Jonathan is mentioned in the previous verse, and Jerahmeel was introduced in verse 9 as the son of Hezron.

These were the descendants of Jerahmeel: This concluding sentence closes the subsection that began with verse 25. It may be made a separate paragraph (so La Bible de Jérusalem: Nouvelle édition revue et corrigée).

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 .

Verses 34-41 list the descendants of Sheshan.

Now Sheshan had no sons, only daughters: Sheshan was introduced in verse 31, where he is said to have had a child named Ahlai. An ancient Jewish interpretation claims that Ahlai was a son, but that this son died during Sheshan’s lifetime. It is assumed by some interpreters that Ahlai was a daughter and that she married the Egyptian slave mentioned in this verse, but Ahlai’s name is not given at this point. In fact, the text makes it clear that Sheshan had more than one daughter since the Hebrew word translated daughters is plural. Instead of translating only daughters literally, it may be more natural in some languages to say “but he did have [some] daughters” (similarly New Living Translation).

But Sheshan had an Egyptian slave, whose name was Jarha: Jarha (called “Jokhel” in the Septuagint) was a male, as the next verse makes clear. His relationship with Sheshan was that of a slave. But through marriage he became a son-in-law (verse 35). The Hebrew word translated slave has a wide range of uses, indicating various types of subordination. Frequently in 1–2 Samuel and 1–2 Kings, this noun refers to officers of a king or of a military commander. In such contexts Good News Translation usually uses the term “official.” In other contexts it often says “servant,” as it does here (also New Century Version, Revised English Bible, Bible en français courant, Bible de Jérusalem). But in this verse the meaning is certainly stronger than a salaried domestic helper. The term refers to a person who is completely under the control and authority of a master. In some languages there is no word for slave but only something like “worker” or “employee.” But translators should ensure that their readers understand that this man was not a hired employee, but one under the complete authority of Sheshan.

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 .

Good News Translation continues the sentence begun in the previous verse, but Revised Standard Version begins a new sentence here. Translators should choose whatever structure seems most natural in their own language. Verse 35 explains what Sheshan did since he had no sons, so Revised Standard Version and New Revised Standard Version correctly translate the common Hebrew conjunction here as So.

Sheshan gave his daughter in marriage to Jarha his slave: The expression gave … in marriage to is a common English idiom, but the meaning may be expressed differently in other languages. Contemporary English Version and New Century Version, for example, have “let … marry.” Since the previous verse says Sheshan had daughters, Good News Translation renders his daughter as “one of his daughters” (also Contemporary English Version, Bible en français courant, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

And she bore him Attai: Attai was a male, as the next verse makes clear, so this information may be brought forward to this verse by saying “a son named Attai” (Good News Translation; similarly Bible en français courant).

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 .

Good News Translation restructures verse 36-41 and introduces “Elishama,” the last person in Attai’s family line, from verse 41. This gives the reader an idea of the overall significance of these verses, that is, that they refer to the family line from Attai to Elishama. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch provides another possible model for verses 36-41, saying “Attai begot Nathan, Nathan begot Zabad, Zabad Ephlal, then follow in a direct line Obed, Jehu, Azariah, Helez, Eleasah, Sismai, Shallum, Jekamiah and Elishama.”

The Hebrew name Nathan means “gift.” There are at least six different people who bear this name in the Old Testament, including the prophet who was active at the time of King David. But the reference here is not to that prophet.

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 .

Some of the names in this list are the same as other, better-known, figures in the Old Testament. Obed (verses 37-38) has the same name as the son of Boaz in the story of Ruth (see verse 12); the ancient Syriac has “Jobab.”

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 .

His daughter-in-law Tamar also bore him Perez and Zerah: See Gen 38.12-30 for the details of how Tamar, the widow of Er, became the mother of Judah’s sons Perez and Zerah. The pronoun His refers to Judah. Translators in some languages will need to make this clear by rendering this pronoun as “Judah’s” (New Century Version). The hyphenated English term daughter-in-law is translated in a wide variety of ways in receptor languages. Some may have special technical terms, while others will convey the meaning by saying “son’s wife.” Revised Standard Version has added the word also because of the context. Good News Translation expresses this same idea with the words “two more sons.” Perez was the twenty-fourth generation in the line of descent that began with Adam.

Judah had five sons in all: Good News Translation moves this clause forward to the beginning of verse 3 in order to present the information in a more logical way in English.

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 .