Good News Translation leaves implicit king of Israel and king of Judah, the son of Jehoash, son of Ahaziah since most of this information is given earlier in the chapter (see verses 1, 8, and 9). Similarly, the fact that the battle took place at Beth-shemesh (verse 11) is not repeated here.

Came to Jerusalem: The Masoretic Text reads “they came to Jerusalem,” but the correction in the margin of the Masoretic Text reads “he came to [Jerusalem].” The Vulgate and one version of the ancient Greek translation, along with the parallel passage in 2 Chr 25.23, read “he led him to Jerusalem” (so New Jerusalem Bible, La Bible Pléiade, Osty-Trinquet). The meaning is basically the same regardless of which reading is followed in the Masoretic Text since it is clear that King Jehoash was with his soldiers when he marched on Jerusalem. The singular pronoun “he” keeps the focus on the king, but it may be better in some languages to say “he and his soldiers came to Jerusalem.”

Four hundred cubits: This would be the equivalent to “two hundred yards” (Good News Translation) or “six hundred feet” (Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation) in the American system of measurements, but in the metric system it would correspond to “nearly two hundred meters” (Bible en français courant, Good News Translation British edition). For the word cubits, see the comments at 1 Kgs 6.2.

The text is very precise about which part of the city wall was actually torn down. It was the section from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate. The Ephraim Gate was located in the northern wall around Jerusalem, facing the territory of Ephraim. The Corner Gate was located in the northwest corner of the wall. The Ephraim Gate was rebuilt during the early return of the exiles under Zerubbabel and later dedicated by Nehemiah (Neh 8.16; 12.39). The Corner Gate is also mentioned in Jer 31.38 and Zech 14.10 in addition to the parallel account in 2 Chr 25. The northwest part of Jerusalem was the most vulnerable to attack by enemy forces.

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 .