He also made two capitals of molten bronze: Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation have added the word also, which correctly expresses the sense. (Or perhaps also is a translation of the common Hebrew conjunction at the beginning of this verse.)

The word capital is a technical word of architecture, referring to the top part of a column or pillar which bears the direct weight of that which it supports. As already noted, the two pillars here were most likely freestanding and did not actually support any part of the Temple. So in this case the capitals would be simply the “tops” or “heads” of the columns.

The height of the one capital was five cubits, and the height of the other capital was five cubits: If translators have been using equivalent measurements in the receptor language, they should do so here also. The equivalent for five cubits is about 2.5 meters or 7.5 feet.

In some languages it will sound needlessly repetitious to translate literally this last half of the verse. If it is more natural to do so, translators should translate the meaning by saying simply that “each one of the two capitals was two and a half meters tall.”

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 .