The outskirts of the city: the word translated outskirts is elsewhere rendered by the more common word “end” (Gen 23.9; Ruth 3.7) or “edge” (Exo 13.20). It refers to the place where there are no more houses.

And when he has passed on: according to Revised Standard Version and New Revised Standard Version, these words are still part of the instructions that Samuel is giving to Saul. Others, however, understand these words to be the author’s comment, which interrupts Samuel’s words (so Good News Translation, New International Version, Revised English Bible, Fox, and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), and this seems to be the more probable sense of the Hebrew construction. The Septuagint omits these words and is followed by some translations (New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Klein, and Anchor Bible).

Going down: as they had earlier “gone up” to the city to enter it (verse 11), they must now “go down” to leave.

The word of God: these words should not be translated in such a way that readers or hearers will understand a reference to the Bible as we know it today. These words, in fact, do not refer to any written Scripture. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente says “and I will make known to you the will of God.” See also New Century Version, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us. I have a message from God for you.”

If translators wish to avoid the direct quotations of this verse, the following model may be helpful:

• When they arrived at the end of town, Samuel told Saul to instruct his servant to keep on going and not to stop. So the servant continued walking while Samuel stopped Saul for a time so that he could tell him the message from God.

It is not generally considered appropriate to have a section heading at the beginning of chapter 10, since it would break up the continuity of the section that begins at 9.26b. See the comments at that point.

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 .