The servants of his master: This expression should be understood as referring to the other officers with whom Jehu had been in conference when the messenger called him out of the meeting to proclaim God’s message to him in private. These are the same people referred to as “his fellows” in verse 2 and “the commanders of the army” in verse 5. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh is quite clear at this point that Jehu went back “to the other officers of his master.” Bible en français courant is similar with “the other officers of the king.”

They said to him: This occurrence of the verb said may be better rendered “asked” in some languages since questions follow. The Masoretic Text has a singular verb here (“he said to him”). For this reason some translate “one of them asked him” (New International Version). In Hebrew the indefinite, unnamed subject, whether singular or plural, is expressed sometimes with the third person singular verb. Some Hebrew manuscripts and most ancient versions have a plural verb here, and this is followed by many modern translations (for example, La Bible de Jérusalem Nouvelle Version “They asked him”).

Is all well? is literally “Is there peace?” This question uses the common Hebrew greeting word (see the comments on 2 Kgs 4.23). The officers asking the question wanted to know if everything was as it should be. New Revised Standard Version, like Good News Translation, translates “Is everything all right?” Most translations have a similar rendering. Some commentators, however, see this as having a deeper meaning; for example, comments made by Wiseman suggest the meaning “Has he come to make an agreement with you?”

The Hebrew term rendered mad fellow does not suggest someone who is angry. Rather, it usually refers to an abnormal person who would be considered insane in certain cultures. Such terms are often applied to normal people whose actions are seen as bizarre by others. Prophets of God are often considered insane. The same term is found in 1 Sam 21.14-15; Jer 29.26 and Hos 9.7.

You know the fellow and his talk: Jehu’s response seems to indicate his unwillingness to discuss the matter since he claims that his fellow officers already know how prophets behave and the kinds of things they say. Some model translations from modern versions are “You know him and his ideas” (Revised English Bible), “You know that kind of man and his talk” (New American Bible), and “You know the sort and how they babble” (New Revised Standard Version). The Good News Translation rendering “You know what he wanted” is perhaps misleading. The sense of the Hebrew here seems to be that Jehu claims the young prophet said nothing of importance.

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 .