So translates the common Hebrew conjunction, but the context seems to require a logical connector such as this since it introduces the result of what the people had expressed in verses 1 and 2. King James Version uses the connector “Therefore” to show the logical relationship.

All the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron: This clause does not express a different encounter from the gathering referred to in verse 1. It is rather a continuation and elaboration of the scene already set in verses 1 and 2. So a literal rendering of this passage might give the reader or hearer a false impression. Contemporary English Version seeks to avoid a possible misunderstanding by translating the beginning of verse 1 as “Israel’s leaders met with David at Hebron.” But as was noted in the discussion on 1 Chr 11.1, the writer there refers to “all Israel” and not just to the leaders. A possible model might be to begin verse 3 with a temporal clause such as “When all the elders of Israel had come in this way to King David at Hebron.”

The elders of Israel were probably the male heads of clans or families and were the leaders of the people of Israel (compare Exo 3.16; Josh 7.6). Israelite society was structured along patriarchal family lines. The Hebrew noun for elders comes from another noun meaning “beard.” Old age is only one semantic component of the word elders. The notions of leadership and respect are also very important.

Instead of using only the title the king in the first clause of this verse and the proper name David in the next one, it may be better in some languages to say “King David” the first time and then use a pronoun (so Good News Translation).

And David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD: Made a covenant is literally “cut a covenant” (Knoppers), but a literal translation will not make sense in most other languages. A covenant is an agreement that two persons or groups of persons make in which both promise either to do or not to do certain things. In the ancient Near Eastern world of the Old Testament, animals were sacrificed and cut up as part of the covenant-making ceremony. From this comes the technical phrase “cut a covenant.” The purpose of this particular covenant is not stated. It may have been between God and the king with his subjects to be God’s people. Or it may have been an agreement that David would treat the people of Israel in the same manner that he treated the people of Judah. The Hebrew expression rendered with them may be translated “for them” (Johnstone), but the meaning of such a translation is not clear. Nearly all translations say “with them.” Before the LORD means that Yahweh was a witness to the solemn agreement that was made. This phrase may be expressed as “to call the Lord as witness” (Biblia Dios Habla Hoy; similarly Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Since God was a witness to the making of the covenant, Good News Translation renders this whole clause as “He made a sacred alliance.” It is also possible that the ark of the covenant was present in Hebron, which would mean that the Israelites believed the LORD was there (see the comments on 1 Chr 6.31).

And they anointed David king over Israel: Anointing consisted of pouring oil or rubbing ointment on a person’s head; it symbolized the coming of God’s spirit on the person who was seen as chosen by God (other references to anointing include Exo 28.41; 29.7; 2 Sam 2.4). Throughout the Old Testament kings are often called “the LORD’s anointed” (see, for example, 1 Sam 24.6, 10; 26.9). For this clause International Children’s Bible says “The leaders poured olive oil on David to appoint him king over Israel.”

According to the word of the LORD by Samuel: By Samuel is literally “by the hand of Samuel” (so Chouraqui). Samuel was the intermediary through whom the promise of Yahweh had come. Revised English Bible translates “through the lips of Samuel,” but many other English versions say simply “through Samuel” (New Century Version, New American Standard Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

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 .