This verse is a continuation of the sentence begun in the previous verse. It provides a fuller explanation of the expression “for David’s sake” found in that verse. In many languages it will be better to follow the model of Good News Translation by starting a new sentence at this point.

David did what was right in the eyes of the LORD: See the comments at 1 Kgs 11.33, 38 and 14.8.

Did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him is translated “did not disobey any of his commands” (New American Bible) or “had not failed to keep any of the LORD’s commands” (New International Version).

Uriah the Hittite was the husband of Bathsheba (see 2 Sam 11.1-27). One important manuscript of the Septuagint omits the words except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. This shorter text is followed by De Vries and in the first two editions of Bible de Jérusalem. Gray also considers these words to be a later scribal addition, but he includes them in his translation within parentheses. The preliminary report of Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, however, gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text and suggests that the shorter text is the result of an accidental omission and simplification of the text.

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 .

Slept with his fathers: See the comments on 1 Kgs 1.21.

Regarding Tirzah, see the comments on 1 Kgs 14.17.

The brief reign of Elah is told in verses 8-14. La Bible Pléiade omits the name Elah here in verse 6, but the reason for doing so is not clear.

Reigned in his stead: See the comments on 1 Kgs 11.43.

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 .

Arise, go to Zarephath: Regarding the function of the verbs Arise and “arose” (verse 10), see the comments on 1 Kgs 2.40. The meaning of the Hebrew is expressed correctly in New Revised Standard Version and Revised English Bible as “Go now to Zarephath” (similarly Good News Translation).

For Zarephath see the introductory comments on this section.

Which belongs to Sidon is literally “which is of Sidon.” The meaning seems to be “in the region around Sidon” or “near the city of Sidon.”

Dwell there: There is no definite indication of the time period during which Elijah was expected to remain in Zarephath, but it would certainly be longer than a few hours. In this context the verb dwell seems to imply spending at least several nights and probably longer. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “stay there,” and New Revised Standard Version and Contemporary English Version translate “live there.”

The Hebrew focusing particle rendered Behold draws attention to the LORD’s provision for the needs of the prophet through the widow living in Zarephath.

As in verse 4, the phrase to feed you may be better rendered by an expression like “to provide for you” (Moffatt, New American Bible) or “to give you food” (New Jerusalem Bible).

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 .

Just as Obadiah’s question in verse 7 was a rhetorical question, so also is Ahab’s question here. Good News Translation, and similarly New Jerusalem Bible, turns this into an exclamation, which better expresses in English the sense of the rhetorical question.

You troubler of Israel: Troubler renders a Hebrew participle. According to Holladay, the verb root means “to make someone taboo” or “to cut someone off someone (from social life).” Compare New Jerusalem Bible: “you scourge of Israel.” According to the Hebrew lexicon by Brown, Driver and Briggs (BDB), the verb means “to stir up,” “to disturb,” or “to trouble.” New American Bible says “you disturber of Israel.” De Vries translates “you, O Israel’s hex,” while Moffatt says “You the ruin of Israel.” Whichever understanding of the basic meaning is followed, the sense is not greatly different. Ahab refers to Elijah as someone whose behavior causes troubles or problems for the people of Israel.

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 .

But he himself …: The common Hebrew conjunction at the beginning of this verse is rendered by Revised Standard Version to mark contrast. It shows contrast between the actions of Elijah and what his servant did. This would be supported by the use of he himself, which renders an emphatic pronoun in the Masoretic Text following the conjunction. This ensures that the reader does not understand the pronoun to refer to Elijah’s servant. It clearly refers to the prophet, and certain versions substitute the name “Elijah” (Good News Translation, New Century Version).

Wilderness translates a Hebrew noun that is usually translated “wilderness” in Revised Standard Version (see the comments at 1 Kgs 2.34). But the Hebrew noun here refers to the wide stretch of level, unforested land in southern Judah located between the agricultural and desert areas. This land received 10-20 centimeters (8-16 inches) of rain each year and had some vegetation. In this context some English translations use the technical geographical term “steppe” (Anchor Bible), which refers to this semiarid territory where animals can graze.

The broom tree is a desert shrub that could grow as tall as 3.5 meters (12 feet). New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Revised English Bible, and Bible en français courant call it “broom bush,” while New Jerusalem Bible uses the difficult technical term “furze bush.” Where this particular shrub is not known, a general expression such as “large bush” (Contemporary English Version) or “small tree” (Parole de Vie) may be used. The Hebrew construction rendered a broom tree is literally “one broom tree.” It is possible to understand this to mean “a solitary broom tree” (New Living Translation), but the Hebrew word for “one” is sometimes used to show indetermination. The second understanding is probably intended here, in which case the reference is not to any specific broom tree but simply to “a broom tree.”

Asked that he might die (literally “asked his soul to die” or “asked for his life to die”) is translated in more idiomatic English as “wished he were dead” by New Jerusalem Bible. Good News Translation is quite similar.

It is enough translates a single word in Hebrew. It is an adverb meaning “much” or “many.” There may be a variety of idioms in other languages indicating that a person is “fed up” with the situation in which he finds himself. One English idiom is “I’ve had it.” Others may say “I can’t take it any more.”

For I am no better than my fathers: My fathers refers to the ancestors of Elijah (New Jerusalem Bible, Contemporary English Version). At first glance this part of the verse seems to be left untranslated by Good News Translation. But it is actually translated by the words “I might as well be dead.” Elijah feels that he is no better off than his ancestors who were dead.

The prophet Jonah prayed a similar prayer (Jonah 4.3).

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 they went out at noon: These words refer to the same event mentioned at the beginning of verse 17; that is, verses 16a and 17a both refer to the servants of the district governors. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and Parole de Vie combine verses 16 and 17 in order to avoid the repetition and any possible confusion, and this may be a good approach in other languages also.

They went out is a literal rendering of the Hebrew. Good News Translation translates it according to the context as “The attack began,” that is, “they attacked.” Compare “They marched out” (Revised English Bible, New American Bible).

Drinking himself drunk: See the comments on this same phrase in 1 Kgs 16.9, where it refers to King Elah of Israel. Other idiomatic renderings in English include “drinking themselves into insensibility” (Revised English Bible) and “drinking himself senseless” (New Jerusalem Bible). It should be clear in the receptor language that both Benhadad and the other thirty-two kings were all becoming drunk.

Booths: See the comments on verse 12. The Septuagint translates this as the place name “Succoth” here in verse 16.

He and the thirty-two kings who helped him is literally “he and the kings thirty-two king who helped him.” See the comments on verse 1 regarding these kings. Revised English Bible stays closer to the form of the Hebrew than Revised Standard Version does, saying “Ben-hadad and his allies, those thirty-two kings.”

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 .