¹ tn The words “I am taking the kingdom from him” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

² tc This is the reading of the MT; the LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate read “he has.”

³ tn Heb “walked in my ways.”

⁴ tn Heb “by doing what is right in my eyes, my rules and my regulations, like David his father.”

⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Rehoboam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁶ tn Heb “Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter upon us.”

⁷ tn Heb “My little one is thicker than my father’s hips.” The referent of “my little one” is not clear. The traditional view is that it refers to the little finger. As the following statement makes clear, Rehoboam’s point is that he is more harsh and demanding than his father.

⁸ tn Heb “and he said to him.”

⁹ tn Heb “by the word of the Lord.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “eat food and drink water.”

¹¹ tn Or “deceiving him.”

sn He was lying to him. The motives and actions of the old prophet are difficult to understand. The old man’s response to the prophet’s death (see vv. 26-32) suggests he did not trick him with malicious intent. The old prophet probably wanted the honor of entertaining such a celebrity, or perhaps simply desired some social interaction with a fellow prophet.

¹² sn Disaster. There is a wordplay in the Hebrew text. The word translated “disaster” (רָעָה, ra’ah) is from the same root as the expression “you have sinned” in v. 9 (וַתָּרַע [vattara’], from רָעַע, [ra’a’]). Jeroboam’s sins would receive an appropriate punishment.

¹³ tn Heb “house.”

¹⁴ tn Heb “and I will cut off from Jeroboam those who urinate against a wall (including both those who are) restrained and let free (or “abandoned”) in Israel.” The precise meaning of the idiomatic phrase עָצוּר וְעָזוּב (’atsur vÿ’azuv) is uncertain. For various options see HALOT 871 s.v. עצר 6 and M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 107. The two terms are usually taken as polar opposites (“slaves and freemen” or “minors and adults”), but Cogan and Tadmor, on the basis of contextual considerations (note the usage with אֶפֶס [’efes], “nothing but”) in Deut 32:36 and 2 Kgs 14:26, argue convincingly that the terms are synonyms, meaning “restrained and abandoned,” and refer to incapable or incapacitated individuals.

¹⁵ tn The traditional view understands the verb בָּעַר (ba’ar) to mean “burn.” Manure was sometimes used as fuel (see Ezek 4:12, 15). However, an alternate view takes בָּעַר as a homonym meaning “sweep away” (HALOT 146 s.v. II בער). In this case one might translate, “I will sweep away the dynasty of Jeroboam, just as one sweeps away manure it is gone” (cf. ASV, NASB, TEV). Either metaphor emphasizes the thorough and destructive nature of the coming judgment.

¹⁶ tn Heb “at the offering up of the offering.”

¹⁷ tn The words “the altar” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

¹⁸ tn Heb “let it be known.”

¹⁹ tn Or “very zealous.” The infinitive absolute preceding the finite verb emphasizes the degree of his zeal and allegiance.

²⁰ tn Traditionally, “the God of hosts.”

²¹ tn Heb “abandoned your covenant.”

²² tn Heb “and they are seeking my life to take it.”

²³ tn Or “very zealous.” The infinitive absolute preceding the finite verb emphasizes the degree of his zeal and allegiance.

²⁴ tn Traditionally, “the God of hosts.”

²⁵ tn Heb “abandoned your covenant.”

²⁶ tn Heb “and they are seeking my life to take it.”

²⁷ tn Heb “all which you sent to your servant in the beginning I will do, but this thing I am unable to do.”

²⁸ tn Heb “the man of God.”

²⁹ tn Heb “I will place all this great horde in your hand.”