Yet another standard formula of the books of 1–2 Kings is used here to describe the end of the reign of Abijah.

Slept with his fathers: See the comments on 1 Kgs 1.21.

They buried him: Grammatically the pronoun they could refer to his fathers, but this is certainly not the intention of the writer and should be avoided in translation. This impersonal third person form may be translated by a passive form in languages where such forms are natural. In other cases it may be necessary to say “people buried him.”

The city of David: See the comments on 1 Kgs 2.10.

Reigned in his stead: See the comments on 1 Kgs 11.43.

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 .