The verbs translated recovered and rescued in this verse represent the same Hebrew verb. It will therefore be possible to translate them by a single verb in some languages.

The word all seems to include material goods as well as the women and children taken by the Amalekites. This is defined in more detail in the following verse.

Regarding David’s two wives see verse 5.

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 .