Then all Israel gathered together to David at Hebron: As often happens in 1–2 Chronicles, the writer refers here to all Israel. The theme of unity is prominent throughout the writer’s presentation of David’s rule over Israel. As Braun states, “the repeated thrust is that north and south, ‘all Israel,’ ought to be one, but their unity was to be based on their common worship of Yahweh centered in the Jerusalem temple” (page xxxvii). Only in verse 3 does the Chronicler begin to name the representatives of the various groups who gathered together at Hebron. A translation such as “Israel’s leaders” (Contemporary English Version) fails to maintain this important theological emphasis of the writing that all of Israel was united behind David and Solomon and the building of the Temple. Unlike the parallel account in 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles states that David’s rule from the very beginning was over all Israel.
Still focusing on the idea of unity, the writer says that all the people of Israel gathered together to David (so Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, Bible en français courant, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). The parallel text in 2 Sam 5.1 says only that all the tribes of Israel “came to David” at Hebron. Translations here in 1 Chronicles which say only that the people “went to David” (Good News Translation) or “came to David” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) fail to maintain the emphasis in the Hebrew on the gathering together of the people in a show of unity. So it is better to translate “united around David” or something similar. Moffatt, for example, attempts to convey this idea by saying “gathered round David,” while Knox has more specifically “rallied to David.”
For the town of Hebron, see the comments on 1 Chr 3.1. In some languages it may be wise to add the classifier term “town” (so New Century Version).
The Hebrew focusing particle rendered Behold focuses attention on the statement that follows. If the receptor language has a device that fulfills this same function, it may be used here. Otherwise, it may be omitted in translation.
Your bone and flesh: Expressions such as this are found in a number of places in the Old Testament (see, for example, Gen 29.14; Jdg 9.2; 2 Sam 5.1; 19.12-13). This clause is a way of expressing close kinship based on physical relationship. The same kind of idea is expressed by Adam concerning the creation of Eve (Gen 2.23), who was taken from his side. Languages have a wide variety of ways of expressing the idea of a common parentage or ancestry. The English idiom speaks of “flesh and blood” (Good News Translation, New International Version, God’s Word, Revised English Bible). Some other languages may say “We are your [own] relatives” (Contemporary English Version, Braun), “We are your people” (International Children’s Bible), “we are the same people,” “We have the same blood,” or possibly “We have the same ancestor[s].” Bible en français courant says “We are of your race, of your family.”
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 .