Then: The common Hebrew conjunction at the beginning of this verse may be taken in a temporal sense, as in Revised Standard Version and New Revised Standard Version, or as a logical connector (New International Version “So”). Others leave it untranslated. Translators should follow whichever is most natural in the receptor language in this context.

So may the gods do to me, and more also: This is a fixed formula expressing an oath that occurs often in 1-2 Samuel and 1–2 Kings. See the comments on 1 Kgs 2.23. Here, of course, Jezebel uses the plural gods instead of the singular “God,” since she is a pagan and not a worshiper of the one God of Israel. The words to me are not in most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, but they are in the Septuagint. Regardless of which text translators follow here, these words are implicit in the Hebrew and may be made explicit in the receptor language.

I do not make your life as the life of one of them: Life, here and in verses 3-4, translates the Hebrew noun nephesh, which is often rendered “soul” in traditional translations (but see the comments at 1 Kgs 1.12). Them refers to the prophets of Baal, mentioned in the previous verse, and not to the gods. Good News Translation makes this clear by restating this as “I don’t do the same thing to you that you did to the prophets.”

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 .