As in verse 5, verses 10 and 11 use different terms for the divine being. Verse 10 speaks of “the Lord” while this verse begins with the word for God. It should be clear to the reader that the same being is intended. Good News Translation avoids the problem by using the pronoun “he” at the beginning of this verse.

Because you have asked for this, and have not asked for yourself …: Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation have simplified the form of the Hebrew here by omitting the repetition of the expression “you have not asked for.” The Hebrew states “Because you have asked for this thing and you have not asked for yourself many days, and you have not asked for yourself riches, and you have not asked for the life of your enemies, but you have asked for….” The threefold repetition of the words “you have not asked for” in the Hebrew create a strong contrast between what Solomon did ask for and what he did not ask for. Translators may find that the form of the Hebrew will be better in the receptor language than the forms found in Revised Standard Version or Good News Translation. Among modern translations, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Nouvelle version Segond révisée, and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible maintain the threefold repetition.

Long life is literally “many days.”

The Hebrew noun rendered riches is a general word for “wealth.”

The life of your enemies: The Hebrew word translated life has traditionally been translated “soul” in English translations (see 1 Kgs 1.12). Here it refers to the person as a living being. To “ask for the life of someone” means “to ask that he [or, she] be killed.” Both Good News Translation and New Living Translation say “the death of your enemies.”

Understanding to discern what is right: The Hebrew noun rendered understanding has the same root as the infinitive “discern” in verse 9 as well as the participle “discerning” in verse 12. In this context it is best translated “discernment” (New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “wisdom” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). To discern is literally “to hear.” But the Hebrew verb here is sometimes used with the sense of “to understand.” The Hebrew noun rendered what is right is translated “judgment” and “justice” in verse 28. See the comments on this noun there. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “discernment in dispensing justice.”

In some languages it may be more natural to restructure the elements in this verse by placing the first clause of the quotation toward the end of the verse; for example, some may wish to translate:

• So God said to him, “You might have asked for long life for yourself, or you might have asked for great wealth, or you might have asked that your enemies be killed. But you did not ask for any of these things. You asked for wisdom to rule justly. Therefore….”

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 .

Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah was in charge of the tenth administrative district, which corresponded to the territory allotted to the tribe of Issachar. Once again the writer is careful to distinguish this Jehoshaphat from the one mentioned in verse 3 by citing the name of the father in each case.

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 .

The Hebrew words rendered besides have been translated “apart from” (Revised English Bible) and “in addition to” (New American Bible). But in many languages it may be wise to begin a new sentence at this point, adding simply “He also had….”

Three thousand three hundred chief officers: Chief officers renders two Hebrew nouns, which are literally “chiefs of the officers.” The Hebrew word for “officers” is the same noun used in 1 Kgs 4.7 to refer to the district governors. Some translations take the two nouns here as referring to the same people; for example, New Jerusalem Bible says “the administrators, officials who supervised the work.” But the sense is most likely “officers who worked under the district governors” (similarly Bible en français courant). A number of English translations use the technical term “foremen” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, Moffatt) or “supervisors” (New Revised Standard Version) for chief officers. If such a technical term exists in the receptor language for someone who supervises the work of other laborers, that term may be used here.

The Masoretic Text, which is followed by nearly all translations, says “3,300,” but some Greek manuscripts say “3,600,” as does the parallel passage in 2 Chr 2.2, 18. New Living Translation reads “thirty-six hundred” here, but this is not recommended.

The people who carried on the work are those who cut the stones out of rocks, carried them, and did the building. The Hebrew uses the noun people, but New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh translates it according to the context as “[work] gangs.”

The whole verse seems to say the same thing three different ways. To be a chief officer was to be over the work and these people also had charge of the people who carried on the work. In some languages this kind of repetition may be seen as unnatural and should be reduced; for example, one possible model is the following:

• There were also 3,300 head men who told the other workers what to do.

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 .

So also is literally “And thus.” Since the list of things made is beginning to get a little long, the writer probably added the word meaning “thus” or “in this way.” Together with the common Hebrew conjunction, it would mean here “In the same way” as he had the other things made earlier in this chapter. Revised English Bible and New Jerusalem Bible translate this phrase as “Similarly,” and New American Bible begins this verse with “The same was done….”

He made for the entrance to the nave doorposts of olivewood: The doors referred to in verses 33 and 34 separated the vestibule at the front of the Temple (verse 3) from the nave. Note that it is the “doorframe” (Good News Translation) that was made of olivewood and not the doors themselves, which were made of cypress wood (verse 34).

