Let there be a league between me and you, as between my father and your father: The Hebrew text does not have a verb at the beginning of this verse. It reads literally “A covenant between me and you, between my father and your father.” Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation both supply a verb in the form of a request that there be an alliance between Asa and Benhadad. It is possible, however, to supply a verb in the present tense. Compare New American Bible: “There is a treaty between you and me, as there was between your father and my father” (similarly La Bible Pléiade, Osty-Trinquet, Anchor Bible, Moffatt). If this second interpretation is followed, then Asa is simply reminding Benhadad of an existing alliance, which existed also between their fathers Abijah and Tabrimmon, and he is asking Benhadad to honor it by acting to help him in his battle against the king of Israel.

Part of the difficulty in interpreting and translating this verse comes from the fact that such a treaty between Abijah and Tabrimmon is not known from any other source. If such a treaty existed and the writer of 1 Kings did not mention it while discussing Abijah’s reign, then it is possible that a treaty already existed between Asa and Benhadad also, which the writer has not mentioned. Either interpretation is possible. If the first interpretation is chosen, some languages will have difficulty translating Let there be …. In such cases it will be possible to translate “I propose a treaty…” or “I want us to agree to….” Compare also “Let us renew the treaty that existed between your father and my father” (New Living Translation).

Behold, I am sending to you a present of silver and gold …: The word behold focuses attention on the presentation of the gift. If the receptor language has such a focusing device, it will be appropriate to use it here. Otherwise it may be omitted as in the majority of modern language versions.

King Asa of Judah sends a present to the king of Syria, in hopes that he will end his alliance with the king of Israel and attack Israel from the north. This would cause the king of Israel to withdraw his troops from their invasion of Judah.

The Hebrew noun translated present is rendered “bribe” by Anchor Bible, but this is not recommended. Most translations of this verse say either “present” (Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New American Bible) or “gift” (New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Since this verse reports the words of King Asa, it does not seem likely that he would use the word “bribe” when speaking to Benhadad. But Anchor Bible translates the Hebrew noun here as “bribe,” claiming that the word “bribe” represents the perspective of the author of 1 Kings, who did not approve of what King Asa did.

Go, break your league with Baasha: The Hebrew verb translated go functions here much like the verb “arise” often functions, that is, to indicate preparation for action (see the discussion on Hebrew serial verbs in “Translating 1–2 Kings,” pages 15-16).

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 .