1 Samuel 15:1--17:31
Konteks15:1 Then Samuel said to Saul, “I was the one the Lord sent to anoint you as king over his people Israel. Now listen to what the Lord says. 1 15:2 Here is what the Lord of hosts says: ‘I carefully observed how the Amalekites opposed 2 Israel along the way when Israel 3 came up from Egypt. 15:3 So go now and strike down the Amalekites. Destroy everything that they have. Don’t spare 4 them. Put them to death – man, woman, child, infant, ox, sheep, camel, and donkey alike.’”
15:4 So Saul assembled 5 the army 6 and mustered them at Telaim. There were 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah. 15:5 Saul proceeded to the city 7 of Amalek, where he set an ambush 8 in the wadi. 9 15:6 Saul said to the Kenites, “Go on and leave! Go down from among the Amalekites! Otherwise I will sweep you away 10 with them! After all, you were kind to all the Israelites when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenites withdrew from among the Amalekites.
15:7 Then Saul struck down the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to 11 Shur, which is next to Egypt. 15:8 He captured King Agag of the Amalekites alive, but he executed all Agag’s people 12 with the sword. 15:9 However, Saul and the army spared Agag, along with the best of the flock, the cattle, the fatlings, 13 and the lambs, as well as everything else that was of value. 14 They were not willing to slaughter them. But they did slaughter everything that was despised 15 and worthless.
15:10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel: 15:11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned away from me and has not done what I told him to do.” Samuel became angry and he cried out to the Lord all that night.
15:12 Then Samuel got up early to meet Saul the next morning. But Samuel was informed, “Saul has gone to Carmel where 16 he is setting up a monument for himself. Then Samuel left 17 and went down to Gilgal.” 18 15:13 When Samuel came to him, 19 Saul said to him, “May the Lord bless you! I have done what the Lord said.”
15:14 Samuel replied, “If that is the case, 20 then what is this sound of sheep in my ears and the sound of cattle that I hear?” 15:15 Saul said, “They were brought 21 from the Amalekites; the army spared the best of the flocks and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord our God. But everything else we slaughtered.”
15:16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Wait a minute! 22 Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” Saul 23 said to him, “Tell me.” 15:17 Samuel said, “Is it not true that when you were insignificant in your own eyes, you became head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord chose 24 you as king over Israel. 15:18 The Lord sent you on a campaign 25 saying, ‘Go and exterminate those sinful Amalekites! Fight against them until you 26 have destroyed them.’ 15:19 Why haven’t you obeyed 27 the Lord? Instead you have greedily rushed upon the plunder! You have done what is wrong in the Lord’s estimation.” 28
15:20 Then Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed 29 the Lord! I went on the campaign 30 the Lord sent me on. I brought back King Agag of the Amalekites after exterminating the Amalekites. 15:21 But the army took from the plunder some of the sheep and cattle – the best of what was to be slaughtered – to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”
15:22 Then Samuel said,
“Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as he does in obedience? 31
Certainly, 32 obedience 33 is better than sacrifice;
paying attention is better than 34 the fat of rams.
15:23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
and presumption is like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
he has rejected you as 35 king.”
15:24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have disobeyed what the Lord commanded 36 and what you said as well. 37 For I was afraid of the army, and I followed their wishes. 38 15:25 Now please forgive my sin! Go back with me so I can worship 39 the Lord.”
15:26 Samuel said to Saul, “I will not go back with you, for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel!”
15:27 When Samuel turned to leave, Saul 40 grabbed the edge of his robe and it tore. 15:28 Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to one of your colleagues who is better than you! 15:29 The Preeminent One 41 of Israel does not go back on his word 42 or change his mind, for he is not a human being who changes his mind.” 43 15:30 Saul 44 again replied, “I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel. Go back with me so I may worship the Lord your God.” 15:31 So Samuel followed Saul back, and Saul worshiped the Lord.
