God do so …: on this curse formula, see the comments at 3.17 and 14.44. But note that there are special textual problems here that have to do with the exact form of the object of the curse.

To David: the Masoretic Text says “May God do thus and more to the enemies of David” (so New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation follow the Septuagint here (also New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible). David never carried out his threat to kill the men of Nabal’s family, so apparently a scribe changed the Hebrew text to read “God do so to the enemies of David” (see next paragraph). In an oath such as this one, the person making the oath calls down on himself or herself the punishment desired for the victim if the person does not carry out the punishment.

Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament supports the reading to David, giving it a {B} rating. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament suggests that scribes later added to the Hebrew text the euphemism “the enemies of David” (see 20.16). If the traditional Hebrew text is followed, translators will probably have to say “to my enemies,” since David is speaking. And, for the same reason, if the Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament recommendation is accepted, it will be necessary to translate “to me” in many languages.

One male: literally “one urinating against a wall.” The same idiom occurs in 1 Kgs 14.10; 16.11; 21.21; and 2 Kgs 9.8. Most interpreters understand this to be a reference to males in general, regardless of age. Contemporary English Version, for example, says “there won’t be a man or a boy left….” The note in La Bible Pléiade, however, states that this is a reference to a male child who has not yet been trained to squat down and urinate in a more modest position. The sense, then, will be that even the youngest of males will be killed.

While the interpretation expressed in the footnote in La Bible Pléiade fits well in this verse, it does not seem to fit as well in all of the passages in 1 and 2 Kings cited in the previous paragraph. Many modern translations use a euphemism such as “a single mother’s son” (Revised English Bible) or “a single male” to translate this idiom, since a literal translation will be considered too vulgar by some readers.

All who belong to him: the reference is either to the men who work for Nabal (“those men,” so Good News Translation) or to members of Nabal’s family (so Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente), though the men who work for Nabal may well be members of his household. See the comments on verse 34 below.

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 .