They hired thirty-two thousand chariots and the king of Maacah with his army: The pronoun They refers to the Ammonites, which may be made explicit if necessary. If this is done, then it will probably be more natural to translate the Ammonites in the middle of the verse with a pronoun. As in the previous verse, the Masoretic Text has the words “for themselves” after They hired. Most English translations leave this implicit since the context clearly indicates that the Ammonites hired the chariots and soldiers to fight for them and not for someone else. Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation write out the number thirty-two thousand. Other versions say “32,000” ( NET Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Translators will have to decide which form is better in their own language. The text says only that they hired 32,000 chariots, but it is probably implied that they also hired drivers for the chariots. His army is literally “his people.” But the noun “people” clearly refers to a military force here.
Who came and encamped before Medeba: Medeba was a town about 20 kilometers (12 miles) east of the north end of the Dead Sea in the territory of Reuben in Moab. It seems strange that the Syrian army would have come to Moab, which is significantly south of Rabbah, their capital city. A number of scholars have proposed that the Masoretic Text reading meydebaʾ (Medeba) originally said mey rabah (“[the] waters of Rabbah”). This reconstructed reading makes more sense geographically than does Medeba. Moreover, in 2 Sam 12.27 Rabbah is called “the city of waters,” and the Hebrew letters for “d” and “r” were often confused by scribes. Knoppers accepts this correction of the Masoretic Text and translates “And they came and encamped before the waters of Rabbah.” Even though this reconstructed reading may well be correct, there is no textual evidence to support this reading, so translators should follow the Masoretic Text here.
And the Ammonites were mustered from their cities and came to battle: The verb mustered implies a group being gathered together for the purpose of preparing to fight a battle. The Hebrew verb here is often translated “gathered.” In this context some languages may use a technical military expression such as mustered or “mobilized” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). The verb may also be translated “assembled” (New American Bible).
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 .