David went out to meet them …: This verse is a complex sentence in Hebrew, as the Revised Standard Version translation shows. It will probably be necessary to break this verse up into several sentences with careful attention to the relationships between the various parts. It begins with the common Hebrew conjunction, which Revised Standard Version leaves untranslated. But it is possible to translate it in this context as a logical connector such as “So,” although New Jerusalem Bible and American Bible make the first clause of this verse a temporal one, saying “When David came forward to meet them….”

And said to them is literally “and he answered and he said to them.” This kind of redundancy is perfectly natural in certain languages while in others it is extremely awkward. Naturalness should be the determining factor in deciding whether to use one verb or two.

If you have come to me in friendship to help me: In friendship is literally “for peace.” American Bible translates “with peaceful intent,” and Parole de Vie has “in a spirit of peace.” Others may prefer to use an adverb such as “peacefully” (New Century Version). The Hebrew words translated to help me are not found in the Septuagint, but this idea would certainly be implicit in the words of David even if they were not found in the text.

My heart will be knit to you: American Bible says “I am eager for an alliance with you.” Some other possible models are “my heart will be one with you” (Braun), “I am ready to have you unite with me” (New International Version), and “I welcome you. Join me” (New Century Version).

But if to betray me: The verb phrase you have come found in the first proposition of this verse is implied here. Some modern translations repeat it (so New International Version, Revised English Bible, and Braun in parentheses), but others supply another similar verb or leave the reader to understand what is implied.

Although there is no wrong in my hands: In most languages a literal rendering of this expression is likely to be misunderstood. Its meaning is “innocent though I am of any crime of violence” (Revised English Bible) or “even though I have done nothing wrong” (New Century Version).

Then may the God of our fathers see and rebuke you: As is usually the case, the plural word fathers refers to “ancestors” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation, New Jerusalem Bible) and not to literal fathers. The pronoun our is inclusive here. The verb see may be rendered “see that you are deceiving me” or “see what is in your hearts.” The Hebrew verb translated rebuke is sometimes used to mean “decide” (New American Standard Bible). But it is also used with the stronger meaning of “rebuke” or “punish.” Among the acceptable translations are “judge” (Revised English Bible, Parole de Vie, Braun), “punish” (Good News Translation, New Living Translation, New Century Version, Bible en français courant), and “condemn” (American Bible). Revised Standard Version and several other modern versions have added the pronoun you as the context requires in English.

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 .