Re-aiah the son of Shobal was the father of Jahath, and Jahath was the father of Ahumai and Lahad: Good News Translation restructures the literal phrase Reaiah the son of Shobal, saying “Shobal was the father of Reaiah.” This seems more natural since the remainder of the verse focuses on fathers rather than sons.

These were the families of the Zorathites: In some versions families is translated “clans” (Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible) or “family groups” (New Century Version). Good News Translation says “ancestors,” which fits this context well. For Zorathites see the comments on 1 Chr 2.53. Zorah was a town located in the Sorek Valley, about 3 kilometers (2 miles) north of Beth Shemesh. Helpful renderings for the Zorathites are “the Zorathite clan” (Contemporary English Version), “the people who lived in Zorah” (Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), and “the people who came from the town of Zorah.”

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 .