The Hebrew of this verse may be translated either as a question (so Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation) or as a conditional sentence. The footnote in New English Bible translates this as a conditional sentence: “If this has been done by your majesty’s authority, then we your servants have not been told who should succeed you on the throne.”

My lord the king … you: Nathan addresses the king in both the third person and the second person in this verse. Good News Translation maintains the respectful tone of the Hebrew with the words “Your Majesty,” but uses second person pronouns throughout. Translators will need to use a form that is clear and natural in the receptor language.

Your servants: See the comments on verse 2. Servants here will include Nathan himself, Solomon, Zadok, and Benaiah (verse 26). This might also be translated in the present context as “those of us who are loyal to you” or “those of us who follow you faithfully.”

The reading in the Masoretic Text says “your servants.” But the reading in the margin of the Masoretic Text corrects the text to read the singular, “your servant” (so Anchor Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). If the reading in the margin is followed, then “your servant” refers to Nathan. Compare Nouvelle Bible Segond for the last half of this verse, which reads “Why haven’t you let me know, me who is your servant…?” The reading “your servants” is probably to be preferred.

Sit on the throne … after him: Compare verse 20 where the same idea is expressed in the speech of Bathsheba.

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 .