Since a new section begins here, translators may wish to identify Jezebel more fully as “Jezebel, the queen mother” (New Living Translation).

Heard of it: Literally the text has only the verb “heard.” Revised Standard Version and most other versions supply some kind of object. This wording may mean that Jezebel heard about the arrival of Jehu in the city or about the larger story including the deaths of Joram and Ahaziah. New American Bible takes it in the more restricted sense, saying “learned that Jehu had arrived in Jezreel.” But other versions seem to understand it in the broader sense of “heard what had happened” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible). It seems likely that she heard more than just the news of Jehu’s arrival, so the broader interpretation is probably better.

She painted her eyes: New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and Anchor Bible have “she painted her eyes with kohl” (“kohl” is a substance used by women in Arabia and Egypt to darken the edges of their eyelids), and New Jerusalem Bible translates “She made up her eyes with mascara.” Jezebel put powdery material on her eyelids, eyelashes, and eyebrows. Since languages may have very different ways of describing the practice of adding color around a woman’s eyes, it is inadvisable to translate either Revised Standard Version or Good News Translation literally. Translators should look for the most natural way in their own language of saying “She put on her eye makeup” (New Century Version).

Adorned her head: This expression may also be rendered in a variety of ways. Literally adorned renders a causative form of the Hebrew verb meaning “to be good/pleasant.” The idea is therefore to cause the hair of a person’s head to be pleasing for others to see. This could be either by the arrangement of her hair or by adding jewelry to the hair. Some renderings are “made herself beautiful” (Bible en français courant), “braid her hair” (Knox), and “fixed her hair” (New Century Version). But translators should seek the most natural equivalent in their own language. If there are no women on the translation team, women should certainly be consulted about the proper translation of these two expressions.

Looked out of the window: Some translations make explicit that the window was “in the palace” (Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). The Hebrew has the definite article with the word window, but this does not mean the palace had only one window. In some languages it will be necessary to say “a window” (Good News Translation). Regarding the use of the definite article in Hebrew, see the comments on verse 6.

The purpose of these actions by Jezebel is not clear, but probably this detail is given in order to show that Jezebel prepared for Jehu’s arrival in the only way that she knew how. Some ancient commentators indicate that she hoped that by making herself attractive, Jehu would change his mind about killing her and instead take her as his wife. But her verbal attack in the following verse hardly depicts a person seeking reconciliation.

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 .

In those days: While some commentators take this as an editorial addition, it serves as a transition expression, which may be translated “At that time” (Good News Translation, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible) or “During this same period” (Bible en français courant). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch reads “During the time that Jehu reigned.”

Cut off parts of Israel is more literally “make deep cuts in Israel” or “cut off from Israel.” The word parts is not found in the Hebrew. Elsewhere the Hebrew verb rendered cut off means “scrape off” (Lev 14.41). Here the idea is “trim off” (New Revised Standard Version). Some other possible renderings are “dismember” (New American Bible), “whittle … down” (New Jerusalem Bible), and “reduce the size of” (New International Version, Parole de Vie).

Hazael defeated them: It may be necessary to remind the readers that Hazael was the king of Syria even though he is mentioned frequently in chapters 8 and 9 (so Good News Translation). See also 1 Kgs 19.15 and 17. The pronoun them refers to “the Israelites” (La Bible Pléiade).

Throughout the territory of Israel: The Hebrew word translated territory is elsewhere rendered “frontier” (2 Kgs 3.21) and “border” (1 Kgs 4.21). Some translations, therefore, say “on every border of Israel” (Nouvelle version Segond révisée; similarly Nouvelle Bible Segond, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Reina-Valera revisada), and \jmp Revised English Bible says “in every corner of their territory.” The Hebrew expression, however, may be understood to mean “within the borders of Israel” since the singular form of territory may be taken to have a collective meaning.

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 .