Went after is literally “walked after,” in the sense of “adhering to” or “serving.” When this Hebrew idiom is used in reference to other gods, it carries a negative nuance. Some possible model translations are “bowed down to” (so Knox), “adoring” (New American Bible), and “put up shrines for” (Moffatt).
Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians is also mentioned in verse 33 and 2 Kgs 23.12. Ashtoreth was a goddess of love and war and a partner of the Canaanite fertility god Baal. Ashtoreth is the singular form of the name that also occurs in the Old Testament in the plural form “Ashtaroth.” Good News Translation uses “Astarte,” the Greek form of the name, which is more commonly known (also Peregrino, Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie, Nouvelle Bible Segond, Osty-Trinquet). The name Ashtoreth comes from writing the name with the consonants from Astarte and the vowels from bosheth, the Hebrew word meaning “shame.” This was a way of expressing insults regarding this goddess. The Greek form of the name, “Astarte,” does not occur as such in the Hebrew Old Testament.
Astarte (that is, Ashtoreth) is not to be confused with “Asherah” (1 Kgs 15.13) and “Asherim” (1 Kgs 14.15), which are the singular and plural forms of the name for a different Canaanite goddess (or her wooden representations). Both Asherah and Astarte are partners of Baal in the Old Testament.
Regarding Sidonians, see the comments on 1 Kgs 5.6. The words “Sidon” and “Sidonian” often represent the people of Phoenicia in general. So it may be better to translate the goddess of the Sidonians as “the goddess whom the people of Phoenicia worship.” Moffatt, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and Peregrino, for example, have “the goddess of the Phoenicians.”
Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites is also mentioned in verse 33 and 2 Kgs 23.13. Milcom was a national god of the Ammonites. Scholars disagree on whether the deity called “Molech” in verse 7 and 2 Kgs 23.10 is a different deity or the same deity. People sacrificed their children to Molech, a practice that was specifically forbidden to the people of Israel (Lev 18.21; 20.2-5). On the assumption that Milcom and “Molech” are two different names for the same god, Good News Translation has consistently used the name “Molech” in all references to this deity. An American Translation and Peregrino, on the other hand, have consistently used the name “Milcom.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible has “Milcom” in verse 5 and “Molech” in verse 7, but a footnote on the name “Milcom” says “probably identical to Molech in verse 7.”
Because there is so much uncertainty in interpreting the historical evidence regarding Molech, the authors of this Handbook recommend that translators not harmonize the two names. It will be better to keep the same names found in the Hebrew text and indicate in a footnote that they may refer to the same deity, as Traduction œcuménique de la Bible does. If, however, translators do accept the theory that both names refer to the same god, then it will be best to use the same name throughout, whether “Milcom” or “Molech,” in order to avoid confusing the reader.
The whole expression the abomination of the Ammonites is a way of referring to the god Milcom whom the people of Judah found very offensive. New Century Version translates “the hated god of the Ammonites.” The Hebrew word translated abomination refers to something filthy. It is therefore rendered “Garbage” by Osty-Trinquet and “filth” by De Vries. Revised English Bible says “loathsome.” In certain languages it will be necessary to translate Ammonites as “people of Ammon” (see verse 1).
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .