Since it may be unclear in certain languages to whom the subject pronoun he refers, it may be advisable to substitute the name of David, as Good News Translation has done. Similarly it may not be clear how the pronoun it should be understood. This pronoun refers to the principle stated in the previous verse, that “all will share alike.” La Bible du Semeur says “this way of acting was set up as a law….”

From that day forward … to this day: beginning with this victory over the Amalekites and continuing to the time when this account was written, it became a law in Israel for the loot to be shared between those who fought and those who did not fight (as explained in verse 24).

A statute and an ordinance: the same words appear in Exo 15.25. The Hebrew word rendered statute means an authoritative statement, a pronouncement of some kind; the word rendered ordinance has a wide range of meanings, including “custom,” “command,” and “conformity to rule.” Fox translates the first noun as “prescribed law” and the second as “a practice.” Though some have tried to find a clear distinction in meaning between these two terms, most agree that, at least here, no distinction is intended between the two nouns. Used together these two nouns refer to a legally binding regulation. Compare “the established custom” (Revised English Bible) and “a fixed rule” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

To this day: the sense is not that David set a fixed time for this custom to be preserved, that is, “up to this day.” Rather this elliptical phrase means “and this custom has been observed since then up to the day that this book was written.” New Century Version says “This order and rule continues even today.”

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 .

Since David started his chase after the Amalekites from Ziklag, it will be natural in many languages to say that he “returned” rather than to say that he came.

He sent part of the spoil to his friends, the elders of Judah: literally “he sent part of the spoil to the elders of Judah, his friend.” Note that both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation have reversed the word order, mentioning “friends” first. There are several textual problems that need to be examined.

Some propose that the Hebrew text should be corrected from to his friends to “city by city” (see verses 27-31). New American Bible, for example, says “he sent part of the spoil to the elders of Judah, city by city.” New Jerusalem Bible is similar, “to the elders of Judah, town by town.”

Others follow the Septuagint in placing the word “and” between “elders” and “friends,” making two distinct groups. Compare Revised English Bible, “to the elders of Judah and to his friends.”

Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, however, gives an {A} evaluation to the Masoretic Text and notes that the singular “friend” is used in the distributive sense to mean “each one of his friends.” Furthermore the word “his friend” is in apposition to the words the elders of Judah, that is, David sent loot to one group and not to two distinct groups. Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation therefore support the recommendations of Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament and should be followed. Compare also New International Version, “he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends.”

The elders: see the comment on 4.3.

A present: literally “a blessing” (see the comments on 25.27).

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 and those that follow list the cities in which the elders of Judah lived who were mentioned in verse 26. The sense is “the loot [or, spoil] was for those elders of Judah who lived in Bethel, in Ramoth, … in Jattir….” Good News Translation incorrectly says that David sent the spoil “to the people” in these cities rather than “to the elders.” Compare New Century Version, “David sent some things from the Amalekites to the leaders in Bethel, Ramoth in the southern part of Judah, Jattir….” Similarly La Bible du Semeur says “to the persons in charge in Bethel….”

Bethel: some interpreters think that the name Bethel is an error in the Hebrew text, since the town of Bethel was not located in Judah. Various corrections have been suggested. One proposal is “Bethuel” (so Revised English Bible, Osty-Trinquet, La Bible Pléiade, and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), a town in which some members of the tribe of Simeon lived (see Josh 19.4; 1 Chr 4.30). Others (Anchor Bible), following the Septuagint, have proposed “Beth-zur,” a town a relatively short distance north of Hebron (see Josh 15.58). Though there is no direct manuscript support for the name “Bethuel,” Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament recommends this name, giving it a {D} rating.

Ramoth of the Negeb: regarding the Negeb see verse 1 above. Ramoth is perhaps to be identified with Baalath-beer, a city in the tribe of Simeon (see Josh 19.8).

Jattir was located about nineteen kilometers (or twelve miles) south-southwest of Hebron (see Josh 15.48; 21.14).

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 .

