Ben-abinadab, or “The son of Abinadab” (Contemporary English Version), was in charge of the fourth administrative district, which was located north of the third district in the northern part of the Plain of Sharon.

Naphath-dor was a city-state located about 19 kilometers (12 miles) south of Mount Carmel on the seacoast. The exact meaning of Naphath is uncertain. Suggested meanings include “district,” “[sand] dune,” and “wooded country.” Anchor Bible translates “the district of Dor,” and Bible en français courant and Parole de Vie say “the region of the hills of Dor.”

He had Taphath the daughter of Solomon as his wife: Ben-abindab was a son-in-law to Solomon since he had married his daughter Taphath. This daughter of Solomon is not mentioned elsewhere in Scripture. Taphath and her sister “Basemath” (verse 15) are the only daughters of Solomon mentioned in the Old Testament.

As in the previous verse, the parentheses here seem unnecessary and may be omitted.

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: In Hebrew this verse begins with the verbal transition that is sometimes translated “And it came to pass,” as in verse 7. But it may be better translated by a logical transition marker in many languages.

Supplied … with renders the ordinary Hebrew verb meaning “to give.” So translators need not worry about looking for some unusual verb with special shades of meaning.

Cedar: See the comments on 1 Kgs 4.33.

Cypress: See the comments on this word in verse 8.

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 .

Good News Translation has restructured the information in this verse in order to avoid the heavy style of the Hebrew. Contemporary English Version is even briefer than Good News Translation as follows:

• Solomon put them next to each other in the most holy place. Their wings were spread out and reached across the room.

It seems unnecessary, however, to emphasize the content of this verse so exclusively over the form, as Contemporary English Version has done. Translators are urged to stay closer to the form of the Hebrew but to make whatever changes are necessary for the sake of naturalness and clarity in the receptor language.

The innermost part of the house refers to “the Most Holy Place” and is so translated by Good News Translation and New Century Version. This may be a good model in other languages in order to avoid confusing the reader.

At the end of this verse the word house in this context refers to the Most Holy Place within the larger Temple. For this reason the word “room” is a better translation.

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 .

A literal translation of the Hebrew, as in Revised Standard Version, may give the false impression that two different things are being described in the two halves of this verse. But in fact, this is parallelism; the two parts give the same information. Good News Translation restructures the verse and provides this information in one brief description.

It stood upon twelve oxen: It stood is literally “standing.” It may be wise to make the subject explicit as Good News Translation has done by referring to “The tank.” And the verb itself may be more naturally translated “seated” rather than “standing.” Revised English Bible says that it “was mounted” and several versions use the verb “rested” (Good News Translation, New Living Translation). In some languages it may be necessary to indicate precisely on which part of the anatomy of the oxen or “bulls” (Good News Translation) the basin rested. While the Hebrew does not say so specifically, both New Century Version and Good News Translation specify that it was “on the backs….”

For oxen see the comments at 1 Kgs 1.9. The twelve oxen were not live animals. Verse 44 may be interpreted to mean that these oxen were also made of bronze. Good News Translation makes that explicit here in verse 25 (also Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie). However, the Hebrew does not clearly say the oxen were made of bronze. They may have been made of stone, as was common in the ancient Near East. Possibly only the heads of the oxen were three dimensional and their sides may have been carved in stone relief on solid blocks of stone.

Three facing north … three facing east: Good News Translation has eliminated the repetition of the Hebrew by saying simply “three facing in each direction.”

All their hinder parts were inward: The rear parts of the animals (“their haunches” in New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) were facing toward the center of the tank.

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 .

It is difficult to know what kind of transition word to use at the beginning of this verse since the Hebrew text has none. Bible en français courant and New Living Translation have a contrast marker (“But”). Others, such as Good News Translation and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, use the word “Now.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible has “therefore.” But perhaps the best solution is to avoid using any transition marker at all (New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible).

I have built is literally “to build, I built.” This emphatic construction in Hebrew may be rendered “I have surely built” (Jewish Publication Version).

Translators will recall that the archaic pronoun thee in Revised Standard Version does not reflect anything special in Hebrew, but is used in prayers to God in that version (see the comments on 1 Kgs 3.6). It should be rendered by ordinary second person singular object pronouns in the receptor language.

An exalted house is literally “a house of eminence.” The precise meaning of the term rendered exalted is not certain, but it seems to connote the idea of “splendor” or “majesty.”

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 .

With all their mind and with all their heart is literally “with all their heart and with all their soul” (similarly New Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version). See the comments on 1 Kgs 2.4. Good News Translation expresses the meaning as “truly and sincerely.”

In the land of their enemies: This element, referring to the place of exile, is left implicit in Contemporary English Version, but it should be included in translation unless it is unnatural to do so. It stands in contrast with their land toward which the people of Israel are to turn as they pray for forgiveness.

Their land, which thou gavest to their fathers: The Hebrew says their land and their fathers. Since Solomon is also an Israelite, Good News Translation changes this to read “this land” and “our ancestors.” If use of the pronoun their in other languages would mean that Solomon was not included also, then Good News Translation may provide a useful model. Good News Translation does say “their prayers” in verse 49, because there Solomon is referring to future generations of Israelite people.

I have built translates the corrected reading in the margin of the Masoretic Text. The text itself says “you built.” In light of verses 43 and 44, which say “I have built,” translators should follow the corrected reading as in Revised Standard 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 .

Solomon rebuilt Gezer: As in verse 15, the Hebrew verb rendered rebuilt may mean either “to build” or “to rebuild,” depending on the context. As in verse 15, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says that Solomon “fortified” these towns.

Lower Beth-horon is literally “Beth Horon the lower.” The two cities of Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon were located in the mountains of Judah in the Valley of Aijalon. Lower Beth-horon was located in the valley, and the other Beth-horon was located on a peak more than 130 meters (425 feet) higher and about 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) away. So Lower Beth-horon may be rendered “the city of Beth-horon that was in the valley.” These two cities were located on a major road from the coastal plains in the west into the hill country to the east and had a clear view of the plains below. For this reason Lower Beth-horon had strategic importance. Because the list is interrupted by the parenthetical statement in verses 16-17a, it will be a good idea in many languages to repeat the information stated in verse 15, namely, that Solomon rebuilt this city and the ones cited in the following verse using forced labor. Compare Good News Translation.

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 whole earth: Earth translates the Hebrew noun that may mean “the land [of Israel]” or “the world” depending on the context (see 1 Kgs 1.40). Here the reference is clearly to the people from all parts of the world. In some languages it will be necessary to say specifically “people from all over the world” or “People everywhere” (New Century Version).

Sought the presence of is literally “sought the face of.” This means “consulted” (New Jerusalem Bible) or, perhaps better, “wanted to see” (New Century Version) or “wanted to hear” (Contemporary English Version).

Mind renders the Hebrew word for “heart,” which was considered the location of wisdom (see 1 Kgs 3.9).

Some languages may prefer the restructuring found in Bible en français courant, which begins with the last part of the verse in Hebrew stating that God was the source of Solomon’s wisdom:

• In effect, God had accorded him such wisdom that people came from everywhere to consult him.

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 .