All the prophets prophesied so; that is, the prophets said in agreement with Zedekiah that the Israelite army would defeat the Syrians. In some languages this will be translated “all the other prophets agreed” or “… prophesied the same kind of thing.”

Go up … the LORD will give it into the hand of the king: The prophets speak first to King Ahab in the second person (Go up) and then in the third person (into the hand of the king). Since this shifting from second to third person in direct address is not natural English style, Good News Translation maintains the second person throughout the verse. This will be a good model for most other languages to follow.

As in verse 6, the verb Go up may be taken in this context as having a military meaning. Consequently, it is translated “March on” (New Jerusalem Bible) and “Attack” (Revised English Bible, New International Version, New Century Version).

Contemporary English Version provides a good model for those languages where the direct quotation of this verse will be better translated as indirect speech:

• All the prophets agreed that Ahab should attack the Syrians at Ramoth, and they promised that the LORD would help him defeat them.

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 .