Instead of the Syrians, the Hebrew text has only the third person plural pronoun, which refers back to the Syrian army in verse 15. Like Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, most languages will say “the Syrians” for clarity.

Came down against him: The Hebrew verb here does not necessarily indicate movement in a downward direction. If the comments on “mountain” in the previous verse are correct, the movement would in fact have been upward. When this verb is used with the preposition against, it often means “attack” (compare 2 Chr 20.16). American Bible translates simply “came against him.” Something like this seems to be the kind of translation required in this context.

Strike … with blindness: In certain languages this expression will be most naturally rendered by a causative verb form meaning “cause to become blind.” It would therefore be inadvisable in most cases to try to translate literally the Hebrew verb meaning Strike or “hit.” The same Hebrew term for blindness is also found in Gen 19.11, where some commentators insist on a difference between this term and the more usual one for blindness. The word used here is based on a loan word from Akkadian which seems to be related to an extremely bright flash of light which causes temporary blindness. It is for this reason that some versions speak of the men becoming “sun-blind” (New Jerusalem Bible) or of “blinding light” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, American Bible).

This people: It is more natural in modern English to say “these people” (New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible). The Hebrew word translated people is often rendered “nation” elsewhere and frequently refers to heathen nations or non-Israelites (see the comments on 1 Kgs 18.10). Some other possible translations in this context are “those soldiers” (Contemporary English Version) or possibly “this army.”

I pray thee: This renders the same Hebrew particle of entreaty as found in the previous verse.

He struck them with blindness …: While the blindness of the Syrian soldiers happened in accordance with the prayer of Elisha, the actual subject of the verb struck is Yahweh. In certain languages it will be necessary to make this clear by using the name of the LORD rather than the pronoun he (so Good News Translation).

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 .