OET interlinear 2 SAM 13:34

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-background

וַ⁠יִּבְרַ֖ח אַבְשָׁל֑וֹם

(Some words not found in UHB: and,he_fled ʼAⱱīshālōm and,he_lifted_up the,servant [who,was]_keeping_watch DOM eyes_of,his and=he/it_saw and=see/lo/see! people great//chief/captain coming from_[the],road behind,him from,the_side_of of,the_mountain )

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. Alternate translation: [By this time, Absalom had already escaped] or [Meanwhile, Absalom had run away]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

וַ⁠יִּשָּׂ֞א & אֶת־עֵינָ֔יו

(Some words not found in UHB: and,he_fled ʼAⱱīshālōm and,he_lifted_up the,servant [who,was]_keeping_watch DOM eyes_of,his and=he/it_saw and=see/lo/see! people great//chief/captain coming from_[the],road behind,him from,the_side_of of,the_mountain )

The author is using lifted his eyes as a common expression of his culture to mean that this young man looked off into the distance. If this phrase does not have that meaning in your language, you could use a comparable expression from your language that does have that meaning, or you could state the meaning plainly. If you have already translated the book of 1 Samuel, see how you translated the similar expression in [1 Samuel 6:13](../../1sa/06/13.md). Alternate translation: [looked off into the distance]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וַ⁠יַּ֗רְא וְ⁠הִנֵּ֨ה עַם־רַ֜ב הֹלְכִ֥ים

(Some words not found in UHB: and,he_fled ʼAⱱīshālōm and,he_lifted_up the,servant [who,was]_keeping_watch DOM eyes_of,his and=he/it_saw and=see/lo/see! people great//chief/captain coming from_[the],road behind,him from,the_side_of of,the_mountain )

Here and in the next two verses, the term behold calls attention to the information that follows. Your language may have its own way of calling attention to information that you can use in your translation.

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

אַחֲרָ֖י⁠ו

behind,him

The author is indicating a direction in the way that was customary in his culture, in which people spoke as if someone were facing in the direction of the sunrise. So behind him would mean in the direction of the sunset, or to the west. Your culture may have its own way of indicating directions that you can use in your translation. You could also use plain language. Alternate translation: [from the west]