The Philistines drew up in line against Israel: the Hebrew verb suggests an orderly formation in lines. Revised English Bible says “The Philistines drew up their lines facing the Israelites,” and New American Bible says “The Philistines then drew up in battle formation against Israel.” Good News Translation does not capture the precision of the Hebrew, nor does the Hebrew state that the Philistines were in fact the ones who attacked first. Some languages may translate this verb “arranged themselves in lines to fight” or, as in Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, “took [their] positions.”

When the battle spread: the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain here. New Revised Standard Version and Revised English Bible say “and when the battle was joined.” Others accept a slight change in the Hebrew verb and understand these words to mean that “the fighting was fierce” (New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Osty-Trinquet). This also seems to be the meaning translated by Good News Translation.

Slew about four thousand men on the field of battle: literally “slew on the battle line on the field about four thousand men.” The word “battle line” is a technical military term, referring to soldiers fighting in orderly rows (the same term occurs in 17.8). The noun “battle line” comes from the same Hebrew root as the verb drew up in line at the beginning of this verse. Anchor Bible renders this “about four thousand being slain from the ranks in the field.” New Jerusalem Bible says “about four thousand men in their ranks were killed on the field of battle.” In languages where technical military terms exist and are well known, it is best to keep the imagery of the Hebrew rather than to generalize as Good News Translation has done. But in many languages such technical terms do not exist.

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 .