Why then have you not kept your oath to the LORD is literally “And why have you not kept the oath of the LORD.” The oath was made to the LORD. According to verse 42, Shimei swore an oath “by the LORD.” The verb “to keep” used in conjunction with the noun oath means the same thing as “obey,” “respect,” or “observe” (Nouvelle version Segond révisée). Since it occurs with the negative, Good News Translation, as well as Contemporary English Version, uses the common English idiom “broken your promise” along with the verb “disobeyed.”

The commandment with which I charged you is literally “the commandment with which I commanded you.” The noun for “commandment” and the verb for “commanded” are the same root in Hebrew, but it may be more natural in many languages not to use the same term twice.

While most modern translations take the question in this verse as a real one, Contemporary English Version considers it rhetorical and so transforms it into a statement as follows: “You have disobeyed me and have broken the promise you made to the LORD.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Elihoreph and Ahijah … were secretaries: Regarding the name Elihoreph and the translation of it in Revised English Bible, see the comments on verse 2. The text does not indicate what the duties of the secretaries were. Possibly they were in charge of official court records and correspondence. Although the precise meaning of this term is not settled, it is certain that the office involved more than that of a modern-day secretary in the usual sense of the English word. Elihoreph and Ahijah may have been responsible for the king’s official correspondence or may have served as ambassadors. The meaning is closer to that of the cabinet level offices in the administration of the United States government, where each one is called “secretary of…,” followed by a term indicating the specific responsibility. The Hebrew verbal root on which this noun is based means “to count” or “to number.” New American Bible and Anchor Bible use the word “scribes,” but it should be noted that scribes in the time of Solomon held a very important position. They were men of great learning and were highly respected. For this reason “royal scribes” is better. Revised English Bible has “Adjutant-general,” but this modern term is unlikely to help translators in most areas of the world. Some languages may require an explanatory phrase like “the assistants to the king in charge of writing matters” or “the learned ones who wrote down things for the king.”

Recorder: The precise meanings and distinction between the Hebrew terms translated recorder and secretaries are not clear. But the rendering of the two terms should be decided together. Some interpreters understand the term translated as recorder in Revised Standard Version to mean “remembrancer” (that is, “one who remembers”), and indeed the root verb on which the noun is based means “to remember” or “to mention.” According to this understanding, the task of the person holding this office has been compared to that of the Egyptian “speaker,” who was responsible to report to the king and to communicate the king’s proclamations to his subjects. New Jerusalem Bible, Peregrino, and De Vries follow this interpretation by translating “herald.” Revised English Bible has the modern expression “Secretary of state.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, like Moffatt, translates “chancellor.”

Although the majority of English versions still use the noun “recorder” (similarly New Living Translation with “royal historian”) or a verb phrase having a similar meaning (for example, “kept the records” in Knox), translators should feel free to communicate the meaning “royal herald.” Some may say “the spokesman,” “the person in charge of direct communication with the king,” or “the one who reported to the king and made known his decisions to the people.” Since this office is different from that of a “secretary,” it is certain that the term recorder does not refer primarily to someone who kept official records for the king. These two terms, secretaries and recorder, should be translated the same way as in 2 Sam 8.16-17.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

And Solomon sent word to Hiram: The Hebrew is literally “And Solomon sent to Hiram saying.” In many languages it will be necessary to include a direct object for the verb sent, as in Revised Standard Version (word) or Good News Translation and Revised English Bible (“this message”). Since this is a response to Hiram’s sending a delegation to Solomon, certain versions have rendered the verb as “sent … back” (New Living Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version).

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

For this whole verse the Masoretic Text reads “and forty cubits was the house, that is, the nave in front of me.” Probably a copyist dropped a letter here, so that the Masoretic Text reads “in front of me” (lifnay in Hebrew) instead of “in front of it” (lifnayw in Hebrew). Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {C} rating to the Masoretic Text, but the note in the full study edition of Traduction œcuménique de la Bible correctly states that the Masoretic Text here is “incomprehensible.” In translation it will almost certainly be necessary to add the words the inner sanctuary after “in front of,” as in Revised Standard Version (similarly the Latin Vulgate, Good News Translation, and most translations). As in the previous verse, the inner sanctuary refers to “the Most Holy Place.”

The nave, or room in front of the Most Holy Place, was twice the length of the Most Holy Place (see the comments on verse 3).

Forty cubits is equivalent to about 20 meters or 60 feet.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

He also made two capitals of molten bronze: Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation have added the word also, which correctly expresses the sense. (Or perhaps also is a translation of the common Hebrew conjunction at the beginning of this verse.)

The word capital is a technical word of architecture, referring to the top part of a column or pillar which bears the direct weight of that which it supports. As already noted, the two pillars here were most likely freestanding and did not actually support any part of the Temple. So in this case the capitals would be simply the “tops” or “heads” of the columns.

The height of the one capital was five cubits, and the height of the other capital was five cubits: If translators have been using equivalent measurements in the receptor language, they should do so here also. The equivalent for five cubits is about 2.5 meters or 7.5 feet.

