Let us go to the Jordan: The Hebrew contains the particle of entreaty in this clause, but neither Revised Standard Version nor Good News Translation represents it in translation. The first person plural pronoun here and in the rest of this verse is more likely to be exclusive in meaning since the following verse shows that only after this was Elisha persuaded to accompany the brotherhood of prophets to the Jordan River.

People who read the Bible often will be familiar with the name Jordan and will know that it refers to a river, but for others the translator may need to add the classifier term “river,” as New Century Version has done.

Each of us get there a log: In light of verse 4, the sense most likely is that each of the men would cut down a tree so that they would have the poles or lumber necessary for building a place … to dwell. The Hebrew noun translated log may refer to a beam (New American Bible, Bible en français courant), rafter, pole (New International Version), or log (New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible), depending on the context. Good News Translation says “cut down some trees.” Other translations following this same interpretation include “Each of us cut down a tree trunk” (Parole de Vie) and “each of us cut a beam there” (New Jerusalem Bible, La Bible du Semeur).

Let us make a place for us to dwell there: The decision in verse 1 about whether the concern was for living quarters or a meeting place will have to be carried through in this verse. If it is taken as a meeting place, it would be translated “let us construct for ourselves there a new gathering place” (Bible en français courant). Contemporary English Version refers to “a new meeting place.” The Hebrew is literally “let us make for ourselves there a place to dwell there.” Some ancient versions omit the adverb “there,” but the Masoretic Text should be followed. A number of modern translations omit “there” (so Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New American Bible), but it is not clear whether they are following a different text or simply leaving implicit that the prophets wanted to live near the Jordan.

And he answered, “Go”: While the quotation of what the prophets said to Elisha will perhaps be better in most languages as direct discourse, Elisha’s response could easily be made indirect by saying “and Elisha gave them permission to do what they had asked” or “Elisha agreed to let them go.”

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 .