Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam: This verse is connected to the preceding verse with the common Hebrew conjunction. Verse 40 indicates the result of what preceded; that is, Solomon’s action is the result of his having learned what God was going to do. Revised Standard Version renders the conjunction therefore and Good News Translation says “so.” The Hebrew does not state explicitly that Solomon learned what God was going to do, but translators may wish to make this clear in the receptor language, as Contemporary English Version has done by saying “When Solomon learned what the LORD had told Jeroboam, Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam.”

The verb rendered kill is causative in Hebrew. But this does not come out in most English versions. Since Solomon almost certainly did not attempt to kill Jeroboam by his own hand, certain modern versions say “put … to death” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “have killed” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Bible en français courant). Others may say “cause to die.”

Jeroboam arose, and fled: Regarding the idiomatic use of the Hebrew verb for arose followed by another verb, see the comments on 1 Kgs 2.40. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh expresses the sense of the verb here by stating that “Jeroboam promptly fled” (also New Revised Standard Version). Knox says “he was up and gone.”

Shishak is mentioned again in 1 Kgs 14.25. He was the founder of the twenty-second dynasty in Egypt and ruled for twenty-one years, approximately 931–910 sB.C. He may also be the Pharaoh who is referred to in verses 18-19.

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 .