Now Elisha had said: The form of the Hebrew verb translated had said and the reversed word order of subject and verb in Hebrew indicate that this is something that Elisha said some time prior to the beginning of the seven-year famine described later in this chapter. So it constitutes yet another flashback (as in 2 Kgs 7.18-19). But in this case the reader is required to go back much further (to chapter 4). American Bible attempts to underscore the flashback character of this verse by beginning with the word “Once” (similarly New American Bible). Other languages may have to say “One day” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Parole de Vie), “Some time earlier,” or something similar. Verses 1-2 are both part of this flashback, referring to what had happened previously. This is why many translations in English use the past perfect verb tense. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh provides a good model for these verses (italics added):

• Elisha had said to the woman whose son he revived, “Leave immediately with your family and go sojourn somewhere else; for the Lord has decreed a seven-year famine upon the land, and it has already begun.” The woman had done as the man of God had spoken; she left with her family and sojourned in the land of the Philistines for seven years.

The woman whose son he had restored to life: The reader of the Hebrew text is reminded of the story about the restoration of the son of the woman of Shunem, which is found in 2 Kgs 4.8-37. So there can be no mistaking who is involved in this new story.

Arise, and depart: The verb Arise does not necessarily imply that the woman was seated or lying down when Elisha spoke to her. It is rather a verb that is used to call a person to action. See the comments on 1 Kgs 1.50 as well as the discussion on Hebrew serial verbs in “Translating 1–2 Kings,” pages 15-16. Arise, and depart may be taken to mean “Leave immediately” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

With your household is literally “you and your household.” This seems to imply that the woman’s husband had died and that she was now fully responsible for her family. Her husband had been described as “old” (2 Kgs 4.14) before the birth of her son.

Sojourn wherever you can is literally “sojourn where you sojourn.” But the idea is clearly that the woman should leave the land of Israel and take up residence elsewhere. New Revised Standard Version and New American Bible say “settle wherever you can.” It does not seem to matter what country she settles in so long as it is not in Israel, where there would not be enough food to eat. This has also been translated “stay abroad wherever you can” (Moffatt), “live where you can in some foreign country” (New Jerusalem Bible), and “live for a while somewhere else” (Hobbs). The story is similar to that of Elimelech and Naomi who went into the country of Moab when there was a famine in Israel (see Ruth 1.1-2).

The LORD has called for a famine: The verbal expression used here may be translated “ordered” or “decided that there will be [a famine].” Several versions use the word “decreed” (New International Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible). For the word famine, see the comments on 1 Kgs 8.37 and 2 Kgs 4.38.

And it will come upon the land for seven years is literally “and indeed, it is coming upon the land seven years.” The form of the Hebrew verb here suggests that the famine will begin immediately, so the woman is not to postpone her departure for any reason. Revised English Bible shows the imminence of the problem by translating the last two clauses as “the LORD has decreed a seven years’ famine, and it has already come on the land” (similarly American Bible). There is no clear indication as to the relationship between this famine and the one in Samaria described so vividly in 2 Kgs 6.24–7.20. But the use of the phrase the land makes it quite clear that, in this case, it will be Israel that will be affected by the lack of food. Compare “the LORD has called for a famine on Israel that will last for seven years” (New Living Translation). The number seven may be understood literally, or it may be a symbolic number here, indicating a long time, as perhaps in Gen 41.30.

The direct discourse of Elisha is transformed into indirect discourse by Good News Translation. This may provide a helpful model for 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 .