Moreover translates the common Hebrew conjunction, which may be better left untranslated in some languages (so Good News Translation). However, because it introduces a continuation of the prophet’s words, some kind of transition may be required in other languages. New Living Translation begins with “And.”
The LORD will raise up … a king … who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam: The words cut off the house of Jeroboam refer to the destruction of Jeroboam’s family (see the comments on verse 10). The king who will put an end to the dynasty of Jeroboam is Baasha, who kills Jeroboam’s son Nadab and all of Jeroboam’s family (1 Kgs 15.27-29).
The three English words in Revised Standard Version at the end of this verse, today. And henceforth, are based on a correction of the Masoretic Text. The Masoretic Text has five words here, which are literally “this [is] the day, and what? also now.” It is not clear whether these five words go with what precedes and therefore refer to the death of Jeroboam’s family or whether they go with what follows in verse 15 and refer to the coming exile. Modern translations have taken at least seven different solutions in dealing with these difficult words:
(1) Some translations neither translate these words nor indicate to the reader that the Hebrew has additional words that have not been translated (em>Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).
(2) Some translations do not translate these five words, but they do indicate in a footnote that the Hebrew text has five additional words whose meaning is unclear (Good News Translation).
(3) Some translations omit these words from the text but attempt to translate them in a footnote (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Osty-Trinquet). Osty-Trinquet, for example, simply replaces the words with three dots in the text, states in a footnote that the text contains five words that cannot be understood, and then gives as a possible translation “This is the day, and what even now?”
(4) Some translations omit these words from the text and explain in a footnote that they are probably a later addition by a scribe (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, New Jerusalem Bible).
(5) Other translations include these words in the text but state in a footnote that the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain (New International Version, New Revised Standard Version, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy). New International Version says “This is the day! What? Yes, even now” (similarly La Bible Pléiade) and then states in a footnote that the Hebrew is uncertain. New Revised Standard Version does not attempt to preserve the form of the Hebrew as closely as New International Version does, but it expresses the same meaning as follows: “today, even right now!” In these translations the final three words add emphasis to the claim that this will happen “this very day.”
(6) Some translations include these words in the text with no footnote to indicate to the reader the difficulty of understanding these Hebrew words (Maredsous, Nouvelle version Segond révisée, New Living Translation, An American Translation). Nouvelle version Segond révisée, for example, says “Isn’t this what is happening already?” and New Living Translation has “This will happen today, even now!” An American Translation follows a slightly different interpretation by connecting these five words to the beginning of the next verse as follows: “Today and from now on the LORD will smite Israel….”
(7) Other translations include these words in the text but state in a footnote that they are probably a later addition by a scribe. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, for example, translates these words (“This is for today. What? For even now!”), but adds in a footnote that these words may be a comment added later by a scribe.
Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives the Masoretic Text a {B} rating and says that all ancient and modern attempts to make sense of the text show that the Masoretic Text is the “most original text.” Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament acknowledges, however, that these words are a later scribal addition; but since they are present in the earliest known form of the Hebrew text, Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament recommends that they be translated. Since these words originally were most likely a marginal comment by a scribe in the Babylonian Exile who saw the situation of the Judean exiles to be the same as that of the exiles of the northern kingdom, the authors of this Handbook recommend that translators follow solution (7), represented by Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, which includes these words at the end of verse 14.
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 .