“The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good.” For …: The structure of this verse must be thought about very carefully. Good News Translation reverses the order of the sentences so that the evaluation of the LORD’s message as being good is placed after Hezekiah’s thoughts about its meaning. If this is not done, the reader will certainly wonder, at least for an instant, how the words of the LORD in verses 17-18 could possibly be considered in a positive light. The connecting word For, which actually translates the common Hebrew conjunction often rendered “and,” is an attempt by Revised Standard Version to clarify the logical connection between the two quotations of Hezekiah’s words here. New Century Version makes the relationship clearer by translating “He said this because….” In this context the Hebrew word good may also be translated “reassuring” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “favorable” (New American Bible).

He thought is literally “he said.” But the meaning seems to be “He said to himself” (Bible en français courant, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible) or “he was thinking to himself” (Revised English Bible).

Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?: This question seems to mean “Why not let it be as he has said since there will be…?” This shows that Hezekiah would be satisfied with a mere postponement of the time of trouble for Judah. Many translations change the question to a statement, and still convey the essential meaning of Hezekiah’s thought by saying “At least there will be peace and security in my lifetime” (American Bible) or “There will be peace and security in my lifetime” (New American Bible, New Century Version). For peace see the comments at 1 Kgs 2.13.

The expression in my days is intended to communicate the idea “during the time that I am ruling” or “while I am still living.”

In Good News Translation and Revised English Bible the thoughts of King Hezekiah are made into indirect discourse and the question format is dropped since it is a rhetorical question. This kind of model may be helpful in other languages.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .