And Micaiah said: In the context of this ongoing conversation, the verb said may be more naturally translated “answered” (New Century Version), “replied” (New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New International Version), or “responded” (Nouvelle version Segond révisée).

The Hebrew focusing particle rendered Behold highlights Micaiah’s response.

You shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself: The verb see is intended in the sense of “understand.” On that day refers to the day when the Syrians defeat the Israelites. Good News Translation omits these words. Zedekiah would be trying to hide from the Syrians or perhaps from his own people because of his false prophecy. An inner chamber is literally “a chamber in a chamber.” The exact sense of this phrase is not clear. It may refer to a particular part of the citadel (that is, the city’s fortress) or simply to a well-hidden inside room of a house in the city. The second sense is the basis for the Bible en français courant rendering, which says “the most secret place of your house.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says more generally “the innermost room.” Another interpretation of this Hebrew phrase is that once Zedekiah was inside the city walls, he would go from room to room in order to hide himself (so New Jerusalem Bible, La Bible du Semeur, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Osty-Trinquet, La Sainte Bible: La version Etablie par les moines de Maredsous, Peregrino. New Jerusalem Bible, for example, renders this whole clause as “That is what you will find out … the day you go from room to room, trying to hide.” Others may wish to translate “the day will come when you will have to hide from the enemy; then you will understand what I am talking about.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .