His servant said: The Hebrew verb commonly used to introduce direct quotations may be rendered “answered” here because this is a response to Elisha’s request, or it may be translated “asked” because it introduces a question. The precise verb should be determined by what is most natural.

The Hebrew word for servant here is different from the noun used in verses 12, 25, and 38. However, since the referent seems to be the same, there is no reason to use a different word in the receptor language.

How am I to set this before a hundred men?: This question may be rendered as a statement in some languages since the servant is not asking how this is to be done. He is clearly suggesting that it would be impossible to feed all the men with what he had available. Some may therefore say something like “This is not enough for a hundred men” or “I don’t think this will be sufficient to feed a hundred men.” The servant’s objection may also be made into indirect discourse if this seems more natural in the receptor language. Some possible models are “the servant complained that the food would not be enough for a hundred people” and “the servant asked how these loaves could possibly satisfy a hundred men.”

So he repeated; that is, Elisha gave the same command again in the very same words. However, this time he goes on to back up his order with a message from the LORD.

For thus says the LORD …: Thus says the LORD is a formula in the middle of the quotation introducing the actual message of Yahweh. Some translators may find it necessary to transform his words into indirect discourse since this is a quotation within a larger quotation (so Good News Translation). Some may wish to say “for the LORD has said that they will have more than enough to eat.”

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 .