David’s words to Solomon begin here and continue through verse 9. This quotation contains several embedded quotations. If translators decide to turn some of the direct quotations into indirect quotations as Good News Translation has done, special care must be taken to ensure that the pronouns refer to the correct nouns. In Revised Standard Version the sentence that begins here at the end of verse 2 continues through verse 4. This sentence is not only long; it also contains complex relationships between clauses. In many languages it will be better to break this sentence up into several sentences.

I am about to go the way of all the earth: This same expression occurs in Josh 23.14. The word earth refers to the people of the earth (New American Bible “mankind”) or to “mortal things” (Knox; similarly Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Good News Translation makes it clear that this whole expression means that David is about to die. But Good News Translation does not express the full meaning of the Hebrew, that is, that he will die just as all people will die; death is a certainty. Compare Contemporary English Version: “I will soon die, as everyone must.”

Be strong: This may be taken in the sense of strength of character rather than as physical strength. For this reason it has been translated as “Be confident” (Good News Translation) or “Take courage” (New American Bible).

Show yourself a man is literally “be a man.” The same words occur in 1 Sam 4.9 with plural forms, where it is translated by Revised Standard Version as “acquit yourselves like men.” The notion that men are better fighters than women or children is assumed in the various cultures of the Old Testament. In cultures where this idea is shared, this expression may be translated literally. But it is conceivable that some other image may be more appropriate in some languages. Bible en français courant renders the same idea in a way that is more acceptable to modern Western culture by saying “conduct yourself as an adult.” Others take it in the more general sense of being “brave” (Contemporary English Version) or a “strong leader” (New Century 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 .