OET interlinear 1 SAM 11:1

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-background

וַ⁠יַּ֗עַל נָחָשׁ֙ הָֽ⁠עַמּוֹנִ֔י וַ⁠יִּ֖חַן עַל־יָבֵ֣שׁ גִּלְעָ֑ד

(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_ascended Nāḩāsh the,Ammonite and,he_encamped on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in Yāⱱēsh/(Jabesh)- -gilˊād and=they_said all/each/any/every men_of Yāⱱēsh/(Jabesh) to/towards Nāḩāsh make to/for=us treaty and,we,will_serve_you )

The author is providing background information to help readers understand what happens next in the story. In your translation, introduce this information in a way that would be natural in your own language and culture.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

וַ⁠יַּ֗עַל נָחָשׁ֙ הָֽ⁠עַמּוֹנִ֔י וַ⁠יִּ֖חַן

(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_ascended Nāḩāsh the,Ammonite and,he_encamped on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in Yāⱱēsh/(Jabesh)- -gilˊād and=they_said all/each/any/every men_of Yāⱱēsh/(Jabesh) to/towards Nāḩāsh make to/for=us treaty and,we,will_serve_you )

The author is using one person who was involved in this military campaign, Nahash, the king and commander of the Ammonite army, to mean everyone who was involved. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [Now Nahash the Ammonite came up with his army and they camped]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicitinfo

וַ⁠יַּ֗עַל נָחָשׁ֙ הָֽ⁠עַמּוֹנִ֔י

(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_ascended Nāḩāsh the,Ammonite and,he_encamped on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in Yāⱱēsh/(Jabesh)- -gilˊād and=they_said all/each/any/every men_of Yāⱱēsh/(Jabesh) to/towards Nāḩāsh make to/for=us treaty and,we,will_serve_you )

See the discussion in the Introduction to 1 Samuel of how Hebrew speakers and writers marked travel for change in elevation, and see how you translated the comparable expression in [1:3](../01/03.md). Alternate translation: [Now Nahash the Ammonite came]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

וַ⁠יֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ כָּל־אַנְשֵׁ֤י יָבֵישׁ֙

(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_ascended Nāḩāsh the,Ammonite and,he_encamped on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in Yāⱱēsh/(Jabesh)- -gilˊād and=they_said all/each/any/every men_of Yāⱱēsh/(Jabesh) to/towards Nāḩāsh make to/for=us treaty and,we,will_serve_you )

The author is using the whole population of Jabesh, all of the men of the city, to represent one part of the population, the city’s leaders, who conducted these negotiations with Nahash. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [And the leaders of Jabesh went to Nahash and said]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

כְּרָת־לָ֥⁠נוּ בְרִ֖ית

(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_ascended Nāḩāsh the,Ammonite and,he_encamped on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in Yāⱱēsh/(Jabesh)- -gilˊād and=they_said all/each/any/every men_of Yāⱱēsh/(Jabesh) to/towards Nāḩāsh make to/for=us treaty and,we,will_serve_you )

The men are using Cut a covenant as a common expression of their culture to mean “make a covenant.” The word “cut” was used because in some covenant ceremonies, the participants would cut up animals and then walk between the pieces. This was to indicate, “If I break this covenant, may I be destroyed in this same way.” It is not necessary to understand this background to covenant ceremonies in order to understand the action in this chapter, so you do not have to use the term “cut” in your translation. You could simply say “make,” or you could use an expression from your own language and culture. Alternate translation: [Make a covenant with us]