He said to his father: While there is nothing in the Hebrew that demands it, several English translators think that the context requires some kind of introductory adverb or adverbial expression indicating the unexpectedness of what follows. Both Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version have “Suddenly,” while New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh uses the same word enclosed in square brackets. In the same way, Revised English Bible has “All of a sudden.”

The context also seems to require a more dramatic rendering of the verb said. Compare the following English renderings: “exclaimed” (New Jerusalem Bible), “complained” (New American Bible, New Revised Standard Version), “shouted” (Contemporary English Version), “cried” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), and “cried out” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible).

Oh, my head, my head!: Commentators have suggested that the cause of the severe head pain might have been overexposure to the bright midday sun. But whatever the cause, many languages will require a verbal expression or a more explicit noun phrase here. Knox, for example, translates “My head aches, my head aches sorely.” Contemporary English Version is similar with “My head hurts. It hurts a lot!” Others might say “I have a very strong pain in my head.” If indirect discourse is preferred, translators may say “he complained to his father that he had a very strong pain in his head.”

His servant: There were clearly several workers in the field since verse 18 speaks of “reapers.” These workers would all have been considered servants of the child’s father, so some languages may require “one of his servants” or something similar.

Carry him to his mother: In languages where indirect discourse would be more appropriate here, translators may consider the following: “The father told one of his servants to carry the child to his mother.” But there should be no ambiguity about whose mother is meant. It is, of course, is the child’s mother.

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 .