Aroer was located east of the Jordan River (see Num 32.34). It seems unlikely that a city so far from Judah would be included in this list. Some therefore think the town is probably “Ararah” (so Revised English Bible, Anchor Bible, and La Bible Pléiade), about nineteen kilometers (or twelve miles) southeast of Beer-sheba. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament recommends the name “Arad,” giving it a {D} rating. Arad was a city in the southern part of the territory of Judah, about thirty-two kilometers (twenty miles) from Hebron (see Num 21.1; 33.40; Josh 12.14; Judges 1.16). “Arad” is the reading in Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch.

Siphmoth is not mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament, and its location is unknown.

Eshtemoa was located about twelve kilometers (or about eight miles) south of Hebron (see Josh 15.50; 21.14).

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 .

Racal: this city is not mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament, and its location is unknown. In place of Racal the Septuagint reads “Carmel,” a city located about eleven kilometers (or about seven miles) south of Hebron (see Josh 15.55; 1 Sam 25.2). The Septuagint is the basis for the reading “Carmel” in New Jerusalem Bible, Anchor Bible, and Osty-Trinquet. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, however, gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text. So translators are advised to base their renderings on the name Racal as in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation.

The cities of the Jerahmeelites: the clan of Jerahmeel belonged to the tribe of Judah (see 1 Chr 2.9, 25-27). The Kenites were mentioned earlier in 15.6. They apparently lived in the southeast part of Palestine, near the border with Moab. The Septuagint and a Hebrew manuscript from Qumran read “the Kenizzites” (see Num 32.12; Josh 14.6) instead of the Kenites. Regarding the Jerahmeelites and the Kenites, see also 27.10.

The sense is not that David sent spoil to all of the people in the cities of the Jerahmeelites and the Kenites, but rather that he sent it to the leaders in these cities (see the comments on verse 27). New Century Version says “He also sent some to the leaders of the cities of the Jerahmeelites and the Kenites.”

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 .

Hormah was one of the cities belonging to the tribe of Judah (see Josh 15.30). The meaning of the name is disputed. It apparently is related to the verb meaning “dedicate to destruction” (see Num 21.3 and Judges 1.17). Nueva Biblia Española translates this name here and elsewhere as “Exterminio,” that is, “Destruction.”

Borashan: this town is located about eight kilometers (five miles) northwest of Beer-sheba and is called “Ashan” elsewhere in the Old Testament (see Josh 15.42; 19.7). The name Borashan means “well of Ashan” or “well of smoke.” Nueva Biblia Española translates this name as “Pozodehumo,” that is, “Well-of-smoke.”

Athach: some would correct this name to “Ether” (so Anchor Bible and La Bible Pléiade), a city paired with Ashan in Josh 15.42; 19.7, and located about twenty-four kilometers (or about fifteen miles) northwest of Hebron. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text but notes the possibility that the spelling Athach may be a corruption in spelling of the name “Ether.” Athach is not mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament.

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 .

Hebron: see the comments on 2 Sam 2.1.

The verb translated roamed is a special form of a common Hebrew verb meaning to walk or move. This form indicates movement back and forth. Certain versions speak of the places that “David and his men had frequented” (New Jerusalem Bible, Anchor Bible), “… had passed through” (La Bible du Semeur) or “… had traveled” (Contemporary English Version).

For all the places … had roamed: literally “and for all the places … had roamed.” The difference in the transition word is crucial. The most likely sense of this Hebrew clause is that it stands in apposition to the places named in verses 27-31a. The conjunction “and” therefore functions in an explanatory manner. It may be rendered “namely,” that is, “in Hebron—namely all the places where David and his men had roamed.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “and to those in Hebron—all the places where David and his men had roamed.”

It is possible, however, that this final clause indicates that David sent additional presents to other places not named in verses 27-31a. Compare Revised English Bible, “in Hebron, and in all the places over which he and his men had ranged.” Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente is even more definite that the unnamed places are different places from those named in verses 27-31a: “Moreover David sent something to all the places in which he had traveled with his men.” New Century Version likewise makes a clear distinction: “He sent some things to the people in all the other places where he and his men had been.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch is similar.

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 .