The sons of Eliphaz …: Sons in this context refers to the biological sons of Eliphaz, the firstborn son of Esau and Adah. These seven sons became tribal chiefs according to Gen 36.15-16, which is the basis for the Good News Translation rendering “Eliphaz became the ancestor of the following tribes.”

Teman was the first son of Eliphaz.

Instead of Zephi, some manuscripts of the Hebrew, the Septuagint, and the Syriac read “Zepho” in agreement with the spelling of this name in Gen 36.11. This is the basis for the translation “Zepho” in numerous modern versions (New International Version, New Living Translation, La Bible du Semeur, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Nueva Versión Internacional, Peregrino.

Timna is listed here as a son of Eliphaz, but according to Gen 36.12, Timna was a concubine of Eliphaz and the mother of Amalek. Some Septuagint manuscripts of this verse in 1 Chronicles agree with the statement of Gen 36.12, and this is the basis of translations that list Timna as the mother of Amalek in this verse; for example, New International Version says “The sons of Eliphaz: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam and Kenaz; by Timna: Amalek” (similarly Biblia Dios Habla Hoy), and New Living Translation has “The descendants of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, Kenaz, and Amalek, who was born to Timna.” New American Bible places the name Timna in square brackets. Translators may wish to state in a footnote that Timna was the mother of Amalek according to Gen 36.12.

The descendants of Amalek were most probably the Amalekites, who are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament and are often depicted as the enemies of the people of Israel (see, for example, Exo 17.8-16; Deut 25.17-19; 1 Sam 15.1-9).

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .