Elisha said to her: In this context some languages will prefer the verb “answered” since what is said is in response to the woman’s appeal. But others will require “asked” because what follows is a question. Translators should simply ask themselves which verb sounds most natural in this context in their language.
According to certain commentators, the question What shall I do for you? implies helplessness or inability to do anything about the situation (as in Gen 27.37 and 1 Sam 10.2). To be sure, Elisha could not change the law concerning debtors. If this is true, it would be incorrect to render this question as a statement like “Tell me what you want me to do for you.” A more accurate rendering would be “What can I do for you?” (American Bible).
She said may be better translated “she answered” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible) in many languages.
Your maidservant: By using this indirect reference to herself, the widow is showing her respect for Elisha. But if it is translated literally, this may give a totally different idea in many languages. It will be much more natural in such cases to use the first person singular pronoun “I,” possibly accompanied by a word or phrase showing respect. Or, in some languages translators may prefer to begin the woman’s response by having her say “I am your servant….”
A jar of oil: It is important to note that the Hebrew word translated oil refers to “olive oil” (Good News Translation; see the comments on 1 Kgs 1.39). If there is any danger that any other kind of oil might be understood by the average reader, then translators should make it clear that the woman was speaking of “olive oil.” The word for jar is also important. The Hebrew term found in this passage occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament. Some scholars have attempted to identify this type of jar with a certain type of jar discovered by archaeologists, but the exact size and shape of this jar is simply not known. Renderings range from “a drop” (Knox) to “a flask” (New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible, An American Translation, Moffatt) to “a jug” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New American Bible). What is important here is that there was only a small amount of oil. Good News Translation offers a good model: “a small jar of olive oil.”
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 .