The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat: The king of Israel may be better translated as the proper name “Ahab” in certain languages. Since Ahab speaks to different individuals in verses 16 and 18, Contemporary English Version here translates “Ahab turned to Jehoshaphat and said.” Something like this may be required in other languages when the speaker changes the person to whom he is speaking.

Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?: Ahab’s words are in the form of a question, but they function to emphasize the truth of his earlier statement in verse 8. For this reason some languages may prefer a statement instead of a question, for example, “I told you that he would not prophesy anything good for me. He only brings me bad news.” International Children’s Bible provides another possible model: “I told you! This prophet never says anything good about me. He only says bad things about me.”

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 .