Then: the common conjunction here introduces the climax in a series of events. For this reason a number of modern versions begin this verse with the word “Finally” (New International Version, New Century Version, Contemporary English Version).

He himself went: this emphatic form refers to Saul, and the emphasis should be retained in translation where possible. The verb went should not be translated in such a way as to indicate that Saul actually arrived at Ramah immediately. The context speaks of certain events taking place along the way. So it will be better to translate the verb as in Good News Translation, or “set out for [Ramah]” (Revised English Bible), or “took the road…” (Knox).

Well: as noted in the discussion at 13.6, the Hebrew word refers to a storage place for water, dug in the rocky ground. Some translations use the word “cistern” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, Fox) or “storage-well” (New Jerusalem Bible), since a well usually refers to a hole dug into the ground to find water that is already underground, not stored by people.

Secu is an unidentified place either in or near Ramah—probably a village, but that is not certain. Some manuscripts of the Septuagint and the Vulgate say “on the bare hill” instead of Secu. These manuscripts are the basis for the New American Bible translation, “Arriving at the cistern of the threshing floor on the bare hilltop, he inquired…” (and similarly Klein). In Hebrew the word meaning great is similar in spelling to the word for “threshing floor,” and in Secu is similar to “on the bare hilltop.”

And he asked: literally “and he asked and said.”

In those languages where the direct quotations of this verse are considered less natural than indirect discourse, Good News Translation will serve as a good model for translators.

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 .