At that time translates two Hebrew words. If this usual translation is correct, then the reference must be to the events of chapter 13 in which a prophet from the territory of Judah publicly denounced Jeroboam’s sins and yet Jeroboam continued to do evil. The time reference is not precise, and Contemporary English Version translates these words “About the same time.”

There is, however, a difficulty with the rendering At that time. The prophet Ahijah, who was mentioned near the end of chapter 11, has by now become a blind old man. This seems to imply that a number of years have passed since Jeroboam became king of Israel. Walsh, therefore, translates this phrase as “There came a time when.”

Abijah the son of Jeroboam: Since this is the beginning of both a new section and a new chapter, Good News Translation fully identifies Jeroboam as “King Jeroboam.”

The Hebrew text may be translated the son of Jeroboam or “a son of Jeroboam” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). The text does not indicate whether Abijah was Jeroboam’s first son. He did have others sons (see 1 Kgs 15.25, 29). The text does not indicate the age of Abijah (see the comments on verse 3). According to the Septuagint, he was born while Jeroboam was still living in Egypt, but the Hebrew simply does not give any hint of his age.

Fell sick: The verb in Hebrew here means simply “became weak” or “became ill” (New International Version). Translators should not be confused by the English idiom of Revised Standard Version, which contains the verb “to fall.” In more common English, most people today would say simply “got sick,” as in Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version. The common idiom of the receptor language, however, should be used in 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 .