When the king of Moab saw: Since the king of Moab has not been mentioned by name since verse 4, some translators may wish to follow the model of Contemporary English Version, which adds the proper name at this point: “King Mesha of Moab saw.”
The battle was going against him is literally “the battle was strong against him.” There will be a wide variety of ways of communicating this meaning in other languages. Some possible models are “he was losing the battle” (Good News Translation, New American Bible), “he could not resist this attack” (Bible en français courant, La Bible du Semeur), and “his cause was lost” (Knox).
Seven hundred swordsmen: Some languages will have to say “seven hundred soldiers who fought using swords.”
To break through, opposite the king of Edom: Assuming that the word Edom is the correct reading here, the meaning of this expression is subject to two different interpretations: (a) that Edom had deserted Israel during the battle against Moab and that the Moabites wanted to join them as new allies; or (b) that the Moabites wanted to fight against the Edomites because they would presumably have been the weaker opponent in the confederation that had surrounded them. The second interpretation is found in Revised Standard Version, which renders the Hebrew preposition ʾel as opposite. Contemporary English Version follows this interpretation also with “tried to break through the front line where the Edomite troops were positioned” (similarly New Living Translation). If, however, this second interpretation is correct, we would expect the Hebrew preposition ʿal and not ʾel.
The problem is further complicated by the fact that the words for Edom and “Aram” (that is, Syria) are very similar in Hebrew and are often confused in Old Testament texts. Some scholars believe that the original text had the word for “Aram” here in the place where the traditional Hebrew text has Edom. This is why several versions have translated “Aram” (New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, Osty-Trinquet, Gray) or “Syria” (Good News Translation). This is also the recommendation of Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, which gives a {C} rating to the correction “Aram.” As Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament points out, there is some reason to think that the ancient Greek translation read “Aram.” Even though the textual evidence strongly favors the reading Edom, the context supports the correction to “Syria.” The meaning, then, is that the king of Moab wanted to get through to Syria and gain the help of the king of Syria.
They could not; that is, the king of Moab and his seven hundred swordsmen were unable to break through the lines of those surrounding their capital. This may be translated “they failed” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New International Version) or, more explicitly, “they could not break through” (New Century Version).
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 .