old [or, those who were important and those who were not].” Good News Translation leaves implicit what is explicit here in Hebrew, but the additional statement “young and old” provides emphasis that is lacking in 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 .

The city, that is, Ziklag.

Burned with fire: see the comments at verse 1.

Sons and daughters: in some languages it will be more natural to say simply “children.”

Both burned and taken captive represent passive forms in Hebrew, but in those languages where the two passive forms present problems, translators may wish to restructure along the following lines:

• When David and his men got back to the city, they saw that the enemies had burned it down and had captured and taken away their wives and children.

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 people who were with him: that is, the men who had returned to Ziklag with David (see also verse 6 below). As is often the case, the word people may be translated “troops” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), “his army” (New Century Version), or “his men” (New International Version).

Raised their voices and wept: this does not refer to two different actions but rather to a single event that may be rendered “wept aloud” (Revised English Bible) or “cried loudly” (New Century Version).

Until they had no more strength to weep: that is, “until they were too tired to cry any more.”

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’s two wives … Ahino-am … and Abigail: see 27.3. Since these two wives have been identified earlier in 1 Sam (25.39-43; 27.3), Good News Translation omits the information that Ahinoam was from Jezreel and that Abigail was the widow of Nabal of Carmel. Since these two wives were last identified in chapter 27, translators may wish to follow the form of the Hebrew here and include this information.

Had been taken captive: the passive construction may be avoided by rearranging the elements of this verse and saying that “The enemies [or, The Amalekites] had also taken away” David’s two wives.

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 .

Greatly distressed: see the similar expression in 28.15. Translators may see a slight difference in meaning between Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, since the Hebrew verb may vary in meaning depending on the context. Revised Standard Version focuses more on David’s personal reaction to the crisis, while Good News Translation seems to focus on the reaction of the troops as the source of the “trouble.” The Hebrew text may be understood in either way, so translators must choose between the two. New Revised Standard Version and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, translating in a way similar to Good News Translation, say that “David was in great danger.”

The people: that is, “the troops” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). See the comments on verse 4.

Stoning was commanded by the law in some cases in order to kill a person who had violated certain laws. Sometimes stoning was the method an angry mob used in order to kill someone (see 1 Kgs 12.18). The people are not wanting simply to harm or injure David by casting stones at him. Compare New Century Version, “The men in the army were threatening to kill David with stones.”

Were bitter in soul: the idea here seems to be “were profoundly bitter” or “felt very angry.”

For his sons and daughters: that is, “because his sons and daughters had been taken as prisoners” (New Century Version). The text seems to stress the individuality of these men who were grieving. Each one of the soldiers who had been with David was upset because of the loss of his children. The Hebrew literally says “a man for his sons and daughters.”

David strengthened himself in the LORD his God: the Hebrew form of the verb may mean either that David strengthened himself or that he was strengthened by someone else. Either is possible and the various translations reflect this ambiguity. If the second interpretation is followed, it may be more natural in certain languages to restructure this sentence to make God the subject rather than David (as Good News Translation has done). Others, however, may say something like “David found strength in the LORD his God” (New Century Version) or “he felt the LORD God giving him strength” (Contemporary English Version). New American Bible takes this as a subordinate clause, beginning a sentence that is completed in the following verse: “But with renewed trust in the LORD his God, 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 .

Abiathar the priest: see 22.20-23 and 23.6-9. Some may feel that it is unnecessarily distracting to speak at this point about the father of Abiathar. Since this information is given earlier, it can be omitted.

Ephod: see the comment on 2.18. The ephod involved here was not the article of clothing worn by the priest, but rather the object used in trying to find out the will of God. Bible en français courant speaks of the “sacred objects for consulting God.” Contemporary English Version avoids the use of the technical term by translating “let’s ask God what to do.” And in the following sentence the same version says “Abiathar got everything he needed to get answers from God….”

The direct quotation of David’s request may be transformed into indirect discourse if it is more natural to do so in the receptor language. For example, translators may say “David asked Abiathar the priest … to bring him the sacred things used in consulting God.”

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’s inquiry is made up of two questions, but they should probably not be thought of as two separate matters. Although virtually all translations translate the two questions separately, the overall meaning seems rather to be “Will I catch up with those raiders if I go after them?”

This band: that is, “the people who took our families” (New Century Version) or “the people who raided our town” (Contemporary English Version). Others may say “these raiders,” or “these outlaws,” or “those pillagers.”

You shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue: literally “to overtake you shall overtake and to rescue you shall rescue.” The Hebrew construction contains two sets of reinforcing verbs and expresses certainty. This is often translated by using an adverb such as “surely” or “certainly.” Neither verb has an explicitly stated object. In some languages it may be necessary to say “overtake the raiders and rescue the captives.” In order to communicate the certainty reflected in the Hebrew construction, it is possible to translate “I assure you that you will catch up with the raiding party and that you will rescue your women and children.”

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 .