My servants shall bring it down to the sea from Lebanon: Servants translates the same Hebrew word rendered “servants” in verse 6. In this context it refers to “workers” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) in general.

The Hebrew has no direct object following the verb bring down. The pronoun it is supplied in Revised Standard Version. In that version it seems to refer back to “timber” in the preceding verse. But the use of the singular pronoun may be confusing and, in fact, several versions have “them” (New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). But it is probably advisable to use a noun or noun phrase instead. Revised English Bible, like Good News Translation, has “the logs” while Moffatt says “the timber.”

The sea is the Mediterranean Sea. But apart from Contemporary English Version and New Living Translation, few recent versions find it necessary to specify which sea is intended here. Most translations also follow the Hebrew literally in saying only from Lebanon, but New Living Translation clarifies it by stating “from the Lebanon mountains.”

I will make it into rafts to go by sea to the place you direct, and I will have them broken up there: The Hebrew text says “I will make them into rafts by sea to the place that you shall send me and I will break them up there.” The word translated rafts occurs only here in the Old Testament and refers to a bundle of tree trunks tied together and towed by a ship by means of a tow rope. Two things should be noted:
(1) Although the Hebrew uses first person singular verbs and pronouns, it is not likely that King Hiram himself was going to tie the logs together into a raft and then untie them when they reached their destination. For this reason Good News Translation says that Hiram’s “men” will tie the logs together and untie them.
(2) The Hebrew text leaves the verb “to float” implicit, but in translation it may be made explicit, as in Good News Translation (similarly Revised English Bible, New International Version, New Living Translation).

The Hebrew verb rendered broken up often means “to smash,” but in this context it means “to break up” or “to untie” the logs that have been bound together. This should not be understood to mean that the logs themselves will be broken or cut up, but rather that the rafts will be taken apart.

You shall receive it: The pronoun and verb in Hebrew are second person singular. It is not likely, however, that Solomon was personally going to receive this shipment of timber. For this reason Good News Translation says “your men will take charge of them.”

You shall meet my wishes by providing food for my household sounds awkward in English. Another way to say this is “All I would like from you in return is that you feed the personnel of my palace” (similarly Bible en français courant). Good News Translation understands my household to mean the Phoenician men who delivered the timber. But the word household probably has a wider meaning here, that is, the royal palace. Compare “my court” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente), “my palace” (Peregrino), and “the personnel of my palace” (Bible en français courant). New Century Version says “all those who live with me.”

The Hebrew text contains several personal pronouns in this verse which give more emphasis or contrast than is reflected in the English translations. Use of italics may represent the emphasis for those reading the text as follows: “I will make it into rafts … and you shall receive it; and you shall meet my wishes….” This heightened contrast may also be represented in English as “As for me, I will … and as for you, you shall….”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .