Take for yourself ten pieces: Pieces renders the same Hebrew noun as the one in verse 30. As in the previous verse, New Jerusalem Bible says “strips.” The ten pieces symbolize the ten tribes of the northern kingdom (see 2 Sam 19.43).

The expression thus says the LORD occurs often in the Old Testament to introduce a quotation from God himself. In some languages it will be translated “this is what the LORD says” or “this is the message from the LORD.”

Behold renders the Hebrew focusing particle, which is used here to direct attention to the word of the LORD that follows. New Revised Standard Version translates it “See.” Languages that have a device that performs the same function should consider using it here.

I am about to tear translates a participle in Hebrew. This grammatical construction gives a sense of immediacy to what God is going to do. Revised Standard Version correctly says I am about to …. The image of “tearing” is lost in Good News Translation, but since the prophet gives a vivid picture of his message by tearing his clothing into twelve pieces, this figure should be retained in translation if possible.

The quotation, which begins in this verse and continues to the end of verse 39, contains a lengthy embedded quotation of the word of the LORD. In languages where embedded quotations present a problem, the first part of this verse may be transformed into indirect discourse. One possible model for doing this is as follows:

• He told Jeroboam to take ten of the pieces of cloth for himself. Then he spoke the word of the LORD, the God of Israel: “Look, I am about to tear apart the kingdom….”

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 .