¹ tn The exact sense of the Hebrew word אַפָּיִם (’appayim, “two faces”) is not certain here. It is most likely used with the preceding expression (“one portion of two faces”) to mean a portion double than normally received. Although evidence for this use of the word derives primarily from Aramaic rather than from Hebrew usage, it provides an understanding that fits the context here better than other suggestions for the word do. The meaning “double” is therefore adopted in the present translation. Other possibilities for the meaning of the word include the following: “heavily” (cf. Vulg., tristis) and “worthy” or “choice” (cf. KJV and Targum). Some scholars have followed the LXX here, emending the word to אֶפֶס (’efes) and translating it as “but” or “however.” This seems unnecessary. The translators of the LXX may simply have been struggling to make sense of the word rather than following a Hebrew text that was different from the MT here.

² tn Heb “for Hannah he loved.” Repetition of the proper name would seem redundant in contemporary English, so the pronoun (“her”) has been used here for clarity. The translation also adds the adverb “especially” to clarify the meaning of the text. Without this addition one might get the impression that only Hannah, not Peninnah, was loved by her husband. But the point of the text is that Hannah was his favorite.

³ tn Heb “and the Lord had closed her womb.” So also in v. 6. The disjunctive clause provides supplemental information that is pertinent to the story.

⁴ tn Heb “daughter of worthlessness.”

⁵ tn Heb “he,” apparently referring to Samuel (but cf. CEV “Elkanah”). A few medieval manuscripts and some ancient versions take the verb as plural (cf. TEV, NLT).

⁶ tn Heb “before Eli.”

⁷ tn Heb “and now, listen to their voice.”

⁸ tn The infinitive absolute appears before the imperative for emphasis.

⁹ tn Heb “and tell them the manner of the king who will rule over them.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “and I will enter into judgment with you” (NRSV similar); NAB “and I shall arraign you.”

¹¹ tn Heb “all the just actions which he has done with you and with your fathers.”

¹² tn Heb “to the voice of the words of the Lord” (so KJV).

¹³ tn Heb “and he sent and brought him.”

¹⁴ tn Heb “and it was acceptable in the eyes of David.”

¹⁵ tn Heb “the days were not fulfilled.”

¹⁶ tn Heb “and he struck them down with a great blow.”

¹⁷ tn Heb “to all the desire of your soul.”

¹⁸ tn Heb “blessing.”

¹⁹ tn Heb “are walking at the feet of.”

²⁰ tn Heb “saying.”

²¹ tn Heb “he really stinks.” The expression is used figuratively here to describe the rejection and ostracism that David had experienced as a result of Saul’s hatred of him.

²² tc Many medieval Hebrew mss lack the preposition “in.”

²³ tn Heb “permanently.”

²⁴ sn Masoretic mss of the Hebrew Bible mark this word as the half-way point in the book of Samuel, treating 1 and 2 Samuel as a single book. Similar notations are found at the midway point for all of the books of the Hebrew Bible.

²⁵ tn Heb “a calf of the stall.”

²⁶ tn The Hebrew text adds “with fire.”