Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father: The common Hebrew conjunction rendered Then is understood as a temporal connector by Revised Standard Version (similarly New American Bible with “Thereafter”). It may also be viewed as a logical connector; for example, Good News Translation, New International Version, and Revised English Bible render it “So.” But many versions omit it altogether (so New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Bible en français courant, Nouvelle version Segond révisée, La Bible du Semeur, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). For the throne of the LORD, see the comments on 1 Chr 28.5. Good News Translation misses the nuance of the phrase of the LORD. God not only established the throne, as Good News Translation states, but it was his throne. God was the real ruler of Israel, and the king sat on the throne as God’s representative. Regarding Solomon’s succeeding David as king, see 1 Kgs 2.12.

And he prospered may be rendered “and all went well with him” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “and he was successful” (American Bible).

And all Israel obeyed him is literally “and all Israel heard him.” But even the more literal versions correctly understand this clause to mean “and all Israel obeyed him” (King James Version, New American Standard Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Compare “and all Israel was loyal to him” ( NET 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 .