The sons of Carmi: Achar is literally “And the sons of Carmi: Achar.” Two things are puzzling here: (1) Carmi has not been previously mentioned. So who is he? (2) The Masoretic Text says sons, but then lists only one son, Achar.

According to the previous verse, Zerah was the father of Zimri. But according to Josh 7.1, Zerah was the father of Zabdi, Zabdi was the father of Carmi, and Carmi was the father of Achan. Zabdi (Josh 7.1) and Zimri (1 Chr 2.6) are probably different spellings for the same person. If Zabdi and Zerah are the same person, this means that Carmi was a grandson of Zerah.

So how should translators render the first half of this verse? Here are the options:

• (1) Follow the Masoretic Text (so Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament suggests that the plural word sons means that Carmi had other sons, but for some reason the writer mentions only Achar. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament recommends the following translation: “And the sons of Carmi include Achar.” This seems to be the most satisfactory solution to a difficult problem. The textual evidence for the reading in the Masoretic Text is strong, and Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to this reading.

• (2) Correct the Masoretic Text on the basis of Josh 7.1 and 7.18 by adding the name “Zimri.” Revised English Bible does this by saying “The son of Zimri: Carmi. The son of Carmi: Achar” (similarly New American Bible).

• (3) Correct the text, also on the basis of Josh 7, to read “and the son of Carmi is Achan” (LutherGod’s Word).

• (4) Correct the text, also on the basis of Josh 7, to read “Achan, who was a descendant of Zerah and the son of Carmi” (Contemporary English Version; similarly Good News Translation, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

Instead of Achar, Josh 7.1 has “Achan.” Some translations harmonize and read “Achan” here also (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, An American Translation, Reina-Valera revisada). The Hebrew name Achar means “disaster.” In Josh 7.24 Achan and his family are taken to “the Valley of Achor” (which means “the Valley of Trouble” in Hebrew). The author of 1 Chronicles probably intended a play on words with the name “Achan” and the word “achar,” since Achar is followed immediately by the words the troubler of Israel. In many languages this expression may be better translated by a verb phrase, such as “who caused trouble for Israel” or “who brought trouble upon Israel” (New American Bible). La Bible du Semeur attempts to bring out the play on words by placing the word “Trouble” in parentheses following the name Achar.

Who transgressed in the matter of the devoted thing: The Hebrew word translated transgressed becomes a keyword in 1–2 Chronicles to explain the reason for the exile. Along with neighboring countries, the Israelites followed the holy-war practice of devoting everyone and everything to the god or gods whom the people worshiped. This devotion to the deity required the total destruction of everything captured in war (see Josh 6.17). Achar kept some of the plunder from Jericho and therefore was guilty of transgressing what the people were supposed to do. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente renders this clause as “because he took for himself part of the booty consecrated to God.” Some other possible models are “by violating the ban” (New American Bible) and “because he took things that had been given to the LORD to be destroyed” (New Century Version).

La Biblia: Traducción en Lenguaje Actual provides a possible model for the whole verse by making explicit the exact nature of Achar’s transgression as follows:

• Carmi, great-grandson of Zerah, had a son, Achar.
On one occasion, God punished all the people of Israel because of Achar’s transgression. When Joshua conquered Ai, God ordered him to destroy everything. Nobody was to take anything that was in the city, but Achar did not obey, and he took away some objects.

If La Biblia: Traducción en Lenguaje Actual‘s rendering is considered too much of a paraphrase, then the information regarding Joshua and Ai may be put in a footnote.

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 .