But: The common Hebrew conjunction here is sometimes taken as a temporal connection (Hobbs “Then”) and sometimes left untranslated (Good News Translation, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). But because the suggestion of Naaman’s servants is contrary to his proposed course of action, a contrasting conjunction as in Revised Standard Version (also New Revised Standard Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, American Bible) is probably the best translation.
His servants came near and said to him: His servants is clearly plural, but in the quotation that follows it sounds as if one person is speaking. So this may be rendered “his servants came near and one of his servants….”
My father is a title of respect and should not be taken literally. The same expression is used by David in speaking to Saul in 1 Sam 24.11. While it is omitted altogether by some versions, others (Good News Translation, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Contemporary English Version, American Bible) translate it by the modern English equivalent “Sir.” Translators should use an equivalent expression.
If the prophet had commanded you to do some great thing: What Elisha had commanded Naaman to do was quite simple. Some great thing refers to anything that would have been the opposite of the uncomplicated command of the prophet. Some possible renderings are “a difficult thing” (American Bible) and “something extraordinary” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible).
The question would you not have done it? is really a way of saying “certainly you would have done it.” In some languages it will be better translated in this way.
Wash, and be clean: This direct quotation may have to be made indirect in many languages because it is within a larger quotation that ends with a question mark (so Good News Translation).
The last question in this verse is taken as rhetorical by New Century Version and translated “After all, he only told you, ‘Wash and you will be clean.’ ”
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 .