OET interlinear 2 SAM 21:1

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-newevent

וַ⁠יְהִ֣י רָעָב֩ בִּ⁠ימֵ֨י דָוִ֜ד

and=he/it_was famine (Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_was famine in,the_days_of Dāvid three years year after year and=he/it_sought Dāvid DOM face/surface_of YHWH and=he/it_said YHWH to/towards Shāʼūl/(Saul) and=near/to house_of of_(the),blood(s) on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in which/who put_~_to_death DOM the,Gibeonites )

The author is using the word translated Now to introduce a new event in the story. Use a word, phrase, or other method in your language that is natural for introducing a new event. Alternate translation: [At another time] or [During one period]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

שָׁלֹ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֗ים שָׁנָה֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י שָׁנָ֔ה

(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_was famine in,the_days_of Dāvid three years year after year and=he/it_sought Dāvid DOM face/surface_of YHWH and=he/it_said YHWH to/towards Shāʼūl/(Saul) and=near/to house_of of_(the),blood(s) on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in which/who put_~_to_death DOM the,Gibeonites )

The author is using the phrase three years, year after year as a common expression of his culture to mean “for three consecutive years.” 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. Alternate translation: [three years in a row] or [for three consecutive years]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

וַ⁠יְבַקֵּ֥שׁ דָּוִ֖ד אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה

(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_was famine in,the_days_of Dāvid three years year after year and=he/it_sought Dāvid DOM face/surface_of YHWH and=he/it_said YHWH to/towards Shāʼūl/(Saul) and=near/to house_of of_(the),blood(s) on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in which/who put_~_to_death DOM the,Gibeonites )

The author is using the phrase sought the face of as a common expression in of his culture to mean “prayed to” or “asked guidance from.” In this case, David was praying to Yahweh about the cause of the famine. 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. Alternate translation: [And David inquired of Yahweh]

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

אֶל־שָׁאוּל֙ וְ⁠אֶל־בֵּ֣ית הַ⁠דָּמִ֔ים עַל־אֲשֶׁר־הֵמִ֖ית אֶת־הַ⁠גִּבְעֹנִֽים

to/towards (Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_was famine in,the_days_of Dāvid three years year after year and=he/it_sought Dāvid DOM face/surface_of YHWH and=he/it_said YHWH to/towards Shāʼūl/(Saul) and=near/to house_of of_(the),blood(s) on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in which/who put_~_to_death DOM the,Gibeonites )

If it would be more natural in your language, you could reverse the order of these phrases, since the second phrase gives the reason for the result that the first phrase describes. Alternate translation: [Because Saul killed the Gibeonites, to him and to the house is blood]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

וְ⁠אֶל־בֵּ֣ית

and=near/to (Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_was famine in,the_days_of Dāvid three years year after year and=he/it_sought Dāvid DOM face/surface_of YHWH and=he/it_said YHWH to/towards Shāʼūl/(Saul) and=near/to house_of of_(the),blood(s) on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in which/who put_~_to_death DOM the,Gibeonites )

See how you translated the similar expression in 6:11. Alternate translation: [and to his household]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

הַ⁠דָּמִ֔ים

(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_was famine in,the_days_of Dāvid three years year after year and=he/it_sought Dāvid DOM face/surface_of YHWH and=he/it_said YHWH to/towards Shāʼūl/(Saul) and=near/to house_of of_(the),blood(s) on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in which/who put_~_to_death DOM the,Gibeonites )

See how you translated the similar expression in 3:29. Alternate translation: [is guilt for murder]