As in the previous verse, this verse contains a quotation within a quotation. This quotation corresponds to what Moses had said people from other nations would say (Deut 29.25-28).

They will say: The pronoun they refers to the same non-Israelite people mentioned at the end of verse 7 as making fun of the people of Israel. The image is that of an ongoing discussion between pagan peoples about what is happening to Israel.

Because is literally “upon which.” In certain languages it will be necessary to supply the information implied by the use of this construction; for example, New Century Version says “This happened because….”

Forsook: See the comments on this verb in 1 Kgs 6.13.

The word fathers again refers to the “ancestors” of the people of Israel.

Laid hold on other gods: Laid hold on renders the same form of the Hebrew verb which Revised Standard Version translates “caught hold of” in 1 Kgs 1.50 and 2.28. Here the verb is used in the sense of “embraced” (New Revised Standard Version) or “clung to” (Revised English Bible) other gods. The people of Israel may have literally taken hold of idols, but the verb should be understood more figuratively here in the sense of “gave their allegiance to” (Good News Translation) or simply “decided to follow” (New Century Version).

Worshiped them and served them: See the comments on these two verbs in verse 6. In the Masoretic Text the verb rendered worshiped is singular (“he worshiped”). Nearly all translations, however, follow the corrected reading “they worshiped” in the margin of the Masoretic Text. Revised English Bible says “bowing down before them and serving them.” Good News Translation combines the action expressed by the two verbs in Hebrew into the single action of “worshiped.”

This evil refers to the destruction of the Temple and the exile from the land. The Hebrew noun rendered evil may be translated in this context, as in 1 Kgs 14.10, as “disaster” (Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version) or “misfortune” (Revised English Bible).

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 .