Note that Good News Translation supplies the implied information that the events described in this verse took place after David and his men captured the fortress. This may be a more natural way of rendering the idea of this verse in some other languages.

Stronghold: see verse 7 above. But note that in this case the qualifying “of Zion” does not appear.

From the Millo inward: the “Millo” is referred to in Judges 9.6, 20; 1 Kgs 9.15, 24; 11.27; 2 Kgs 12.20; and 2 Chr 32.5, as well as in the parallel passage at 1 Chr 11.8. The footnote in New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh indicates that this refers to “a citadel” (in agreement with the rendering in the Septuagint), but several commentaries and translations suggest that it refers to some kind of landfill. The meaning of the Hebrew word milloʾ is uncertain, though most connect it to a verb meaning “to be full.”

Anchor Bible says “this must refer to a major earth-work of some kind, a rampart perhaps or a platform produced by filling a ravine…” (page 141). According to 1 Kgs 9.15, 24; and 11.27, it was Solomon who built the Millo, but those references may be understood in the sense of “rebuilt” or perhaps “enlarged.” Anderson speaks of a “system of artificial terraces supported by retaining walls with leveled filling…” (page 85). Thus New International Version translates “supporting terraces.”

Even if the Millo does refer to a landfill of some kind, archaeologists are not agreed on the location of this fill. Some believe it refers to terraces built on the east side of the east ridge, which is probably the basis of the Good News Translation translation “on the east side of the hill.” Others consider it to be an landfill south of the Temple mount on the southeast hill, or to be an landfill connecting the city of David to the acropolis to the north.

Inward: Traduction œcuménique de la Bible translates “towards the interior.” But this does not answer the question, Toward the interior of what? The word may also be translated “towards the house” (Anderson). And this in turn may mean either “to the [royal] palace” (New American Bible) or “toward the Temple.” To further complicate matters Good News Translation translates this “on the east side of the hill.”

As the above discussion indicates, there is no firm agreement by specialists on exactly what David did. Translators must nevertheless make a decision. Recent archaeological studies point most strongly to understanding the last part of this verse as referring to the repairing of terraces on the steep east side of the southeast ridge. At the time when David captured the city, the wall on the east side was some 48 meters (156 feet) down from the top of the ridge. The Good News Translation translation therefore has much to commend it.

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 .