King Solomon and all the congregation … sacrificing so many sheep and oxen: It is not clear from the Hebrew whether Solomon and the people of Israel were stopping along the way to offer sacrifices or whether verse 5 refers to a single large sacrifice just before the ark was taken into the Temple. As Good News Translation has translated the Hebrew, it seems to suggest one single occasion. If the example of David in 2 Sam 6.13 was followed, then it seems more likely that the king and the people were offering sacrifices along the way. Compare Moffatt: “while king Solomon and all the community of Israel which had gathered round him walked in front of the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen.”

The Hebrew noun rendered congregation refers to a gathering. The purpose of the gathering must be determined by the context. Here the purpose is for worship.

For sacrificing see the comments at 1 Kgs 1.9.

For the translation of the words sheep and oxen, see the comments on 1 Kgs 1.9.

They could not be counted or numbered: There is no real difference in meaning between counted and numbered in this context (see the comments on 1 Kgs 3.8). For this reason the two verbs may be translated by a single verb in many languages without any loss of meaning (so Good News Translation). But if the receptor language has two synonymous terms that may be used together naturally, the cumulative effect strengthens the sense. New Jerusalem Bible, for example, says that they were “countless, innumerable.” And, of course, the passive construction of Revised Standard Version may be rendered actively; for example, “no one could count them….”

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 .