The Hebrew text again leaves a great deal to be imagined by the reader or hearer. The implied information would include the fact that the woman’s husband agreed to her proposition and that they did indeed build the extra room for the prophet’s visits. In languages where such information would not be understood, it may be necessary to state explicitly at the beginning of this verse “After they built it…” or something similar.

One day he came: One day is literally “And it happened one day,” which is the same as the beginning of verse 8. It may be better to render this clause “On his next visit” or something similar. New American Bible succeeds in capturing the passage of time by translating “Some time later Elisha arrived.” Like Good News Translation, it also supplies the proper name “Elisha” in place of the pronoun he.

There refers to the town of Shunem. If there is any doubt about what the adverb means, it is acceptable to give the name of the town once again (so Good News Translation).

He turned into the chamber: The Hebrew verb in this clause suggests turning aside from other people and activities and, in this context, withdrawing into one’s own quarters. Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version translate “went up to his room” (similarly Parole de Vie).

Rested there: The Hebrew verb used here implies reclining or lying down. For this reason New International Version and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh give the meaning more precisely with “lay down there.” New American Bible hints at the idea of lying down without actually saying it directly by translating the last two clauses as follows: “stayed in the room overnight.” This wording in New American Bible would seem to imply that what is described in the next verse took place on the following morning, but it may have happened the same day.

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