The king: Translators may wish to follow Good News Translation in making the subject of the sentence clear by giving the name “Josiah” or perhaps saying “King Josiah.” In some languages the simple pronoun “he” (as in Bible en français courant and La Bible du Semeur) may be clearly understood as referring to Josiah since he is the person in focus in the story.
Mount of corruption is more literally “mountain of the ruin” (har hammashchith in Hebrew). Contemporary English Version translates this as “Spoil Hill.” Readers of Contemporary English Version, however, will not realize that the reference is to the Mount of Olives, which was east of Jerusalem. This Hebrew expression has been troublesome to scholars, and some scholars have suggested that the final letters in the Hebrew word translated of corruption should be changed slightly to read “of ointment/oil.” Indeed, in the Mishnah (early third century A.D.), the Mount of Olives is called “the Mount of Ointment.” The translation “Mount of Olives” in New Jerusalem Bible and Revised English Bible is based on this correction of the Hebrew text.
But the Hebrew text does not need to be corrected here. The consonants of the Hebrew noun for “oil” are mshch, and the consonants of the Hebrew verb that means “to ruin,” “to destroy,” or “to act corruptly” are shchth. The writer is making a sarcastic or negative play on words between these two Hebrew words in order to criticize the worship of idols. In numerous passages in Deuteronomy, this same verb is used in reference to turning away from God and “acting corruptly” by worshiping idols.
Readers in languages other than Hebrew, however, will not understand this play on words. So some modern translations that follow the Masoretic Text say “Mount of Olives” in the text and explain in a footnote what the Hebrew says (so Good News Translation, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, Bible en français courant, New Century Version). The footnote in Good News Translation may give the impression that there is a textual problem here. The Bible en français courant footnote here is more helpful because it points out the wordplay in Hebrew: “In Hebrew, there is a play on words between Mount of Olives and Mount of Destruction.”
Hebrew Old Testament Text Project and Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament both recommend the text on which Revised Standard Version is based. The following Hebrew Old Testament Text Project commentary is worth noting:
The author of this passage used a euphemism in order to avoid the mention of the name of the Mount of Olives in this context of idolatry. Translators who use notes may indicate this in a note, saying that the Mount of Olives is meant indeed, but designated by another name, thus avoiding the mention of the Mount of Olives in an idolatrous context.
Where the euphemism is likely to be misunderstood, the rendering “Mount of Olives” is justified for translational reasons even though the Masoretic Text reads mount of corruption. Those who opt for a literal rendering may consider the following models: “Mount of Misconduct” (New American Bible), “Mount of the Destroyer” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, American Bible), “Mount of Destruction” (New Revised Standard Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Osty-Trinquet, La Bible du Semeur, Nouvelle Bible Segond, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, em>Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente), “Hill of Corruption” (New International Version), and “Mount of Spoiling” (Hobbs). It may be noted that Jer 51.25 uses the same expression (“mountain of the ruin”) in reference to Babylon, which Revised Standard Version translates “destroying mountain.”
Which Solomon the king of Israel had built: See 1 Kgs 11.5-7.
For the goddess Ashtoreth, see the comments at 1 Kgs 11.5.
The abomination of the Sidonians: Regarding the Hebrew word rendered abomination, see the comments at 1 Kgs 11.5; for the Sidonians, see the comments at 1 Kgs 5.6. This whole expression is a way of referring to the goddess Ashtoreth whom the people of Judah found very offensive. New Century Version translates “the hated goddess of the Sidonians.” The words “Sidon” and “Sidonian” often represent the people of Phoenicia in general. So it may be better to translate “the disgusting goddess whom the people of Phoenicia worship.” Moffatt, for example, has “the detestable idol of the Phoenicians.”
Chemosh the abomination of Moab: For Chemosh see the comments at 1 Kgs 11.7. This Moabite god is described in a way that is parallel to the description of Ashtoreth which precedes it in the list: the abomination of Moab. For Moab see 1 Kgs 11.1.
Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites: As noted in the comments on 1 Kgs 11.5, many interpreters consider Milcom to be another name for the god “Molech,” who is referred to in verse 10 as the god to whom people sacrificed their children. If this interpretation is accepted, it will be best to use the same name in both places in order to avoid confusing the reader. Once again the expression the abomination of … is used, this time with the Ammonites (see the comments on these people at 1 Kgs 11.1). But the Hebrew word translated abomination is different in this case. The first two occurrences of abomination in this verse refer to something filthy. They are therefore rendered “Garbage” by Osty-Trinquet, who translates the third occurrence as “Abomination.” Revised English Bible distinguishes the terms by translating the first two as “loathsome goddess/god” and the third one as “abominable god.”
In languages that have to translate Ammonites as “people of Ammon,” the name “Ammon” may be easily confused with the name “Amon.” So translators should ensure that readers understand that the name used here is not related to the people named Amon mentioned previously in the books of 1–2 Kings. That is, there is no connection with Amon, the governor of the city of Samaria during the days of Ahab (1 Kgs 22.26), or with Amon, the king of Judah before Josiah (2 Kgs 21.18-25).
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 .