15:32 Then Samuel said, “Bring me King Agag of the Amalekites.” So Agag came to him trembling, 45 thinking to himself, 46 “Surely death is bitter!” 47 15:33 Samuel said, “Just as your sword left women childless, so your mother will be the most bereaved among women!” Then Samuel hacked Agag to pieces there in Gilgal before the Lord.
15:34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, while Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul. 15:35 Until the day he 48 died Samuel did not see Saul again. Samuel did, however, mourn for Saul, but the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.
16:1 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long do you intend to mourn for Saul? I have rejected him as king over Israel. 49 Fill your horn with olive oil and go! I am sending you to Jesse in Bethlehem, 50 for I have selected a king for myself from among his sons.” 51
16:2 Samuel replied, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me!” But the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you 52 and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 16:3 Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you should do. You will anoint for me the one I point out 53 to you.”
16:4 Samuel did what the Lord told him. 54 When he arrived in Bethlehem, 55 the elders of the city were afraid to meet him. They 56 said, “Do you come in peace?” 16:5 He replied, “Yes, in peace. I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” So he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
16:6 When they arrived, Samuel 57 noticed 58 Eliab and said to himself, 59 “Surely, here before the Lord stands his chosen king!” 60 16:7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t be impressed by 61 his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way men do. 62 People look on the outward appearance, 63 but the Lord looks at the heart.”
16:8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him to Samuel. 64 But Samuel 65 said, “The Lord has not chosen this one, either.” 16:9 Then Jesse presented 66 Shammah. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 16:10 Jesse presented seven of his sons to Samuel. 67 But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” 16:11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Is that all of the young men?” Jesse 68 replied, “There is still the youngest one, but he’s taking care of the flock.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we cannot turn our attention to other things until he comes here.”
16:12 So Jesse had him brought in. 69 Now he was ruddy, with attractive eyes and a handsome appearance. The Lord said, “Go and anoint him. This is the one!” 16:13 So Samuel took the horn full of olive oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers. The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day onward. Then Samuel got up and went to Ramah.
16:14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had turned away from Saul, and an evil spirit 70 from the Lord tormented him. 16:15 Then Saul’s servants said to him, “Look, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you!” 16:16 Let our lord instruct his servants who are here before you to look for a man who knows how to play the lyre. Then whenever the evil spirit from God comes upon you, he can play the lyre 71 and you will feel better.” 72 16:17 So Saul said to his servants, “Find 73 me a man who plays well and bring him to me.” 16:18 One of his attendants replied, 74 “I have seen a son of Jesse in Bethlehem 75 who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave warrior 76 and is articulate 77 and handsome, 78 for the Lord is with him.”
16:19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is out with the sheep. 16:20 So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a container of wine, and a young goat 79 and sent them to Saul with 80 his son David. 16:21 David came to Saul and stood before him. Saul liked him a great deal, 81 and he became his armor bearer. 16:22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse saying, “Let David be my servant, for I really like him.” 82
16:23 So whenever the spirit from God would come upon Saul, David would take his lyre and play it. This would bring relief to Saul and make him feel better. Then the evil spirit would leave him alone. 83
17:1 84 The Philistines gathered their troops 85 for battle. They assembled at Socoh in Judah. They camped in Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah. 17:2 Saul and the Israelite army 86 assembled and camped in the valley of Elah, where they arranged their battle lines to fight against 87 the Philistines. 17:3 The Philistines were standing on one hill, and the Israelites 88 on another hill, with the valley between them.
17:4 Then a champion 89 came out from the camp of the Philistines. His name was Goliath; he was from Gath. He was close to seven feet tall. 90 17:5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and was wearing scale body armor. The weight of his bronze body armor was five thousand shekels. 91 17:6 He had bronze shin guards 92 on his legs, and a bronze javelin was slung over his shoulders. 17:7 The shaft 93 of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the iron point of his spear weighed six hundred shekels. 94 His shield bearer was walking before him.
17:8 Goliath 95 stood and called to Israel’s troops, 96 “Why do you come out to prepare for battle? Am I not the Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose 97 for yourselves a man so he may come down 98 to me! 17:9 If he is able to fight with me and strike me down, we will become your servants. But if I prevail against him and strike him down, you will become our servants and will serve us.” 17:10 Then the Philistine said, “I defy Israel’s troops this day! Give me a man so we can fight 99 each other!” 17:11 When Saul and all the Israelites 100 heard these words of the Philistine, they were upset and very afraid.
17:12 101 Now David was the son of this Ephrathite named Jesse from Bethlehem 102 in Judah. He had eight sons, and in Saul’s days he was old and well advanced in years. 103 17:13 Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to war. The names of the 104 three sons who went to war were Eliab, his firstborn, Abinadab, the second oldest, and Shammah, the third oldest. 17:14 Now David was the youngest. While the three oldest sons followed Saul, 17:15 David was going back and forth 105 from Saul in order to care for his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.
17:16 Meanwhile for forty days the Philistine approached every morning and evening and took his position. 17:17 Jesse said to his son David, “Take your brothers this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread; go quickly 106 to the camp to your brothers. 17:18 Also take these ten portions of cheese to their commanding officer. 107 Find out how your brothers are doing 108 and bring back their pledge that they received the goods. 109 17:19 They are with Saul and the whole Israelite army 110 in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.”
17:20 So David got up early in the morning and entrusted the flock to someone else who would watch over it. 111 After loading up, he went just as Jesse had instructed him. He arrived at the camp 112 as the army was going out to the battle lines shouting its battle cry. 17:21 Israel and the Philistines drew up their battle lines opposite one another. 17:22 After David had entrusted his cargo to the care of the supply officer, 113 he ran to the battlefront. When he arrived, he asked his brothers how they were doing. 17:23 As he was speaking with them, the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, was coming up from the battle lines of the Philistines. He spoke the way he usually did, 114 and David heard it. 17:24 When all the men of Israel saw this man, they retreated 115 from his presence and were very afraid.
17:25 The men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who is coming up? He does so 116 to defy Israel. But the king will make the man who can strike him down very wealthy! He will give him his daughter in marriage, and he will make his father’s house exempt from tax obligations in Israel.”
17:26 David asked the men who were standing near him, “What will be done for the man who strikes down this Philistine and frees Israel from this humiliation? 117 For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he defies the armies of the living God?” 17:27 The soldiers 118 told him what had been promised, saying, 119 “This is what will be done for the man who can strike him down.”
17:28 When David’s 120 oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking to the men, he became angry 121 with David and said, “Why have you come down here? To whom did you entrust those few sheep in the desert? I am familiar with your pride and deceit! 122 You have come down here to watch the battle!”
17:29 David replied, “What have I done now? Can’t I say anything?” 123 17:30 Then he turned from those who were nearby to someone else and asked the same question, 124 but they 125 gave him the same answer as before. 17:31 When David’s words were overheard and reported to Saul, he called for him. 126
[15:1] 1 tn Heb “to the voice of the words of the
[15:2] 2 tn Heb “what Amalek did to Israel, how he placed against him.”
[15:2] 3 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Israel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:3] 4 tn Or perhaps “don’t take pity on” (cf. CEV).
[15:4] 5 tn Heb “caused the people to hear.”
[15:5] 7 tc The LXX has the plural here, “cities.”
[15:5] 8 tc The translation follows the LXX and Vulgate which assume a reading וַיָּאָרֶב (vayya’arev, “and he set an ambush,” from the root ארב [’rv] with quiescence of alef) rather than the MT, which has וַיָּרֶב (vayyareb, “and he contended,” from the root ריב [ryv]).
[15:5] 9 tn That is, “the dry stream bed.”
[15:6] 10 tc The translation follows the Syriac Peshitta and Vulgate which assume a reading אֶסִפְךָ (’esfÿka, “I sweep you away,” from the root ספה [sfh]) rather than the MT אֹסִפְךָ (’osifÿka, “I am gathering you,” from the root אסף[’sf]).
