And: depending on how the end of the previous verse is translated, a conjunction like “But” may be more appropriate here. The Syrians first attacked but then retreated. This reversal of fortune may be highlighted by the transition word chosen here.

The men of seven hundred chariots: literally “seven hundred chariot.” The word “chariot” is singular but is used collectively to refer to groups of chariots. The ancient Syriac version speaks of “a thousand seven hundred charioteers,” but no modern translation consulted follows this evidence. The parallel passage in 1 Chr 19.18 has “the men of seven thousand chariots.” However, there is no evidence for such a reading here in 2 Samuel. Translators are advised to translate the meaning found in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. While New Revised Standard Version and New Jerusalem Bible speak of “seven hundred chariot teams,” most versions take this to mean seven hundred individual chariot drivers. Both interpretations are possible, and translators may follow either.

Forty thousand horsemen: following the Masoretic Text, Revised Standard Version has horsemen and Good News Translation has “cavalry.” Some manuscripts of the Septuagint, as well as the parallel passage in 1 Chr 19.18, have “foot soldiers.” This reading of the Septuagint is followed by New American Bible and New International Version. New Jerusalem Bible avoids the problem by saying simply “forty thousand men.” However, Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament argues that horsemen is the original reading, and that the reading “foot soldiers” is the result of harmonizing the text to the reading in 1 Chronicles. The Masoretic Text should be followed.

Wounded … so that he died: the wording of both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation seems to suggest that there was a lapse of time between the injury and the death that resulted from it. The verb translated wounded means “strike down.” Depending on the context the verb in this form may mean either “to kill” or “to wound.” The Hebrew grammar is most naturally understood as expressing two different actions, the one occurring after the other, as in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. It is possible, though not likely, that the grammar should be understood as expressing one single action: he was struck down—that is, he died there.

The adverb there refers to the field of battle where the foregoing events took place. New American Bible and Revised English Bible translate this adverb by the prepositional phrase “on the field.”

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 .