The verb uttered translates the common Hebrew verb often rendered “spoke” or “said.” It is, in fact, the same verb that Revised Standard Version translates “spoke” at the beginning of verse 33. Good News Translation and New Jerusalem Bible translate this verb according to the context as “composed.” Some other possible renderings are “pronounced” (Bible en français courant) and “wrote” (Contemporary English Version). But translators will have to decide whether to focus on the oral or written nature of Solomon’s proverbs. Since many of his proverbs are written down, perhaps it would be better to translate “wrote.”

The Hebrew noun rendered proverbs covers a wide range of forms, including “mocking taunts,” “speeches,” “short sayings,” “maxims,” and “proverbs.” Here it refers to wise sayings or “aphorisms” (Moffatt).

Songs is literally “song.” The Hebrew noun is singular in form but must be understood collectively in the context. The Septuagint and other ancient versions in fact translate with the plural here. The Hebrew noun rendered songs often refers to religious songs, but in this context such a limited meaning is probably not intended.

A thousand and five: If this is a round figure and was not intended to be a precise figure, then the more vivid translation “more than a thousand” (Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie) is acceptable. An American Translation follows a couple of Septuagint manuscripts and says “five thousand,” but this is not recommended.

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 .

God’s words to Solomon include all of verses 12 and 13. The first part of verse 12 presents the conditions that Solomon must keep in order to ensure that God will keep his promise. The last part of verse 12 and all of verse 13 then state what God will do if Solomon is obedient.

It will be noted that Good News Translation leaves implicit the fact that the word of the LORD is Concerning this house which you are building. In some languages it will be possible to include this element in the quotation frame beginning in verse 11 rather than as a part of the quotation itself, so the translation of verses 11 and 12a might read “11 Then the LORD spoke to Solomon 12 about the house [or, Temple] that he had been building: ‘If….’ ”

If you will walk in my statutes … obey my ordinances … keep all my commandments …: See the comments on these terms for God’s will and the verbs that accompany them in 2.3. In this case, however, an additional verb, obey, is included.

I will establish my word with you: See the comments on 1 Kgs 2.4.

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 .

Costly stones, huge stones: New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh calls them “huge blocks of choice stone.” Regarding the adjective costly in this context, see the comments on the previous verse.

Stones of eight and ten cubits: Regarding cubits, see the comments on 1 Kgs 6.2. Good News Translation again uses “feet” as the unit of measure. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy renders the size of the stones as “some four and a half meters long and others three meters and sixty centimeters long.” Bible en français courant rounds this off to “four and five meters long.” The Hebrew does not indicate in this verse whether these measurements refer to the height, width, or length of the stone blocks. Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy all understand these figures to refer to stones cut to two different lengths. But it is also possible to understand the sense to be “ten cubits long and eight cubits high” (so De Vries in his commentary, but not his 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 .

Then: The transition word in Hebrew is not the ordinary conjunction in this case. Here it is an adverb that does not have chronological meaning; rather it is an adverb marking a new stage in the narrative (see the comments at 1 Kgs 3.16). The story moves from the building and furnishing of the Temple to an account about the bringing of the Covenant Box into the Temple.

Solomon assembled the elders of Israel … in Jerusalem: At the beginning of this new section, it may also be appropriate to give the title of Solomon as well as his name. Compare “King Solomon” (Good News Translation, New Century Version, Bible en français courant, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje). The Masoretic Text says only Solomon, but one important manuscript of the Septuagint says “King Solomon.”

A literal translation of the Hebrew, as in Revised Standard Version, seems to give the impression that when Solomon called for the leaders to assemble before him, they were in their own towns and cities at that moment. Indeed, the Good News Translation rendering “summoned all the leaders … to come to him in Jerusalem” seems to suggest that they were not yet at that moment in Jerusalem. But when verses 1-2 are taken together, the picture seems to be this: the people of Israel were in Jerusalem for the Festival of Shelters; and while the people were there, Solomon called for the leaders, who were already in Jerusalem, to come to his palace. Compare Peregrino: “Solomon summoned to his palace in Jerusalem….”

Contemporary English Version combines and restructures verses 1-2 as follows:

• The sacred chest had been kept on Mount Zion, also known as the city of David. But Solomon decided to have the chest moved to the temple while everyone was in Jerusalem, celebrating the Festival of Shelters during Ethanim,* the seventh month of the year.
Solomon called together the important leaders of Israel.
* Ethanim: The seventh month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-September to mid-October.

A first reading of verse 1 may give the impression that Solomon called together three separate groups of leaders. But neither the interpretation nor the text of the words the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers’ houses of the people of Israel is clear. First, as regards the text, the Septuagint omits the words and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers’ houses of the people of Israel. Some translators consider these words to be a later addition to the text and follow the Septuagint (so New Jerusalem Bible). The shorter text is probably correct, but translators should translate the Masoretic Text as it now stands and should not attempt to translate some supposed original text.

If the Masoretic Text is followed, translators must decide how many groups are mentioned here. Since verse 3 mentions only the elders, it may be argued that only one group is intended here in verse 1. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, for example, says “the elders of Israel—all the heads of the tribes and the ancestral chieftains of the Israelites.” This New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh rendering indicates that the elders consisted of both the heads of the tribes and the leaders of the fathers’ houses. The Hebrew may also be understood to mean that these three expressions all refer to the same people. Anchor Bible is based on this interpretation as follows: “the elders of Israel—all the heads of the tribes, the ancestral chieftains of the Israelites.” Revised English Bible is similar with “the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes who were chiefs of families in Israel.”

Contemporary English Version combines all of this into the phrase “the important leaders of Israel,” but this translation oversimplifies the text and does not indicate that among the ancient Israelites the leaders were the heads of families and tribal groups.

Revised Standard Version seems to refer to two groups: the elders and the heads of the tribes, with the words the leaders of the fathers’ houses of the people of Israel being in apposition either to both groups or to the second group only. This way of understanding the text, which is found also in New Revised Standard Version and New American Bible, seems to be the most natural reading of the Hebrew.

The terms elders, tribes, and fathers’ houses are important, so translators should consider carefully how to render them. The elders of Israel refers to the male heads of clans or families who were the leaders of the people of Israel (Josh 7.6; Ruth 4.2). The Hebrew noun rendered elders comes from another noun meaning “beard.” However, old age is only one semantic component of the word elders. New Century Version preserves both the component of age and of leadership by saying “older leaders.” Regarding the word tribes, various cultures have different ways of dividing the units within ethnic groups. In some cases there are basically three: (1) the nuclear family, (2) the extended family, which is sometimes referred to as the “clan,” and (3) the tribe or nation as a whole. While English translations typically refer to the “twelve tribes of Israel,” in some cultures it is more accurate to speak of twelve clans since all twelve of these groups spoke the same language. The expression fathers’ houses is translated “Israelite families” in New International Version, but in some languages it will be more accurate to speak of them as “clans” (Good News Translation).

To bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD …: Some translators consider it unnecessary to focus on the upward movement in the Hebrew verb translated bring up. While there was probably a difference in elevation in moving the ark from the older part of the city of Jerusalem to its new location in the Temple, this is not important in the story. For this reason Good News Translation uses the verb “take,” while Contemporary English Version speaks of having “the chest moved.” For the ark of the covenant of the LORD, see the comments on 1 Kgs 2.26 and 3.15.

In the Old Testament, the city of David refers to a specific part of what later became the larger city of Jerusalem. This same expression is used in 1 Kgs 2.10 and 3.1 (see the comments there). The city of David refers to the long, narrow, triangular-shaped ridge located below the Temple mount on the southern end of the eastern ridge (see, for example, Neh 3.15). The eastern ridge and the western ridge of Jerusalem are divided by the Tyropoeon Valley.

Zion is mentioned only three times in 1–2 Kings, but it is used frequently in Psalms and several of the prophets. The exact meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain, but it may mean “fortress” or “citadel” and always refers to the city of Jerusalem or to a part of it. As used here, it refers to the southeast hill of Jerusalem (the location of the city of David). The name Zion is used in the New Testament in quotations from the Old Testament (for example, John 12.15; Rom 9.33) or in a figurative sense (Heb 12.22; Rev 14.1).

In the Hebrew text the reader does not learn until verse 6 where the ark is taken. New Living Translation brings this information into verse 1 by saying “… from its location in the City of David, also known as Zion, to its new place in the Temple.” Other functionally equivalent translations also add “to the Temple” here (so Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie).

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 situation that Solomon presents in verses 35 and 36 reflects the curse of Deut 28.23-24 that would come upon the people if they disobeyed God. Such a situation does, in fact, occur later at the time of the prophet Elijah (1 Kgs 18).

Heaven is shut up: The Hebrew here does not say directly that God withholds the rain, but such is clearly the meaning of these words. Good News Translation makes the meaning explicit by stating “you hold back the rain.” Some other ways of translating this are “you will stop the rain from falling on their land” (New Century Version) and “you … holding back the rain” (Contemporary English Version).

They have sinned against thee …: The subject of the third person plural Hebrew verbs rendered sinned, pray, acknowledge, and turn is not stated until verse 36. In the Masoretic Text the subject is “your servants and your people Israel.” Revised English Bible, however, follows the Septuagint and reads the singular “servant” (that is, Solomon) instead of the plural “servants” as in Hebrew, so here it says “your servant and your people Israel have sinned against you” (similarly New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). See the discussion of this textual problem in verse 36.

Toward this place: See the comments on this phrase in verse 29.

Acknowledge thy name: See the comments on verse 33.

When thou dost afflict them: Afflict renders a Hebrew verb that means “to oppress” or “to humble.” In this context the punishment or affliction takes the form of withholding rain. The consonants of this Hebrew verb may also be from a different verb that means “to answer,” and this is the basis of the New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh rendering “when You answer them” (similarly Anchor Bible “so that you answer them”). Since the next verse asks for God’s mercy, it seems better to understand this Hebrew verb to mean afflict here rather than “answer.” Good News Translation leaves this clause implicit since it repeats in different words what is said at the beginning of the verse (“When you hold back the rain”). If possible, translators should keep this clause since it adds the idea of punishment.

