Ahab said to Elijah: The Hebrew does not state that Elijah actually delivered the message of verse 19 to Ahab, but it is left to the reader to assume that he did. Nor does the Hebrew text state explicitly that Elijah went to find Ahab. In some languages this information may have to be made explicit. Compare “Elijah went there and Ahab said to him” (Parole de Vie) and “Elijah went to take this message to Ahab” (Bible en français courant).
Have you found me, O my enemy?: This question may prove difficult in certain languages. It may be better rendered as an affirmation in some cases since Ahab is clearly not asking for information. He is commenting on the fact that the prophet has discovered his trickery. New Jerusalem Bible translates “So you have caught me, O my enemy!” and Moffatt similarly presents it as an exclamation rather than a question by saying “So you have found me out…!” The address O my enemy will also be problematic in certain languages. It will often be necessary to shift it forward to the beginning of the statement rather than following the Hebrew in leaving it at the end. And it is unnecessary to translate the vocative O since it does not reflect anything in the original Hebrew. New Living Translation avoids using the word enemy as a form of address and rather speaks indirectly, saying “So my enemy has found me!”
You have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the LORD: This is figurative language, meaning that Ahab has given himself up completely to doing evil (so New American Bible). The same Hebrew idiom occurs in verse 25 and in 2 Kgs 17.17. Some other possible models are “you have managed to do everything the LORD hates” (Contemporary English Version) and “you have done nothing but live contrary to the Lord’s will” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).
Revised Standard Version connects I have found you with the following words, giving the impression that the reason Elijah discovered Ahab is because the king had given himself completely over to evil. But it is more likely that the words because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the LORD should be connected with the following verse; that is, Ahab’s devotion to evil is the reason why the LORD will bring evil on him. It is, therefore, advisable to make a separate sentence saying “I have found you” and then begin a new sentence stating that Ahab has done evil in the sight of the LORD. Verse 21 should then begin with a word like “Therefore” or “So.”
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 .