David was speaking to all of the people in the previous verse, but in verses 9-10 he addresses only Solomon, so Good News Translation begins this verse with “And to Solomon he said.” Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente is similar with “Then David turned to Solomon.”
And you, Solomon, my son, know the God of your father: This verse begins in the Hebrew with the word weʾatah (“And you”). The Septuagint changes this word slightly to read weʿatah (“And now”), which is followed by Braun. But almost no other modern translation adopts the reading of the Septuagint, and we do not recommend it to translators. In any case, either reading serves the same effect of marking a transition. Both New American Bible and Complete Jewish Bible translate “As for you.”
The charge to know God means that Solomon should live in a personal relationship with God; that is, he should worship and serve God. The phrase the God of your father should not be understood to mean that Solomon’s God was different from David’s God. The Septuagint reads the plural “fathers” (so Braun; similarly New Living Translation, which says “ancestors”). But in this context repeated references to Solomon as my son, “your son,” and “his son” favor the reading your father here. For this whole clause Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says “But you, my son Solomon, learn to know the LORD, the God of your father, better and better!” In many languages it will be more natural to translate using the first person rather than the third person for your father since it is David, Solomon’s father, who is speaking; for example, Bible en français courant translates “As for you, my son Solomon, learn to know well the God whom I serve.” Others may say “… accept the God whom I, your father, worship.” Contemporary English Version translates more dynamically and perhaps more naturally, saying “Solomon, my son, worship God … just as I have done.”
And serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind: With a whole heart is a common expression in 1–2 Chronicles (1 Chr 12.38; 29.9, 19; 2 Chr 15.17; 19.9; 25.2). It refers to complete loyalty and devotion without any distraction. Other translations include “with an undivided heart” (Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, Moffatt) and “with a perfect heart” (New American Bible). The Hebrew may contain a play on words here since the adjective translated whole has the same consonants as the name Solomon (see also the comments on 1 Chr 22.9). The phrases a whole heart and a willing mind echo the language and thought of Deut 4.29 and 10.12. For this whole clause New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “and serve Him with single mind and fervent heart.”
For the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every plan and thought: This clause explains why Solomon should obey God completely. It is because God knows everything people think and plan. The LORD searches all hearts means he examines the minds of everyone. The Hebrew word for plan refers to intentions and the word for thought refers to thinking. These two words together referring to thinking and the motives behind such thoughts. For this whole sentence NET Bible has “for the LORD examines all minds and understands every motive of one’s thoughts.”
If you seek him, he will be found by you: Seek renders the same Hebrew verb that is translated searches. Here it means to obey the LORD (see the comments on 1 Chr 16.10-11). The passive expression he will be found by you will have to be made active in certain languages. Since the real subject (you) is clear, it will be easy to transform this clause to an active statement in most languages by saying “you will find him” (New Living Translation). However, in order to focus more on the initiative of God, some may prefer to say “he will allow you to find him.” For this whole sentence God’s Word has “If you dedicate your life to serving him, he will accept you.”
But if you forsake him, he will cast you off for ever: This sentence expresses the opposite idea of the previous one. God’s Word expresses it well with “But if you abandon him, he will reject you from then on.”
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 .