Now translates the common Hebrew conjunction waw. But since it seems to mark contrast, it may be better to translate it “But” (Revised English Bible), “yet” (Fox), or “however” (Good News Translation).

Michal has been briefly mentioned in 14.49, where it is said that she is Saul’s younger daughter. In some languages it will be considered more precise and clearer to say “Saul’s other daughter” (New Century Version), since up to this point the writer has focused on Merab.

Loved: the form of the verb here should probably be rendered “had fallen in love with” (so New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Fox, and see the comments on verse 28 below) or “fell in love with” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible).

The antecedent of the pronoun they is not stated. Good News Translation avoids the difficulty by rewording and stating “when Saul heard this.” Others may prefer to translate using a rather vague subject, “someone told Saul.”

The thing pleased him: literally “the word [or, thing] was right [or pleasing] in his eyes.” The same expression is found in the negative in 1 Kgs 9.12. It will, however, be more natural in many cases to make Saul the subject instead of the thing: “Saul was happy about this matter.”

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 .