The two base fellows came in and sat opposite him: See the comments on verse 10.

Brought a charge against Naboth is literally “brought a charge against him, against Naboth.” This seems to highlight the fact that the accusation was made against Naboth, perhaps to emphasize the absurdity of the charge. For brought a charge against, see the comments on verse 10.

Following some Greek manuscripts, New American Bible and Osty-Trinquet omit the words against Naboth, in the presence of the people, but most modern translations follow the Masoretic Text. In the presence of the people is translated “publicly” by Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, and Revised English Bible.

Naboth cursed God and the king: See the comments on verse 10. This direct quotation may be translated as indirect speech. Moffatt, for example, says “charged Naboth … with having cursed God and the king.”

They took him outside the city, and stoned him to death with stones: The most natural reading of the Hebrew is that the two base fellows are the subject of the verbs took and stoned. This corresponds to the law of Deut 17.7, which says “The hand of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death.” Many English translations, however, have used the passive verb forms “was taken” and “[was] stoned” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible), which suggests that the elders and nobles, and not just the two base fellows, were the agents. Parole de Vie, in fact, says “the people led Naboth outside the city and they killed him by throwing stones.”

See the comments on verse 10 for the reason for going outside the city.

Stoned him to death with stones will be considered unnecessarily redundant in some languages (see 1 Kgs 12.18). Some other ways of translating the meaning are “they threw stones at him until he died” or “killed him by throwing stones on him.”

According to the most likely interpretation of 2 Kgs 9.26, Naboth’s sons were also killed with him, but that information should not be added here.

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 .