I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them: The land that God had given to the Israelites is, of course, the Promised Land. Frequently the Old Testament uses the expression “to cut off [someone]” as an act of God’s punishment upon individuals or nations. In these instances the verb is used figuratively to mean “to eliminate” or “to separate from.” In this context the verb refers to driving the people of Israel out of the land into exile and does not mean that God will kill them. Compare New Jerusalem Bible: “I shall banish Israel from the country which I have given them.” Since Israel here refers to the nation and not to an individual, Good News Translation says “my people Israel.”

Regarding the verb consecrated, see the comments on 1 Kgs 8.64.

For my name: See the comments on the words “for the name of the LORD” in 1 Kgs 3.2.

I will cast out of my sight: This same expression occurs in Jer 15.1, where it is translated by Revised Standard Version as “Send them [the Israelites] out of my sight.” The verb cast out is used figuratively here to mean that God will want nothing more to do with the Temple. Cast out has also been translated “repudiate” (New American Bible), “reject” (New Living Translation), “renounce” (Revised English Bible), and “disown” (New Jerusalem Bible). Out of my sight is literally “away from my face.” In some languages this may be rendered more naturally as “away from my eyes.”

Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples: Regarding the Hebrew word rendered proverb, see the comments on 1 Kgs 4.32. The English word byword means a proverbial saying or something that is frequently said, usually with a negative sense when applied to people. The Hebrew noun rendered byword comes from a root meaning “to sharpen” and refers to a sharp taunt. La Bible Pléiade renders this second noun “an object of sarcasm,” while International Children’s Bible has “a joke” and De Vries translates “a taunt.” In this context both of these nouns must be understood as referring to negative comments. Common language translations often rephrase these words and use verbal expressions in an attempt to express this negative feature. Compare “People everywhere will ridicule Israel and treat her with contempt” (Good News Translation) and “all peoples will snigger at Israel and mock her” (Bible en français courant). Contemporary English Version says “people everywhere will think this nation is only a joke and will make fun of it.”

As in 1 Kgs 4.34, all peoples refers to all other nations, not including the Israelites. New American Bible says “all nations.” Others may prefer to say “all non-Israelite peoples.”

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 .