This verse is considered by some interpreters to be a later addition to the text, and for that reason it is placed within square brackets in New American Bible.
Moreover: The common Hebrew conjunction in this case is combined with a particle, and this makes the transition somewhat stronger than the cases where it stands alone. The Hebrew particle often indicates emphasis, which seems to be its function here. King James Version attempts to reflect this with the words “And also.” New Jerusalem Bible translates “Furthermore.” But New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh takes it as marking contrast and renders it “But.” Translators should look for the most natural transition word in the receptor language in this context.
By the prophet Jehu is literally “by the hand of the prophet Jehu.”
Since Jehu was identified in verse 1 as the son of Hanani, Good News Translation omits this information here for reasons of English style.
Against Baasha: The Hebrew preposition translated against is not the same as that translated “against” in verse 1. Although a number of modern translations say “against Baasha” here in verse 7 (Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible), it may be better to say “concerning Baasha” (Revised English Bible) or “to Baasha.”
All the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD: See the comments at 1 Kgs 11.6.
It is not clear what the words with the work of his hands refer to. However, they are probably to be understood in the sense of New Jerusalem Bible “by his actions” (similarly Bible en français courant) or New American Bible “by his evil deeds.”
And also because he destroyed it: Baasha had killed all of Jeroboam’s descendants, just as God had wanted (1 Kgs 15.29-30), so it seems surprising that God is now angry with Baasha for having destroyed them. Apparently God was angry because Baasha had killed Jeroboam’s family out of his own ambition and evil.
Some scholars have attempted to remove this difficulty by understanding the Hebrew words rendered and also because to be concessive, that is, meaning “despite that” (Montgomery). This understanding is the basis for the translation “in spite of the fact that he had struck it [the house of Jeroboam] down” (Gray). Such a translation, however, requires translating the first occurrence of the Hebrew preposition ʿal as “because” (because of all the evil …) and the second occurrence of the preposition as “in spite of.” It seems better to see a twofold reason for the condemnation of Baasha. Compare New Jerusalem Bible, which adds the words “first” and “secondly”: “first because of the many ways in which he had displeased Yahweh, provoking him to anger by his actions and becoming like the House of Jeroboam; secondly because he had destroyed that House.”
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 .