He has forsaken me, and worshiped … and has not walked …: Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation follow the ancient translations in Greek, Latin, and Syriac in reading the singular pronoun he (also New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, Anchor Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, La Bible Pléiade, Osty-Trinquet). The singular does correspond well with the singular pronoun his at the end of the verse. However, the Masoretic Text, to which Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating, says “they have forsaken … and they have worshiped … and they have not walked … as David his father did.” Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament further suggests that the subject of the plural verbs is probably the successors of Solomon and David, that is, the Davidic dynasty. Contemporary English Version follows the plural forms of the Masoretic Text but makes the subject explicit by saying “Solomon and the Israelites are not like their ancestor David. They will not listen to me….” Slotki claims that the subject of the plural verbs is the foreign wives of Solomon, but the context seems to require an interpretation such as that found in Contemporary English Version.

For worshiped see the comments on 1 Kgs 9.6.

Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians is called by the Greek name “Astarte” in many translations (Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible en français courant). See the discussion on verse 5.

Chemosh the god of Moab: See the discussion on verse 7.

Milcom the god of the Ammonites: See verse 5. On the assumption that Milcom and Molech refer to the same god, some translations use “Molech” here (Good News Translation, Parole de Vie).

Has not walked in my ways: See the comments on 1 Kgs 2.3.

Doing what is right in my sight means “doing what I regard as right” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “doing the things that I consider to be just.”

Statutes … ordinances: See the comments on these two terms in 1 Kgs 2.3.

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 .