She wrote in the letters is literally “she wrote in the letters saying.” As in verse 8, New Jerusalem Bible maintains the singular by saying “In the letter, she wrote” (similarly Osty-Trinquet).

Proclaim a fast: A fast is more than merely not eating. It is a deliberate act of denying oneself food because of a particular reason or for a specific purpose. Jezebel’s aim is to get the people to think that Naboth has sinned against God, so she instructs the people to fast so that God might have mercy on them. To Proclaim a fast means to make known the fact that people should abstain from eating. It also involved bringing people together for this purpose, but this information is implicit in the Hebrew text. In some languages this may be rendered “Tell people that they must refrain from eating and come together,” “Call together the people of the town for a ceremony of fasting” (Parole de Vie), or “Call the citizens together for fasting and prayer” (New Living Translation).

Set Naboth on high among the people: On high is literally “at the head” (New American Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Osty-Trinquet). An American Translation says “in a conspicuous place,” while New International Version and New Jerusalem Bible speak of “in a prominent place.” Jezebel did not want Naboth to suspect anything was being planned against him, so she gave him the “place of honor” (Good News Translation, New Living Translation). On the other hand, some interpreters claim that the intended sense is something like “bring him to the court of justice as a defendant before all the people.” But this interpretation is less likely and is not recommended. The sense of these words could also be that Naboth was to preside over the assembly. Bible en français courant makes this interpretation explicit by rendering Jezebel’s words here as follows: “Call together the people of the city to a ceremony of fasting, and ask Naboth to preside at this assembly.”

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 .