The awkward wording of Revised Standard Version reflects the Hebrew structure. But it will be unwise to imitate this in most other languages.

The Hebrew word translated allowance occurs infrequently in the Old Testament, but probably refers here to a monetary gift for his own personal needs as well as for the needs of his family and a small staff. In Pro 15.17, however, the same word is translated “dinner.”

The passive construction a regular allowance was given him by the king may be made active by saying something like “the king gave a regular allowance to him.” Compare “Jehoiachin received regularly from the king of Babylon…” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

Every day a portion repeats the same idea contained in a regular allowance, but it adds the detail that the regularity was in fact daily.

One possible rendering of this final verse is:

• As long as Jehoiachin lived, the king of Babylonia gave him money for each day so that he could buy whatever he needed.

Others may prefer to break it down into two sentences as follows:

• The king of Babylonia paid Jehoiachin a portion of money each day in order that he might get all that he required for living. This continued for the rest of the life of Jehoiachin.

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 .