Shallum the son of Jabesh: There are more than a dozen people in the Old Testament who bear the name Shallum. The words son of Jabesh may be understood as a reference to the father of Shallum and most versions seem to take it in this way. However, it is also possible that these words refer to the district or clan from which Shallum came rather than to his father (Noth). If this is the case, they might be translated “a man from Jabesh.” But most modern versions adopt the same interpretation as in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. The expression is repeated in verses 13-14, but this repetition may prove to be awkward or unnecessary in certain languages.

Conspired against him: The Hebrew verb rendered conspired against is also used in 1 Kgs 15.27 and 2 Kgs 9.14 (see the comments there). The pronoun him refers to Zechariah, and in some languages this may need to be made clearer by using the proper name as Good News Translation has done.

Struck him down … and killed him: While the text does not say so directly, Zechariah was most likely hit with a sword. In languages that use different words for striking with the hands and with an instrument like a sword, the latter word should probably be used. These events are referred to in the prophets Hosea (7.16) and Amos (7.9-11), who interpret such assassinations as an evidence of the decline of Israel that will eventually lead the nation into exile.

At Ibleam: Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation follow one version of the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament by using the place name Ibleam (also New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, American Bible, Revised English Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, La Bible Pléiade, Osty-Trinquet). This reading requires a small correction of the Hebrew text so that the text refers to the town of Ibleam in the hills of the territory of Manasseh (see the comments on 2 Kgs 9.27). But the Hebrew text may be understood to mean “in public” (New Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation, Parole de Vie) or “before the people” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). This understanding of the Hebrew text is also adopted by New International Version, New Century Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, La Bible du Semeur, Nouvelle Bible Segond, and Reina-Valera revisada. Hobbs, however, proposes that the text should read “at Kabal-am,” referring to a place that is now unknown. He suggests this interpretation because the sense of the Hebrew is forced somewhat to make it mean “before the people.” Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {C} rating to the Masoretic Text with the reading “before the people.”

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 .