39 Heb “in the autumn house.” Commentators are agreed that this was not a separate building or palace but the winter quarters in the palace. Larger houses, including the palace, were two-storied buildings with a lower quarters better suited for the cold of winter and an upper quarters which was better ventilated to provide cool in the summer. Since this was the ninth month (December) the king had taken up residence in the lower, warmer quarters which were equipped with a portable fire pot or brazier to keep him warm.
40 Heb “the fire in the firepot was burning before him.” The translation assumes that the word “fire” (אֵשׁ, ’esh) has dropped out after the particle אֶת (’et) because of the similar beginnings of the two words. The word “fire” is found in the Greek, , and Targumic translations according to . The particle אֵת should be retained rather than dropped as an erroneous writing of אֵשׁ. Its presence is to be explained as the usage of the sign of the accusative introducing a new subject (cf. 85 אֶת 3.α and compare the usage in 27:8; 38:16 [in the Kethib]; 45:4).

In other versions

It was the ninth month, and the king was sitting in the winter house, and there was a fire burning in the fire pot before him.

It was the ninth month and the king was sitting in the winter apartment, with a fire burning in the firepot in front of him.

Since it was the ninth month, the king was sitting in his winter quarters with a fire burning in front of him.

It was late autumn, and the king was in a winterized part of the palace, sitting in front of a fire to keep warm.

Now the king was sitting in the quarters of the winter in the ninth month, and a fire-pot was burning before him.

Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him.

Public Domain