Now the king was talking with Gehazi …: Good News Translation shows more clearly the connection between the dilemma of the woman of Shunem and the king’s conversation with Gehazi. The coincidence is important: it was just as the king was hearing about Elisha’s miracles that one of the beneficiaries of his wonderful works appeared on the scene to ask that her property be restored to her. This comes out more clearly in the following verse, but the Good News Translation model may be helpful in other languages at this point.

Tell me all the great things that Elisha has done: In Hebrew this sentence has the particle of entreaty to indicate politeness (see the comments on 1 Kgs 1.12), but Revised Standard Version omits it. Here it may be rendered “I pray” (Nouvelle Bible Segond) or “Please” (New Century Version, God’s Word, New American Standard Bible).

Great things refers to the “miracles” (Good News Translation, Peregrino) or “marvels” (New Jerusalem Bible, em>Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente) performed by Elisha and reported in 2 Kgs 2–6.

What the king said to Gehazi is reported as direct discourse, but Good News Translation makes it indirect. Translators will have to decide which form would be most natural in their own language.

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 .