So Gad came to David and said to him: So translates the common Hebrew conjunction, which introduces a logical result here. New American Bible renders it “Accordingly.” Revised Standard Version says that Gad came to David, but Good News Translation says that he “went” to him. In English the verb came implies that the speaker or person telling the story is where David is, while “went” implies that the speaker or writer was not where David was. Translators should use whichever verb sounds most natural in their language.

Take which you will is literally “Take for yourself.” Other translations include “Make your choice” (Revised English Bible), “Take your choice” (New Revised Standard Version), “Choose one of these three things” (Nueva Versión Internacional), “Choose among these three punishments” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente), and “Decide now” (New American Bible). Each punishment offered is shorter in time but also more severe than the previous one.

The embedded quotation in this verse may have to be handled differently in some languages. A possible model that uses indirect speech is:

• So Gad went to David and told him that the LORD required that David should decide which one of the following he would choose.

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 .