[15:7] 11 tn Heb “[as] you enter.”
[15:8] 12 tn Heb “all the people.” For clarity “Agag’s” has been supplied in the translation.
[15:9] 13 tn The Hebrew text is difficult here. We should probably read וְהַמַּשְׂמַנִּים (vÿhammasmannim, “the fat ones”) rather than the MT וְהַמִּשְׂנִים (vÿhammisnim, “the second ones”). However, if the MT is retained, the sense may be as the Jewish commentator Kimchi supposed: the second-born young, thought to be better than the firstlings. (For discussion see S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 123-24.)
[15:9] 15 tc The MT has here the very odd form נְמִבְזָה (nÿmivzah), but this is apparently due to a scribal error. The translation follows instead the Niphal participle נִבְזָה (nivzah).
[15:12] 17 tn Heb “and he turned and crossed over.”
[15:12] 18 tc At the end of v. 12 the LXX and one Old Latin
[15:14] 20 tn The words “if that is the case” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[15:15] 21 tn Heb “they brought them.”
[15:16] 22 tn Or perhaps “be quiet.”
[15:16] 23 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
[15:16] tn Heb “he”; the referent (Saul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:18] 26 tc The translation follows the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Targum in reading the second person singular suffix (“you”) rather than the third person plural suffix of the MT (“they”).
[15:19] 27 tn Heb “listened to the voice of the
[15:19] 28 tn Heb “you have done what is evil in the eyes of the
[15:20] 29 tn Heb “listened to the voice of the
[15:22] 31 tn Heb “as [in] listening to the voice of the
[15:22] 33 tn Heb “listening.”
[15:22] 34 tn The expression “is better” is understood here by ellipsis (see the immediately preceding statement).
[15:23] 35 tn Or “from [being].”
[15:24] 36 tn Heb “the mouth of the
[15:24] 37 tn Heb “and your words.”
[15:24] 38 tn Heb “and I listened to their voice.”
[15:25] 39 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose/result.
[15:27] 40 tn Heb “he,” but Saul is clearly the referent. A Qumran
[15:29] 41 tn Heb “splendor,” used here by metonymy as a title for the
[15:29] 42 tn Or perhaps “does not lie.”
[15:29] 43 sn This observation marks the preceding statement (v. 28) as an unconditional, unalterable decree. When God makes such a decree he will not alter it or change his mind. This does not mean that God never deviates from his stated intentions or changes his mind. On the contrary, several passages describe him as changing his mind. In fact, his willingness to do so is one of his fundamental divine attributes (see Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2). For a fuller discussion see R. B. Chisholm, Jr., “Does God Change His Mind?” BSac 152 (1995): 387-99.
[15:30] 44 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Saul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:32] 45 tn The MT reading מַעֲדַנֹּת (ma’adannot, literally, “bonds,” used here adverbially, “in bonds”) is difficult. The word is found only here and in Job 38:31. Part of the problem lies in determining the root of the word. Some scholars have taken it to be from the root ענד (’nd, “to bind around”), but this assumes a metathesis of two of the letters of the root. Others take it from the root עדן (’dn) with the meaning “voluptuously,” but this does not seem to fit the context. It seems better to understand the word to be from the root מעד (m’d, “to totter” or “shake”). In that case it describes the fear that Agag experienced in realizing the mortal danger that he faced as he approached Samuel. This is the way that the LXX translators understood the word, rendering it by the Greek participle τρέμον (tremon, “trembling”).
[15:32] 46 tn Heb “and Agag said.”
[15:32] 47 tc The text is difficult here. With the LXX, two Old Latin
[15:35] 48 tn That is, Samuel.
[16:1] 49 tc The Lucianic recension of the Old Greek translation includes the following words: “And the Lord said to Samuel.”
[16:1] 50 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
[16:1] 51 tn Heb “for I have seen among his sons for me a king.”
[16:2] 52 tn Heb “in your hand.”
