So also is literally “And thus.” Since the list of things made is beginning to get a little long, the writer probably added the word meaning “thus” or “in this way.” Together with the common Hebrew conjunction, it would mean here “In the same way” as he had the other things made earlier in this chapter. Revised English Bible and New Jerusalem Bible translate this phrase as “Similarly,” and New American Bible begins this verse with “The same was done….”

He made for the entrance to the nave doorposts of olivewood: The doors referred to in verses 33 and 34 separated the vestibule at the front of the Temple (verse 3) from the nave. Note that it is the “doorframe” (Good News Translation) that was made of olivewood and not the doors themselves, which were made of cypress wood (verse 34).

In the form of a square: The Revised Standard Version rendering reflects the most common understanding of the Hebrew. The Good News Translation rendering “rectangular” represents the same interpretation (also New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh with “having four sides”), but it is doubtful that either correctly translates the meaning of the Hebrew. New Jerusalem Bible renders this “and door jambs with four indented sections” (similarly Bible de Jérusalem), and this is probably the correct understanding (see the comments on verse 31). In agreement with their translations in verse 31, King James Version says here “a fourth part of the wall,” Nouvelle Bible Segond says “a fourth of the dimension of the wall,” and Anchor Bible reads “a fourth (of the wall).” According to this last interpretation, the entrance would have been five cubits wide.

A possible translation of this verse is:

• Similarly, for the entrance to the main room a doorway with four doorframes was made; each one of the frames was set inside of the next larger frame. They were made of olive wood.

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 .