He overlaid the whole house with gold, until all the house was finished: This literal translation by Revised Standard Version may give the incorrect impression that the outside of the Temple was completely covered with gold. For this reason Good News Translation says “The whole interior of the Temple was covered with gold.”

As noted in verse 21, some interpreters think that the whole house here refers specifically to the Most Holy Place and not to the entire Temple.

The whole altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary: The altar mentioned here is surely the same altar mentioned in verse 20. Revised Standard Version has translated the Hebrew text rather literally, but in what sense the altar may be said to “belong” to the inner sanctuary will not be clear to most readers. Since this altar was located in front of the veil, the Good News Translation rendering “the altar in the Most Holy Place” is not correct. More accurate is the rendering “the whole of the altar by the inner shrine” (Revised English Bible) or “the whole altar before the sanctuary” (New American Bible, Maredsous, Nouvelle Bible Segond).

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 .