Since this verse constitutes a second aspect of Naaman’s argument, Good News Translation finds it necessary to begin it with “Besides.” Something like this may also be required in other languages.

Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus: The first of these two rivers was just north of Damascus, and the other was just south of Damascus. A marginal note in the traditional Hebrew text gives the name of the first river as “Amana[h]” rather than Abana. Two ancient versions also have the same name as the marginal reading. “Amana[h]” is adopted by several modern translations (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Nouvelle version Segond révisée, La Bible du Semeur, Moffatt, Jewish Publication Version). Non-biblical references from the ancient world to this river call it “Amanah,” but the same river is intended regardless of the spelling. Translators are advised to follow the majority of modern versions in using the name Abana. The problem is not mentioned in Hebrew Old Testament Text Project or Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament.

For Damascus see 1 Kgs 11.24.

All the waters of Israel: Naaman is not arguing that the two rivers of Damascus were better than all the waters of Israel collectively, but rather that they were superior to any particular body of water in Israel. No doubt he had in mind especially the Jordan River where he had been told to go and bathe seven times.

One or both of the questions at the beginning of this verse may need to be transformed into statements in the receptor language since they are not asked for the sake of gaining new information. Naaman is quite convinced in his own mind that the rivers of Damascus are much better than other rivers. So it would be possible to translate “Surely the rivers back in Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, are better than any river here in Israel. I could have been healed [or, made pure] by washing in them.”

So he turned and went away in a rage: This sentence is omitted by Good News Translation. This was probably done because it repeats the same essential ideas found at the beginning of verse 11 (“Naaman was angry, and went away”). But the repetition makes his rejection all the more emphatic, and unless it is unnatural to do so, these ideas should be repeated in other languages.

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 .