In the form of a square: The Revised Standard Version rendering reflects the most common understanding of the Hebrew. The Good News Translation rendering “rectangular” represents the same interpretation (also New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh with “having four sides”), but it is doubtful that either correctly translates the meaning of the Hebrew. New Jerusalem Bible renders this “and door jambs with four indented sections” (similarly Bible de Jérusalem), and this is probably the correct understanding (see the comments on verse 31). In agreement with their translations in verse 31, King James Version says here “a fourth part of the wall,” Nouvelle Bible Segond says “a fourth of the dimension of the wall,” and Anchor Bible reads “a fourth (of the wall).” According to this last interpretation, the entrance would have been five cubits wide.

A possible translation of this verse is:

• Similarly, for the entrance to the main room a doorway with four doorframes was made; each one of the frames was set inside of the next larger frame. They were made of olive wood.

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 .

The four wheels were under the panels mentioned in verse 28. More than likely this means that the wheels were toward the corners, where the panels met. See the illustration at verse 27.

Axles translates the Hebrew word that usually means “hands.” In this context it most likely means “axles.”

Were of one piece with the stands is literally “with the stand.” A better translation is “were in the stand” (New Revised Standard Version, Gray; similarly New Jerusalem Bible). Or possibly the sense is that the axles “had been cast as one unit with the cart” (New Living Translation; see the same idea in verse 34).

The height of the wheels is said to be a cubit and a half, which is rendered as “25 inches” in Good News Translation. But “about twenty-seven inches” (Contemporary English Version) may be more accurate. In terms of the metric system, this would be “seventy-five centimeters” (Bible en français courant, La Bible du Semeur).

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 .

Since the LORD was speaking in verse 19, it may be helpful to make explicit that Solomon continues speaking in this verse; for example, Parole de Vie begins with “Solomon continued.”

The LORD has fulfilled his promise which he made: There is a strong emphasis in this passage on the fulfillment of God’s promises. The promise (literally “word”) in view here is the one found in the previous verse, that is, that David’s son should build the Temple. The Hebrew verb rendered fulfilled differs from the one used in verses 15 and 24. It is different in this case because there is a wordplay involved here with the next clause. A more literal rendering of the first half of this verse is “And the LORD raised up his word … for I have risen in the place of David….” Such a wordplay probably cannot be maintained in translation since “to raise up a word” will not mean “to fulfill/keep a promise” in most languages. Some possible models for the first clause are “the LORD has upheld the promise he made” (New Revised Standard Version) and “… has done what he promised” (Moffatt).

The two expressions I have risen in the place of David my father and sit on the throne of Israel refer to one event and not two separate events. But there are two separate ideas: it is not just that Solomon has become king; he has become king and at the same time he has replaced his father. For throne see the comments at 1 Kgs 1.13.

The words I have built should not, of course, be understood to mean that Solomon did the construction by himself. Rather, he commissioned the work and supervised it to be sure that it was done correctly.

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 .

As noted in the introduction to the section beginning with verse 22, some modern translations include verses 54-61 in a separate section. This section does not have a parallel in 2 Chronicles.

Now: This verse begins with the verbal transition that is sometimes translated “And it came to pass” (Gray) or “And it was so” (Jewish Publication Version). Most modern versions, however, use a simple transition word as in Revised Standard Version, or omit it altogether.

He arose from before the altar of the LORD, where he had knelt: According to verse 22, Solomon stood before the altar to pray. Since this verse now says that he arose from … where he had knelt, it must be assumed that some time during the prayer he knelt down.

With hands outstretched toward heaven: See the comments on verse 22.

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: The common Hebrew conjunction is translated by Revised Standard Version in such a way as to mark the contrast between the queen’s expectations and what she actually witnessed when she met Solomon. While her expectations were quite positive, she was overwhelmed by what she discovered when she saw Solomon in Jerusalem.

Hebrew uses two distinct nouns for report in this verse. Reports at the beginning of the verse is literally “words,” and report at the end is literally “what is heard.” Since these words function as synonyms here, many English translations use the noun “report[s]” for both Hebrew nouns (for example, Revised Standard Version and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

My own eyes had seen it: Instead of retaining the noun eyes as the subject of the verb had seen, it will be more natural in many cases to say “[I] saw with my own eyes” (New American Bible) or “[I] saw for myself” (Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible).

Good News Translation does not translate the Hebrew particle rendered behold in the middle of this verse by Revised Standard Version. This particle calls attention to the situation that follows, and if the receptor language has such a particle or construction that serves the same function, it may be used here.

The half was not told me: The passive verb here will have to be made active in some languages. It will be possible in certain cases to use the indefinite third person plural subject as follows: “they did not tell me….” But in other cases a more emphatic negative could be used, such as “no one told me….”

The word prosperity translates a rather general Hebrew term that may be rendered “good,” “goodness,” “beauty,” “gladness,” or “wealth,” depending on the context. In this context the most appropriate meaning is “wealth” (Good News Translation, New International 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 .