But: the transition word here is dropped by Good News Translation, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New Jerusalem Bible, and Revised English Bible. There is no strong reason for giving an overt representation of the Hebrew conjunction in this case.

It will be more natural in some languages to use the name “Paltiel” in place of the words her husband, as Good News Translation has done in this verse.

Bahurim: since this place name will be unfamiliar to many readers, it will probably be wise to add the classifier term “town” as in Good News Translation.

Then Abner said: the writer does not tell how Abner suddenly appears in the story. Apparently Abner took Michal to David, but it is not clear whether this trip is the same as that in verse 20.

Go, return: the use of the direct quotation in this context may be difficult to imitate in some languages. It will be equally faithful to the meaning to translate it indirectly as, for example, “When Abner told him to go back home, he did” or “Abner told him to stop following them. So he went back home.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .