The Hebrew focusing particle translated behold is omitted by many modern versions, but it serves to draw attention to the fact that God planned to get rid of Baasha and his family. If the receptor language commonly uses such a device, it will be appropriate here.

I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house, and I will make your house …: The prophet speaks to Baasha in the third person by saying Baasha and his house, and then switches to the second person with your house. This is unnatural style in English, so Good News Translation changes the third person to second person. As often in the Old Testament, the Hebrew noun house is used in the extended sense for “household.” The same word is also used of Jeroboam’s family later in this same verse.

The Hebrew verb translated utterly sweep away is the same as the one translated “utterly consume” and “burns up” in 1 Kgs 14.10. As indicated there, the spelling is the same for the Hebrew verbs that mean “burn” and “sweep away.” Some translations of verse 3 say “consume” (New Revised Standard Version) and others say “sweep away” (Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Osty-Trinquet). Either translation is acceptable. Compare also “destroy” (New Living Translation).

Jeroboam has already been identified as the son of Nebat (1 Kgs 11.26; 12.2, 15; 15.1), so Good News Translation omits the words the son of Nebat. But since this is the first reference to Jeroboam in a new section, translators may wish to include the full form of his name here. Nebat was Jeroboam’s father.

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 .