It will be important to begin a new paragraph at the beginning of this verse since it begins a new thought by introducing a hypothetical problem. The situation about which Solomon speaks in verses 31 and 32 is one in which someone accuses another person of doing something wrong but there are no witnesses and no evidence. The case is resolved by having the two parties swear an oath before the altar in which the accused person calls down a curse from God upon himself or herself if he or she is guilty. Exo 22.7-12 and Num 5.11-31 are examples of such a practice.
If a man sins against his neighbor: The Hebrew of this verse contains a number of difficulties, including the first two words, which Revised Standard Version translates If, as the context requires. Verses 31-32 are one sentence in Hebrew. In order to avoid a sentence that is too long and complex, some translators may prefer to begin this verse by saying “Suppose that a person….”
The word translated man should not be understood as limiting the meaning to males. Modern versions use more general terminology, such as “someone” (New Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible), “anyone” (Revised English Bible), or “a person” (International Children’s Bible).
The Hebrew word rendered neighbor comes from a root meaning “associate with” and is not to be taken in the sense of a person living in the same area as the offending person although it may include that meaning. Here his neighbor refers to another human being or possibly “a fellow Israelite.” International Children’s Bible translates simply “someone else.”
Is made to take an oath: There is uncertainty whether the Hebrew text here is “he pronounces a curse on him to make him take an oath of innocence” or “he makes him take an oath of innocence, so that he takes the oath.” Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the second reading. It is not clear in the Hebrew who is the subject of the verb rendered is made to take an oath. According to Revised Standard Version (also Revised English Bible), the person who sins against his neighbor is the one who is made to take an oath. But according to New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh (also Bible de Jérusalem), the offended person is the person who takes the oath: “Whenever one man commits an offense against another, and the latter utters an imprecation to bring a curse upon him.”
And comes and swears his oath: In Hebrew these words seem to be literally “and his oath comes.” But the reading in Revised Standard Version is required to make sense of the verse.
The sense for the whole verse is probably that the person who claims to have been wronged lays a curse on the other party and makes that person swear an oath of innocence at the altar. Compare New Jerusalem Bible: “If someone has wronged his neighbour and a curse is laid on him to make him swear an oath here before your altar in this Temple.” Compare also NET Bible: “When someone is accused of sinning against his neighbor and the latter pronounces a curse on the alleged offender before your altar in this temple, be willing to forgive the accused if the accusation is false.”
Note also the Good News Translation translation of the beginning of this verse. The Hebrew says “If a man sins against his neighbor.” But the whole point of going before the altar is to determine if, in fact, the accused person is guilty. So the rendering “When a person is accused of wronging another” better expresses the meaning.
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 .