Ahab told Jezebel …: Since a new chapter and a new section begin here, Good News Translation identifies Ahab as “King Ahab,” Jezebel as “his wife Jezebel” (also Contemporary English Version, Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie), and the prophets as the “the prophets of Baal.” New Living Translation makes a connection with the end of chapter 18 by adding at the beginning of this verse “When Ahab got home.”

The Masoretic Text of this verse is literally “And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done and all how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.” The ancient translations omit the second occurrence of the word “all,” as do nearly all modern translations.

All that Elijah had done refers to his bringing down fire and rain from heaven in chapter 18.

He had slain all the prophets with the sword: As indicated in 1 Kgs 18.40, it is possible that Elijah did not personally kill all these pagan prophets. The translation here should correspond to the way that the verb “killed” was translated in 18.40. For the expression with the sword, see the comments at 1 Kgs 2.8.

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 .