Let there be a league between me and you, as between my father and your father is literally “A covenant between me and you and between my father and your father.” The Hebrew has no verb corresponding to the words Let there be, but the context requires a verb. New American Bible translates “There is a treaty between you and me, as there was between your father and my father” (similarly God’s Word, Osty-Trinquet). But this rendering fails to reflect the fact that Asa is making a proposal to Benhadad. New Living Translation provides a better model with “Let us renew the treaty that existed between your father and my father.” Some more modern English equivalents for the word league are “treaty” (New International Version) and “alliance” (New Revised Standard Version). Some languages may have to use a word such as “agreement” or “understanding.” Me and you follows the Hebrew order, but “you and me” is the natural order in English.

Behold, I am sending to you silver and gold: The Hebrew focusing particle rendered behold draws Benhadad’s attention to Asa’s gift. If the receptor language has such a focusing device, it will be appropriate to use it here. Otherwise it may be omitted as in the majority of modern versions.

Go, break your league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may withdraw from me: Asa recommends that Benhadad break his alliance with Baasha in order to weaken the king of Israel. If he did this, the troops of the northern kingdom would have to withdraw from the territory of Judah. The imperative verb go is not intended to suggest that Benhadad himself would have to go somewhere to cancel the agreement. For this reason many translations omit the verb altogether (so Good News Translation, New International Version, Revised English Bible). To break an agreement means to cancel it or to ignore it. In some languages there may be a special word used to describe the cancellation of an agreement.

That he may withdraw from me is literally “so he will go up from upon me.” Revised English Bible says “so that he may abandon his campaign against me.” Since King Asa represented all his people and the territory over which he ruled, this clause may be rendered “so he will leave my land” (New Century Version).

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 .