Moreover: This transition word is used to translate the Hebrew adverb of time that is sometimes rendered “now” (King James Version). In this context New Jerusalem Bible takes it as introducing the final element in the Assyrian official’s argument by saying “And lastly.” New Living Translation similarly says “What’s more.” New International Version takes it in much the same way, translating “Furthermore.”
Is it without the LORD that I have come up against this place to destroy it?: This rhetorical question may be better rendered as an affirmation, for example, “I did not attack your country to destroy it without the help of the LORD.” Or, in languages where the use of a negation with the word “without” presents problems, a more positive statement may be made. Something like the following might be appropriate: “It was clearly with the help of the LORD that I attacked your country and destroyed it.”
For come up against, see verse 9.
The words this place and this land both refer to the land belonging to Judah. In this dialogue with the spokesmen for Judah, it will probably be most natural to say something like “your country” (Good News Translation) or “your nation” (Contemporary English Version). Both Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version avoid the repetition of these synonymous expressions. Naturalness in the receptor language should determine whether a literal rendering of the two expressions is necessary in translation.
The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it: This last part of the verse is presented as a direct quotation within the larger quotation, but it may easily be made indirect by saying something like “The LORD told me to attack this land and to destroy it.”
Verses 19-25 are complicated because of the numerous embedded quotations. The Assyrian official quotes his king in verses 19b-22. Then in verses 23-24 the official himself develops the argument begun in verse 21. Verse 25 returns to the words of the Assyrian king as delivered by his official. The words of verses 19-25 are all spoken by the Assyrian official, but within his words are numerous quotations of words spoken by his king, by Hezekiah, and by God himself.
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 .