Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria: The word sons occurs twice in this verse, but it should not be taken literally as referring to male children that Ahab had fathered. Rather, the term refers to his “descendants” (Good News Translation), probably both male and female. However, the male children and grandchildren would have been considered more important in this context since they would be the potential inheritors of the royal power. In order to show that sons is not to be understood literally, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says “In Samaria there were seventy sons and grandsons of Ahab.”

The number seventy is understood by some commentators as symbolically representing the sum total of all those who might claim to have a right to the throne (see Jdg 9.5; 12.14). This number is often used in Scripture to represent completeness and all-inclusiveness. Jacob (Exo 1.5) and Gideon (Jdg 8.30) are also reported to have had seventy descendants. Although an explanatory footnote may be introduced, it is recommended that the number be translated as in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation.

For Samaria see the introductory comments on 1 Kgs 16.21-28.

This verse contains three separate textual problems that must be handled before it can be translated. The following alternatives exist:

• (a) “the rulers of Jezreel” instead of the rulers of the city.

• (b) “the elders” instead of to the elders.

• (c) “the guardians of Ahab” instead of the guardians of the sons of Ahab.

The rulers of the city: The traditional Hebrew text actually has “the rulers/officials of Jezreel” (New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Nouvelle version Segond révisée, La Bible du Semeur, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible) and this is recommended by Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, which gives it a {B} rating. If this reading is correct, then perhaps these rulers were away from their own city, perhaps consulting with the rulers of Samaria. If this is true, then it is probably better to accept the recommendation of Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament and translate “the rulers of Jezreel.” Less likely, Jezreel may have been ruled by people from Samaria, in which case the sense is “the rulers responsible for Jezreel.”

Although the textual evidence may favor the reading of the Masoretic Text, many other modern translations prefer the reading in one version of the ancient Greek, which is reflected in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation (also Revised English Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, American Bible). This is probably because the reading that includes “Jezreel” makes less sense from a logical point of view. Jehu was already in Jezreel, so there would be little reason for him to send a letter to people that he could call together and speak to directly. Moreover, according to verse 5, the rulers of the city seem to be the same as “he who was over the palace, and he who was over the city,” which seems to suggest that these were people who lived in Samaria and were not just visiting there from Jezreel.

To the elders: The presence or absence of the preposition to would make a significant difference in the meaning of this part of the verse. One way to understand the text is to see the people referred to as the rulers of the city (or, “the rulers of Jezreel”) as being the same as the elders since the two expressions would be in apposition if there is no preposition. But if there is a preposition, the elders would constitute a second category of people. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {D} rating to the Masoretic Text, which does not include the preposition. According to Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, since verse 5 does not mention the rulers, but only “the elders” and “the guardians,” the rulers and the elders are the same group in this verse.

The guardians of the sons of Ahab: The Hebrew text is literally “the guardians of Ahab,” which may be understood to mean “the guardians who had been appointed by Ahab” or “those loyal to Ahab” (Hobbs). Although this reading in the Masoretic Text is the recommendation of Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, which gives it a {B} rating, a majority of modern versions seem to prefer the reading found in some ancient Greek manuscripts that includes the expression the sons of. This expression may have been added by some versions because Ahab was no longer living at the time of the story and the use of his name would imply his descendants. The translation the sons of Ahab, “Ahab’s descendants” (Good News Translation) or “the princes” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Peregrino) would therefore be a dynamic rendering of the recommended text rather than following a text that is considered to be inferior.

Guardians translates a Hebrew word that comes from a root meaning “to be firm, secure, dependable.” These guardians were apparently responsible for rearing the king’s sons in terms of educating and training them. La Bible du Semeur speaks of “the private tutors in charge of raising the descendants of Ahab.”

A possible model for this whole verse that reflects the exegetical decisions recommended by this Handbook is:

• There were seventy descendants of King Ahab living in the city of Samaria. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the rulers of Samaria, that is, the elders, and the guardians of Ahab’s descendants. This is what the letters said.

Translators may wish to point out in a footnote that the Masoretic Text says “rulers of Jezreel” instead of “rulers of Samaria.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .