David said to him: in many languages it will be more natural to say that David “asked him.” David asks two questions. The first, To whom do you belong? means “Whose slave are you?” (Revised English Bible) or “Who is your master?” (Contemporary English Version). The second question is more geographical in nature. The young man answers the second question first and then responds to the first.

A young man of Egypt: if the information regarding the youth of this Egyptian is shifted forward to verse 11 as in Good News Translation, it may be unnecessary or even unnatural to repeat it here. One may say simply “I’m from Egypt” (Contemporary English Version).

The Hebrew word rendered servant in Revised Standard Version covers a wide range of meanings, including “employee,” “guest,” “one who is subject to a king,” “servant,” and “slave.” The translation “slave” seems preferable in this context.

Amalekite: see the comment on 14.48. The Amalekites are the people who had destroyed Ziklag (verses 1-2).

The transition word and, which introduces the slave’s explanation of why David’s men had found him alone in the area, may be considered out of place if translated literally into other languages. Certain versions (Revised English Bible, Contemporary English Version) use the conjunction “but”—perhaps because it would be considered cruel and unusual that a sick slave would be left in the desert to die.

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 .