[16:3] 53 tn Heb “say”; KJV, NRSV “name”; NIV “indicate.”
[16:4] 55 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
[16:4] 56 tc In the MT the verb is singular (“he said”), but the translation follows many medieval Hebrew
[16:6] 57 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Samuel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[16:6] 59 tn Heb “said”; the words “to himself” are implied, given the secrecy surrounding Samuel’s mission to Bethlehem (v. 2).
[16:6] 60 tn Heb “his anointed one.”
[16:7] 61 tn Heb “don’t look toward.”
[16:7] 62 tn Heb “for not that which the man sees.” The translation follows the LXX, which reads, “for not as man sees does God see.” The MT has suffered from homoioteleuton or homoioarcton. See P. K. McCarter, I Samuel (AB), 274.
[16:7] 63 tn Heb “to the eyes.”
[16:8] 64 tn Heb “and caused him to pass before.”
[16:8] 65 tn Heb “he” (also in v. 9); the referent (Samuel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[16:9] 66 tn Heb “caused to pass by.”
[16:10] 67 tn Heb “caused seven of his sons to pass before Samuel.” This could be taken as referring to seven sons in addition to the three mentioned before this, but 1 Sam 17:12 says Jesse had eight sons, not eleven. 1 Chr 2:13-15 lists only seven sons, including David. However, 1 Chr 27:18 mentions an additional son, named Elihu.
[16:11] 68 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jesse) has been specified in the translation both here and in v. 12 for clarity.
[16:12] 69 tn Heb “and he sent and brought him.”
[16:14] 70 tn Or “an injurious spirit”; cf. NLT “a tormenting spirit.” The phrase need not refer to an evil, demonic spirit. The Hebrew word translated “evil” may refer to the character of the spirit or to its effect upon Saul. If the latter, another translation option might be “a mischief-making spirit.”
[16:16] 71 tn Heb “and he will play with his hand.”
[16:16] 72 tn Heb “and it will be better for you.”
[16:18] 74 tn Heb “answered and said.”
[16:18] 75 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
[16:18] 76 tn Heb “mighty man of valor and a man of war.”
[16:18] 77 tn Heb “discerning of word.”
[16:18] 78 tn Heb “a man of form.”
[16:20] 79 tn Heb “a kid of the goats.”
[16:20] 80 tn Heb “by the hand of.”
[16:21] 81 tn Heb “he loved him.”
[16:22] 82 tn Heb “Let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my eyes.”
[16:23] 83 tn Heb “would turn aside from upon him.”
[17:1] 84 tc The content of 1 Sam 17–18, which includes the David and Goliath story, differs considerably in the LXX as compared to the MT, suggesting that this story circulated in ancient times in more than one form. The LXX for chs. 17–18 is much shorter than the MT, lacking almost half of the material (39 of a total of 88 verses). Many scholars (e.g., McCarter, Klein) think that the shorter text of the LXX is preferable to the MT, which in their view has been expanded by incorporation of later material. Other scholars (e.g., Wellhausen, Driver) conclude that the shorter Greek text (or the Hebrew text that underlies it) reflects an attempt to harmonize certain alleged inconsistencies that appear in the longer version of the story. Given the translation characteristics of the LXX elsewhere in this section, it does not seem likely that these differences are due to deliberate omission of these verses on the part of the translator. It seems more likely that the Greek translator has faithfully rendered here a Hebrew text that itself was much shorter than the MT in these chapters. Whether or not the shorter text represented by the LXX is to be preferred over the MT in 1 Sam 17–18 is a matter over which textual scholars are divided. For a helpful discussion of the major textual issues in this unit see D. Barthélemy, D. W. Gooding, J. Lust, and E. Tov, The Story of David and Goliath (OBO). Overall it seems preferable to stay with the MT, at least for the most part. However, the major textual differences between the LXX and the MT will be mentioned in the notes that accompany the translation so that the reader may be alert to the major problem passages.
[17:2] 86 tn Heb “the men of Israel” (so KJV, NASB); NAB, NIV, NRSV “the Israelites.”
