The final summary of Asa’s reign follows the usual formula and gives particular attention to his military achievements and what he had done in construction. As in previous cases, the rhetorical question may be better translated as a statement in many languages (see 1 Kgs 14.29).

All his might most likely refers to his military victories. Compare Peregrino: “his military exploits/deeds.” But it may also be understood in a more general sense as “all his successes” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) or “the courage that he showed” (Bible en français courant). This same Hebrew noun rendered might is used in reference to Baasha in 1 Kgs 16.5 and of Omri in 1 Kgs 16.27.

And the cities which he built: These words are not in some Greek manuscripts. New Jerusalem Bible omits them, considering them to be a later addition from the previous verse. But these words form a part of the Masoretic Text and there is no convincing reason why they should be omitted. Built is rendered “fortified” by Good News Translation (see verses 17, 21-22).

The Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah: See 1 Kgs 14.29.

But in his old age he was diseased in his feet: But translates a Hebrew adverb that expresses an exception. All of the things that are mentioned at the beginning of this verse are to be understood as signs of God’s approval and blessing. Then the writer adds the comment about Asa’s diseased feet, which is an implicit sign of God’s disapproval. The Septuagint even makes this explicit by saying that his disease was the result of his evil ways.

Asa may have had gout or dropsy when he was old. Sometimes in the Old Testament, the noun feet is used as a euphemism for the male genitals (for example, 2 Sam 11.8; Isa 6.2; 7.20). If feet is a euphemism here, the sense would be that Asa had some kind of venereal disease, but none of the translations consulted expresses this interpretation.

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 .