He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD …: See the comments at 1 Kgs 11.33, 38 and 14.8. Josiah receives a positive assessment from the writer of 2 Kings as he is measured against the usual standard, David. Since the last person named in verse 1 was Adaiah, translators should be sure that the pronoun he clearly refers to Josiah. It may be better to substitute the proper name “Josiah” for the pronoun (so Good News Translation, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).

For the word walked in the sense of “lived,” see the comments at 1 Kgs 3.6; 2 Kgs 8.18 and 21.21.

David his father: David was, of course, not the literal father of Josiah, but was rather his “ancestor” (so Good News Translation).

Did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left: This expression is used rather frequently in the Old Testament to speak of a person acting in a very consistent and direct manner in pursuit of a goal. In Num 20.17 it is used in its literal sense in the promise of Moses and the Israelites to pass straight through Edomite territory without straying from the direct path. In the book of Deuteronomy (5.32; 17.11, 20; 28.14), it is used in a more figurative sense of not deviating from strict obedience to the commandments of the LORD. It has this same figurative meaning here. Compare also Josh 1.7 and 2 Sam 14.19. In many languages a literal rendering will either obscure the meaning or sound awkward in the receptor language. For this reason the expression may be translated “conducted himself unswervingly” (New American Bible) or “never turned away from doing what was right.”

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 .