Moreover: The report of Jonathan seems to pile one element on top of another. The adverb here is translated “And listen to this…” in Contemporary English Version, and in Revised English Bible it is rendered “Yes, and….”

The king’s servants are the king’s chief officials. See the comments on verse 2.

To congratulate our lord King David: The Hebrew verb translated congratulate is more literally “bless” (New American Standard Bible, De Vries). The most likely meaning is that they wanted to show that they approved of what David had done. New Century Version, therefore, attempts to convey this meaning in simple language by saying “to tell King David that he has done a good thing.”

Your God make the name of Solomon more famous than yours: In order to express the idea of comparative renown, certain languages will have to say something like the following: “we are praying that the God you worship will cause even more people to praise Solomon than those who have praised you.”

For your God, the reading in the text of the Masoretic Text says “your God,” but the reading in the margin of the Masoretic Text corrects the text to read “God.” The corrected reading “God” is followed by some translations (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Anchor Bible) and is found also in many Hebrew manuscripts and several ancient versions. The translation of these words should not leave the reader thinking that the speakers served a different God from David. It will be possible to say “the God you worship,” but in other cases it will be more natural to say “our God” since a literal rendering would give the wrong meaning.

Make his throne greater than your throne: See the comments on verse 37.

The king bowed himself upon the bed: This was an act of worship showing David’s thanksgiving to God. If this is not clear in the receptor language, this meaning should be added in translation. New Century Version, for example, adds the words “to worship God.” (Compare Gen 47.31.)

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 .