OET interlinear 1 SAM 21:13

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

בְּ⁠עֵ֣ינֵי⁠הֶ֔ם

(Some words not found in UHB: and,he,changed_it DOM sense_of,his in,eyes_of,their and,he_acted_like_a_madman in,hand_of,their and, on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in doors_of of,the_gate and,he_made_to_flow_down spittle_of,his to/towards beard_of,his )

See how you translated this similar expression in 1:18. Alternate translation: [while they were watching]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

בְּ⁠יָדָ֑⁠ם

(Some words not found in UHB: and,he,changed_it DOM sense_of,his in,eyes_of,their and,he_acted_like_a_madman in,hand_of,their and, on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in doors_of of,the_gate and,he_made_to_flow_down spittle_of,his to/towards beard_of,his )

The author is using the term hand to represent control or custody. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or plain language. Alternate translation: [for as long as he was in their custody]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ו⁠יתו עַל־דַּלְת֣וֹת הַ⁠שַּׁ֔עַר

and, on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in (Some words not found in UHB: and,he,changed_it DOM sense_of,his in,eyes_of,their and,he_acted_like_a_madman in,hand_of,their and, on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in doors_of of,the_gate and,he_made_to_flow_down spittle_of,his to/towards beard_of,his )

This could mean: (1) that David scratched the doors of the gate with his fingernails. Alternate translation: [And he scratched the doors of the gate with his fingernails]; (2) that David scribbled nonsense on the doors of the gate. Alternate translation: [And he scribbled nonsense on the doors of the gate]