So: Hanun’s action is a result of what his advisors had said to him. The logical connector in many languages will make this clear. But in some cases the common Hebrew conjunction will be better left untranslated.
Took: in this context some languages may require a more forceful verb here. Several English versions use the verb “seized” as in Good News Translation (see New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, and New International Version).
Shaved off half the beard: the ancient Greek version does not include the word half, and some scholars think that it is out of place in the Hebrew text here. This is why Anchor Bible and Anderson translate simply “shaved off their beards.” But Hebrew Old Testament Text Project and Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament do not even mention this possibility. However, the parallel in 1 Chr 19.4 does not have the word “half.” Yet most modern translations follow the Hebrew text here and include this word. This is generally understood to mean one side of the face rather than half the length of the beard. The shaving of a man’s beard was sometimes done as a sign of mourning (Isa 15.2 and Jer 41.5). Perhaps these men’s faces were half shaved by Hanun to show that he thought they were insincere mourners. Whatever the reason, the shaving of their beards was certainly considered an insult (see also Isa 50.6).
Cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips: this action further humiliated David’s messengers by exposing their private parts (compare Isa 20.4). Two possible models for this part of the verse are “cut the bottoms of their robes off, leaving them exposed from the waist down” or “cut off the skirts of their clothes right up to the buttocks” (Knox, Osty-Trinquet).
New Century Version makes explicit that these two actions were performed “to shame them” and “to insult them.” But in many languages this will probably be understood without being stated explicitly.
Sent them away: here again, the context may require a more forceful verb in some languages. One of the following verbs may help translators to find the appropriate equivalent in their own language: “dismissed,” “ejected,” “ousted,” “evicted,” “drove out,” “chased away.”
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 .