Walking in the statutes of David his father: The Hebrew verb rendered walking is often used in the figurative sense of “to live or behave in a certain way.” Here it is better translated “obeying” or “conforming to” (Revised English Bible). Moffatt has “living by the rules laid down by his father David.” For statutes see the comments on this noun in 1 Kgs 2.3.
The relationship between Solomon’s love for the LORD and his following the rules of his father is brought out more clearly in Bible en français courant, which says “Solomon manifested his love for the Lord by doing what his father David had ordained for him.”
Only renders the same Hebrew adverb that is translated “however” at the beginning of verse 2. In this context the sense is also “however,” that is, “even though he loved the LORD, it was not a perfect love.”
He sacrificed and burnt incense at the high places: The Hebrew text has two participles at the end of this verse, and both indicate repeated action; that is, this is something that Solomon did on more than one occasion. The first participle means “to sacrifice [slaughtered animals]” and the second one means “to let [a sacrifice] go up in smoke.” The verb from which this second participle comes is sometimes ambiguous since it can refer to the burning of animal or vegetable offerings or to the burning of incense. Because of this ambiguity, some translations say that Solomon sacrificed and burnt incense (Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Peregrino, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente), while others say that he slaughtered and burnt sacrifices, with no reference to incense (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible). Either interpretation is possible.
The Hebrew has the third person masculine pronoun before the first participle. Most translations do not reflect the presence of the pronoun in Hebrew. Chouraqui says “he himself.” Bible en français courant also uses an emphatic form of the pronoun by rendering the last half of the verse as “nevertheless, he also [just like the people] offered sacrifices of animals and incense in the sacred places.” But since the participles themselves do not express person, the pronoun here is needed to express it. So the pronoun does not give emphasis in this verse.
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 .