Now therefore shows the connection between the action of Ahaziah in seeking out a foreign god and the pronouncement of the LORD that follows. In addition to Now therefore, some other valid translations are “For this” (New American Bible), “For what you have done” (Revised English Bible), “That is why,” and “Assuredly” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

Thus says the LORD: Regarding this expression for introducing a message from Yahweh, see the comments at 1 Kgs 11.31.

You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone: This states in a negative way what the next statement says clearly and positively. But the certainty of the end result is underlined by using the two statements together. In some cases the idea of coming down from and going up to a sickbed will be more naturally translated as “you will not recover from your injuries” or “you will never be able to get up again.”

You shall surely die is literally “dying you shall die.” This emphatic way of expressing the certainty of death is also used in Gen 2.17 in the story of the disobedience in the Garden of Eden although its emphatic nature is not reflected in Revised Standard Version at that point. Translators should look for equivalent ways of emphatically stating this certainty in their own languages. Some may say “there is no doubt at all that you will die” or “you will certainly die” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible).

So Elijah went; that is, he went to speak to Ahaziah’s messengers in obedience to the orders received from the LORD. The text leaves implicit the fact that Elijah actually accomplished all that he was commanded to do in the previous two verses. But in some languages it may be necessary to make this explicit; for example, Contemporary English Version says “And Elijah did what he was told.”

The embedded quotations in verses 3-4 may be problematic for translators in certain languages. In verse 3 the angel addresses Elijah (first level of quotation) but instructs him on what to say to Ahaziah’s messengers (second level); they, in turn, are to tell Ahaziah what the LORD says (third level). These direct quotations may be made indirect in those languages.

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 .