Horn of oil: The Hebrew word translated horn refers here to a container made from an animal horn and used for holding liquids (the same term occurs in 1 Sam 16.1). The relationship between the words horn and oil should be made clear in translation; for example, Good News Translation says “the container of olive oil” and Parole de Vie says “the horn filled with oil.” The oil was “olive oil” (see Exo 30.22-25), and this may be made explicit as Good News Translation and New Living Translation have done.

The tent is the Tent of the LORD’s presence that David had brought to Jerusalem (2 Sam 6.17). Since a specific tent is being referred to, it may be best to follow the example of Good News Translation in stating that this was “the Tent of the LORD’s presence.” Contemporary English Version says “the sacred tent.” This same tent is referred to by its fuller name in Hebrew as “the tent of meeting” in 1 Kgs 8.4.

Since Zadok must have taken the horn before he went down to Gihon, Good News Translation correctly uses the past perfect “had brought” in English.

Anointed Solomon: See the comments on verse 34. New Living Translation says “poured it on Solomon’s head.”

The subject in the expression they blew the trumpet is indefinite and does not refer to any particular group of people already named in the text. The singular trumpet is to be understood collectively here as in verse 34. In languages where the passive form is commonly used, it will be possible to say “trumpets were blown” (similarly Contemporary English Version). But in other cases it may be necessary to say “some people blew trumpets.”

In the Old Testament all the people sometimes refers to the Israelite people as a whole, but here and in the following verse it seems to refer specifically to the small group of people mentioned in verses 32-38.

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 words Let … be given translate a single Hebrew word that is passive in form. Since such a form will not be possible in some languages, it may have to be translated “Give….” Contemporary English Version translates “Allow … to marry,” taking into consideration the words as his wife at the end of this verse.

Since Abishag the Shunammite has been named in verse 17, Good News Translation omits as unnecessary repetition the words the Shunammite.

As his wife is literally “for wife,” but both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation add the pronoun his in order that the English may sound natural.

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 transition word therefore reflects nothing more than the common Hebrew conjunction, but this is the turning point in Solomon’s speech to the LORD. It is here that he moves from reciting what God had done in the past to his specific request in response to the invitation given in verse 5. For this reason some kind of logical connector is necessary. It may be therefore (Revised Standard Version and many other modern versions), “So” (New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Good News Translation), “then” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), or possibly just the beginning of a new paragraph (Contemporary English Version).

An understanding mind is literally “a hearing heart.” The Hebrew verb often rendered “to hear” may also mean “to understand” in some contexts, as it does here. Osty-Trinquet says “an attentive heart” but explains in a footnote that “heart” is used in the biblical sense of “intelligence.” The “heart” in Hebrew, when used figuratively, refers to one’s inner self, to the seat of feelings, thoughts, and impulses (see 1 Kgs 2.44). While Revised Standard Version expresses this in idiomatic English with the noun mind, translators must decide whether “mind,” “heart,” or some other body part or expression will express the correct meaning in the receptor language.

The Hebrew verb translated to govern is often translated “to judge” (so New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New American Bible). It translates the same root for “judges” as in Ruth 1.1 and in Jdg 2.16, which is the basis for the title of the book of Judges. In the Old Testament the “judges” did more than settle legal disputes. They gave leadership and direction to the people. Here Solomon is not referring only to his role as a judge. A more general term such as govern (Revised Standard Version, Nouvelle Bible Segond) or “rule” (Good News Translation) should be used.

Discern between good and evil: In this context Bible en français courant is justified in adding “for them,” that is, “to know what is good and bad for them.” The Hebrew infinitive rendered discern may also be rendered “distinguish” (Moffatt) or “know the difference” (Good News Translation).

For who is able to govern this thy great people?: The final part of this verse is a rhetorical question. Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible correctly express the relationship of this question to the first part of the verse with the word “Otherwise” (similarly Bible en français courant). Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente restates this final part as “Without your help, who is able to rule your people, who are so great?” Some versions have chosen to drop the rhetorical question altogether and translate the meaning; for example, one African translation says “If it were not so, no person on earth would be able to govern this great nation of yours.”

The adjective great renders a Hebrew adjective with a wide range of meanings. The basic meaning is “heavy.” In a figurative sense it may mean “important” or “numerous.” Here it is synonymous with a different adjective that is also translated “great” in verse 8. For this thy great people, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “this vast people of Yours.” But De Vries takes it to mean “this thy difficult people.”

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 .

Ahimaaz was in charge of the eighth administrative district, which corresponded roughly to the territory that had been assigned to the tribe of Naphtali.

He had taken Basemath the daughter of Solomon as his wife: Since one of Solomon’s daughters has already been mentioned in verse 11, Good News Translation and New Living Translation add the qualifier “another” here for reasons of English style (also New American Bible). For the same reason Revised English Bible says “he also had married a daughter of Solomon…” (similarly New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie). The Hebrew expression rendered he had taken … as his wife (meaning “to marry”) is not the same as the one in verse 11, where the text says simply that Taphath “was the wife” of Ben-abinadab. But the meaning is not significantly different and translators need not worry if they do not find synonymous expressions in their own language. Apart from her marriage to Ahimaaz, nothing else is known about Basemath.

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 .