So the king died: This verse begins with the common Hebrew conjunction. Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation both translate it So since verse 37a is a summary statement. Revised English Bible similarly says “Thus the king died.” According to Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, all of verse 37 is a comment by the author. But as noted in verse 36, some interpreters correct the Hebrew text at the beginning of verse 37 and consider the initial words to be a part of the quotation of verse 36.

Was brought to Samaria is literally “he came to Samaria.” Since Ahab is dead, we would expect the text to say what Revised Standard Version says. Perhaps the author is alluding with sarcasm to Ahab’s words in verse 27, where Ahab says that the prophet Micaiah is to be put in prison until Ahab “comes” in peace. Ahab “came,” but it was not in peace as he had expected to come. In any case, in those languages where passive verb forms are problematic, this clause will have to be made active. Possible models are “they brought his body back to Samaria” and “the soldiers carried his corpse back to Samaria” (Parole de Vie).

The Hebrew text repeats the place name Samaria at the end of the verse, after having said that the king’s body was brought back to Samaria. Good News Translation omits the second mention of Samaria, leaving implicit in English that he was buried in the town to which his body was taken.

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 .