As elsewhere in the Old Testament, the number three thousand is probably a round number (see 13.2; 26.2; and Judges 15.11). The verb form rendered chosen comes from a root meaning “to test,” “to select.” The sense is that these men were chosen because they were the elite or “the best” (Good News Translation). New American Bible says “three thousand picked men,” which is idiomatic English meaning that these men were specially chosen because they were considered superior to all other soldiers in Israel. A similar meaning is translated by New Revised Standard Version (“three thousand chosen men”) and New Jerusalem Bible (“three thousand men selected [from all Israel]”).

In front of: this expression may also mean “east of” (so Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible). Either is possible. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “in the direction of.” Contemporary English Version (“near”) provides another possible model that may be somewhat easier to translate.

Wildgoats’ Rocks: King James Version calls this place “the rocks of the wild goats” (so also New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Most modern translations understand this to be a name, as in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation (so also Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente and Nueva Biblia Española). The Hebrew term for goats in this verse may also be translated as “mountain goats.” Revised English Bible and New Jerusalem Bible say “Rocks of the Mountain Goats.” While the exact location of this place is not certain, it was quite near Engedi. In order to avoid giving the impression that the Wildgoats’ Rocks were far removed from Engedi, Contemporary English Version says “Wild Goat Rocks at En-Gedi.”

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 .