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 that God speaks to Solomon in this second dream begin here in verse 3 and continue through the end of verse 9. Within this long quotation there are several embedded quotations (verses 5b, 8b, 9), which may be better translated as indirect discourse in the receptor language.

I have heard your prayer and your supplication, which you have made before me: This is a reference to Solomon’s prayer in chapter 8, which was made after the Temple was built. God’s response here comes after Solomon had also completed building his palace, which means that at least thirteen years (1 Kgs 7.1) have passed since Solomon’s prayer! Regarding the two Hebrew nouns rendered prayer and supplication, see the comments on 1 Kgs 8.28. The Hebrew verb rendered have made is from the same root as the noun for supplication and means “to plead for grace [or, pity].”

I have consecrated this house: For the verb consecrated, see the comments on 1 Kgs 8.64. The form of the Hebrew verb here may be understood as referring to what God has already done (Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible) or to the present time (Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Either understanding is grammatically acceptable.

Put my name there: See the comments on 1 Kgs 5.3.

My eyes and my heart will be there for all time: This is metaphorical language. Good News Translation restates this in nonmetaphorical language as “I will watch over it and protect it for all time,” but the Good News Translation rendering does not adequately express the meaning of my heart. Compare instead Bible en français courant: “I will watch over it, forever full of goodwill toward you [plural].” Another possible model is “I will never stop watching over it and thinking about it.”

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 .

She gave the king: In languages that do not distinguish masculine and feminine pronouns, the names of the participants in this verse may have to be given instead of using only the pronoun she and the title king. It should be clear that it is the queen of Sheba who gives gifts to King Solomon. The text speaks of what Solomon gave to the queen in return in verse 13.

A hundred and twenty talents of gold is the same amount that King Hiram had paid for the cities in Galilee (1 Kgs 9.14). The equivalent for a hundred and twenty talents is “almost five tons” (Contemporary English Version, Good News Translation) or “about 9,000 pounds” (International Children’s Bible). In terms of the metric system, this would be between 4,000 and 5,000 kilograms.

Regarding spices and precious stones, see the comments on verse 2.

Never again came such an abundance of spices …: The last part of this verse has been interpreted in at least three different ways:
(1) Such a large amount of spices were never brought again in the future at any time (so Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, and most translations). Compare New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh: “Never again did such a vast quantity of spices arrive as that which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.”
(2) Good News Translation understands this to mean that Solomon never again received such a quantity of spices during the time that he reigned, but this may be limiting the time more than the author intended.
(3) Contemporary English Version treats this as a statement about events prior to the time of Solomon by saying “more spices than anyone had ever brought into Israel.”

Of these three ways of interpreting the Hebrew, the first is preferable. It does not make the translation more explicit than the Hebrew is; and more importantly, it agrees with verse 12, which says that almug wood was never imported into the country again.

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 .

They set out from Midian and came to Paran: Midian was a territory in northwestern Arabia on the east coast of the Gulf of Aqaba. It was located southeast of Palestine. Since many readers today will not know whether Midian was a city or a region, some translations add “the region of” (Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie). The text implies but does not state that Hadad and those with him had come to Midian from Edom. The implicit meaning is “having arrived in Midian from Edom, they then set out from Midian and came to Paran.”

Paran, which was west of Midian, was a wilderness area west of Edom at the southern edge of Judah. Some translations make this information explicit by adding “the desert of” (Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie). Midian and Paran were also places of importance in the life of Moses (see Exo 2.11–4.17; Num 12.16–13.33).

Took men with them from Paran: The word men here is rendered “people” in New Revised Standard Version. But in view of the military context of this passage, it may be more natural to speak of “men” in many languages. International Children’s Bible rewords this by saying “In Paran other men joined them.”

Pharaoh king of Egypt: This is redundant since Pharaoh is a title for the king of Egypt. See the comments at 1 Kgs 3.1 and 7.8.

If we could be certain which king of Egypt this was, the name could be made explicit. But it is not certain whether the reference is to Psusennes II, the last ruler of the twenty-first dynasty who ruled approximately 965–931 B.C. or to Shishak (see the comments on verse 40).

Gave him a house, assigned him an allowance of food, and gave him land: The third person singular pronoun objects of the verbs gave and assigned refer to Hadad. Although he was still relatively young when he first arrived (verse 17), it was out of respect for his position as a member of the royal family of Edom that the king of Egypt provided him and his attendants with these things.

Assigned him an allowance of food is literally “bread he said to him.” Some scholars think something has fallen out of the Hebrew text after the words “he said to him.” But more likely the Hebrew verb for “said” is used here with the sense “commanded [to provide]” or “gave orders [to provide],” and the word “bread” is the object of this verb. “Bread” is used to mean more generally “food.” The king of Egypt gave Hadad food on a regular basis and not just one time only. Some translations say that the Pharaoh gave him “a food allowance” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

The Hebrew noun rendered land also occurs in verses 21-22, where Revised Standard Version translates it “country.” Even though the Egyptian king had given land to Hadad, later on Hadad wanted to return to his own “land.”

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 .