[17:4] 89 tn Heb “the man of the space between the two [armies].” See v. 23.
[17:4] 90 tc Heb “his height was six cubits and a span” (cf. KJV, NASB, NRSV). A cubit was approximately eighteen inches, a span nine inches. So, according to the Hebrew tradition, Goliath was about nine feet, nine inches tall (cf. NIV, CEV, NLT “over nine feet”; NCV “nine feet, four inches”; TEV “nearly 3 metres”). However, some Greek witnesses, Josephus, and a manuscript of 1 Samuel from Qumran read “four cubits and a span” here, that is, about six feet, nine inches (cf. NAB “six and a half feet”). This seems more reasonable; it is likely that Goliath’s height was exaggerated as the story was retold. See P. K. McCarter, I Samuel (AB), 286, 291.
[17:5] 91 sn Although the exact weight of Goliath’s defensive body armor is difficult to estimate in terms of modern equivalency, it was obviously quite heavy. Driver, following Kennedy, suggests a modern equivalent of about 220 pounds (100 kg); see S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 139. Klein, taking the shekel to be equal to .403 ounces, arrives at a somewhat smaller weight of about 126 pounds (57 kg); see R. W. Klein, 1 Samuel (WBC), 175. But by any estimate it is clear that Goliath presented himself as a formidable foe indeed.
[17:6] 92 sn Or “greaves.” These were coverings (probably lined for comfort) that extended from about the knee to the ankle, affording protection for the shins of a warrior.
[17:7] 93 tn The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
[17:7] 94 sn That is, about fifteen or sixteen pounds.
[17:8] 95 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Goliath) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[17:8] 96 tn The Hebrew text adds “and said to them.”
[17:8] 97 tc The translation follows the ancient versions in reading “choose,” (from the root בחר, bkhr), rather than the MT. The verb in MT (ברה, brh) elsewhere means “to eat food”; the sense of “to choose,” required here by the context, is not attested for this root. The MT apparently reflects an early scribal error.
[17:8] 98 tn Following the imperative, the prefixed verbal form (either an imperfect or jussive) with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose/result here.
[17:10] 99 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative verbal form indicates purpose/result here.
[17:11] 100 tn Heb “all Israel.”
[17:12] 101 tc Some
[17:12] 102 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
[17:12] 103 tc The translation follows the Lucianic recension of the LXX and the Syriac Peshitta in reading “in years,” rather than MT “among men.”
[17:15] 105 tn Heb “was going and returning.”
[17:18] 107 tn Heb “officer of the thousand.”
[17:18] 108 tn Heb “and your brothers, observe with respect to welfare.”
[17:18] 109 tn Heb “and their pledge take.” This probably refers to some type of confirmation that the goods arrived safely. See R. W. Klein, 1 Samuel (WBC), 177. Cf. NIV “bring back some assurance”; NCV “some proof to show me they are all right”; NLT “bring me back a letter from them.”
[17:19] 110 tn Heb “all the men of Israel.”
[17:20] 111 tn Heb “to a guard”; KJV, NASB, NRSV “with a keeper”; NIV “with a shepherd.” Since in contemporary English “guard” sounds like someone at a military installation or a prison, the present translation uses “to someone else who would watch over it.”
[17:20] 112 tn Or “entrenchment.”
[17:22] 113 tn Heb “the guard of the equipment.”
[17:23] 114 tn Heb “according to these words.”
[17:25] 116 tn Heb “he is coming up.”
[17:26] 117 tn Heb “and turns aside humiliation from upon Israel.”
[17:27] 119 tn Heb “according to this word, saying.”
[17:28] 120 tn Heb “his”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[17:28] 121 tn Heb “the anger of Eliab became hot.”
[17:28] 122 tn Heb “the wickedness of your heart.”
[17:29] 123 tn Heb “Is it not [just] a word?”
[17:30] 124 tn Heb “and spoke according to this word.”
