Entered the gate; that is, “came through the gateway” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “passed through the gate of the city” (em>Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). For gate see the comments on 1 Kgs 17.10.

She said: In languages where masculine and feminine pronouns are not distinguished, it may be necessary to use the proper name “Jezebel” instead of the pronoun she. Instead of the verb said, many translations use a verb more appropriate to the context, such as “called out” (Good News Translation) or “shouted” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

Is it peace…?: See verses 17, 18, 19 and 22. Since Jezebel apparently knew that Joram was dead, her question here is almost certainly to be understood as sarcasm.

You Zimri, murderer of your master is literally “you Zimri, murderer of his master.” This recalls the story of another military leader who, 45 years earlier, had killed his own master in an attempt to take power, but he ruled only eight days. See 1 Kgs 16.8-20 for the story of Zimri’s assassination of Elah and of his own eventual death. In some languages it will be impossible to translate these words literally since they would have absolutely no meaning. So translators may have to say something like “You are exactly like Zimri who murdered his master!” Then a footnote can be provided to give more details and cross references. Parole de Vie attempts to show that Jehu is like Zimri by translating all of Jezebel’s words as “Do you bring peace, new Zimri, assassin of his king?” La Bible du Semeur similarly reads “… new Zimri, assassin of your lord?” A possible model that does not use the question form here is “You are just like Zimri who murdered his master. I can’t believe you are coming in peace.” Another model is “You are just like that Zimri who killed his master. Surely your intentions are not peaceful.”

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 .