In some languages it will sound needlessly repetitious to translate literally this last half of the verse. If it is more natural to do so, translators should translate the meaning by saying simply that “each one of the two capitals was two and a half meters tall.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

King Solomon and all the congregation … sacrificing so many sheep and oxen: It is not clear from the Hebrew whether Solomon and the people of Israel were stopping along the way to offer sacrifices or whether verse 5 refers to a single large sacrifice just before the ark was taken into the Temple. As Good News Translation has translated the Hebrew, it seems to suggest one single occasion. If the example of David in 2 Sam 6.13 was followed, then it seems more likely that the king and the people were offering sacrifices along the way. Compare Moffatt: “while king Solomon and all the community of Israel which had gathered round him walked in front of the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen.”

The Hebrew noun rendered congregation refers to a gathering. The purpose of the gathering must be determined by the context. Here the purpose is for worship.

For sacrificing see the comments at 1 Kgs 1.9.

For the translation of the words sheep and oxen, see the comments on 1 Kgs 1.9.

They could not be counted or numbered: There is no real difference in meaning between counted and numbered in this context (see the comments on 1 Kgs 3.8). For this reason the two verbs may be translated by a single verb in many languages without any loss of meaning (so Good News Translation). But if the receptor language has two synonymous terms that may be used together naturally, the cumulative effect strengthens the sense. New Jerusalem Bible, for example, says that they were “countless, innumerable.” And, of course, the passive construction of Revised Standard Version may be rendered actively; for example, “no one could count them….”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

For hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, see the comments on verses 30 and 32.

The verb forgive may require an object in certain languages. It is the people of Israel who need forgiveness and for this reason Good News Translation says “forgive them.” But since Solomon, who is praying, is a member of this group, it may be more natural to say “forgive us.” But this will have implications for third person references in other parts of this prayer.

Act: See the comments on this verb in verse 32. Good News Translation translates this verb here as “help them.”

Render to each whose heart thou knowest, according to all his ways: The sense is that God knows the motives behind the behavior or deeds of each person, so Solomon prays that God will consider the motives and reward each person according to what each person has done. Moffatt says “dealing with every man as he has lived, O thou who knowest his heart.”

For thou, thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men: Revised Standard Version uses parentheses here (similarly New Revised Standard Version and New Jerusalem Bible with dashes) because these words interrupt the flow of the argument in which Solomon asks God to forgive the people (verse 39a) so that they may revere God (verse 40). In other languages translators may decide to render these parenthetical words as a separate sentence. The pronoun thou is emphatic in Hebrew and this should be reflected in translation where possible. The children of men is a Hebrew idiom meaning “people” or “human beings.” The reference is not to children and a literal translation of the expression is ill-advised. International Children’s Bible translates the whole parenthetical comment as “Only you know what people are really thinking.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them: The land that God had given to the Israelites is, of course, the Promised Land. Frequently the Old Testament uses the expression “to cut off [someone]” as an act of God’s punishment upon individuals or nations. In these instances the verb is used figuratively to mean “to eliminate” or “to separate from.” In this context the verb refers to driving the people of Israel out of the land into exile and does not mean that God will kill them. Compare New Jerusalem Bible: “I shall banish Israel from the country which I have given them.” Since Israel here refers to the nation and not to an individual, Good News Translation says “my people Israel.”

Regarding the verb consecrated, see the comments on 1 Kgs 8.64.

For my name: See the comments on the words “for the name of the LORD” in 1 Kgs 3.2.

I will cast out of my sight: This same expression occurs in Jer 15.1, where it is translated by Revised Standard Version as “Send them [the Israelites] out of my sight.” The verb cast out is used figuratively here to mean that God will want nothing more to do with the Temple. Cast out has also been translated “repudiate” (New American Bible), “reject” (New Living Translation), “renounce” (Revised English Bible), and “disown” (New Jerusalem Bible). Out of my sight is literally “away from my face.” In some languages this may be rendered more naturally as “away from my eyes.”

Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples: Regarding the Hebrew word rendered proverb, see the comments on 1 Kgs 4.32. The English word byword means a proverbial saying or something that is frequently said, usually with a negative sense when applied to people. The Hebrew noun rendered byword comes from a root meaning “to sharpen” and refers to a sharp taunt. La Bible Pléiade renders this second noun “an object of sarcasm,” while International Children’s Bible has “a joke” and De Vries translates “a taunt.” In this context both of these nouns must be understood as referring to negative comments. Common language translations often rephrase these words and use verbal expressions in an attempt to express this negative feature. Compare “People everywhere will ridicule Israel and treat her with contempt” (Good News Translation) and “all peoples will snigger at Israel and mock her” (Bible en français courant). Contemporary English Version says “people everywhere will think this nation is only a joke and will make fun of it.”

As in 1 Kgs 4.34, all peoples refers to all other nations, not including the Israelites. New American Bible says “all nations.” Others may prefer to say “all non-Israelite peoples.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .