וְהָיָה֙ בְּי֣וֹם מִלְחֶ֔מֶת וְלֹ֨א נִמְצָ֜א חֶ֤רֶב וַחֲנִית֙ בְּיַ֣ד כָּל־הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֶת־שָׁא֖וּל וְאֶת־יוֹנָתָ֑ן וַתִּמָּצֵ֣א לְשָׁא֔וּל וּלְיוֹנָתָ֖ן בְּנֽוֹ׃
22So on the day of the battle neither sword nor spear was to be found in the possession of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan, but Saul and his son Jonathan had them.
the Hebrew and Greek that is translated with “sword” in English is translated in Tepeuxila Cuicatec as “machete that is sharp on two sides,” in Lalana Chinantec as “machete” and in San Mateo del Mar Huave as “knife.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
See also two-edged sword.
The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Saul” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign that depicts “sword in chest” (referring to 1 Samuel 31:4 and 1 Chronicles 10:4) and also “self-centered.” (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
“Saul” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España
So: the common Hebrew conjunction followed by the verb “to be” is rightly taken as a logical transition marker resuming the story following the parenthetical explanation about the reason for the absence of swords and spears on the side of the Israelites. La Bible du Semeur translates the transition more specifically as “That is why,” showing more clearly that the previous verses provide an explanation as to why only Saul and Jonathan had metal weapons.
On the day of battle: Revised English Bible says “when war broke out.”
Good News Translation has restructured this verse since the Hebrew style tends to be heavy in English. Another possible model for restructuring this verse may read:
• Therefore only Saul and Jonathan, his son, had swords and spears when the battle [with the Philistines] began. None of the other Israelite soldiers had such weapons.
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 .
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