This verse is the beginning of chapter 5 in Hebrew, as in New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and many non-English versions. See the introductory comments on this section.

The Euphrates is literally “the river.” Some translations capitalize the word “River” to show that a particular well-known river is intended (New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Nouvelle Bible Segond), but in most languages it will be better to state the name, as in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation.

The land of the Philistines is a literal rendering of the Hebrew. Good News Translation has reworded it to say “Philistia.” This refers to the plain along the Mediterranean coast where the constant enemies of the people of Israel lived.

They brought tribute: They are the people, or more likely, the rulers who lived in all of the kingdoms mentioned in this verse. La Bible du Semeur says “these people.” Others may prefer to replace the pronoun by following the model of Bible en français courant and Parole de Vie, which is “All the rulers of these kingdoms.”

Tribute translates a Hebrew noun used of gifts given to someone who is a superior, usually a king. Such gifts express an attitude of submission and may have been given either voluntarily or by demand of the conquering king. The gifts were often given in the form of silver and gold. The same Hebrew noun is rendered “present” in 1 Kgs 10.25 and includes clothing, spices, and animals, in addition to gold and silver. The term “taxes” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version) should not be understood to mean the payment of a certain percentage of one’s income.

Served Solomon: The sense is not that they became domestic servants but rather that these rulers of other kingdoms now were limited in their power because they were subject to Solomon’s rule. New American Bible uses the technical term “vassals,” saying “they … were his vassals.” Some other models are as follows: “they were subject to Solomon” (Nouvelle version Segond révisée), “they obeyed him” (International Children’s Bible), and “they were under Solomon.”

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 .