They helped David against the band of raiders: As the footnote in Good News Translation indicates, this clause may be translated two different ways, and versions are rather evenly divided. The Hebrew preposition translated against may also be rendered “over” as in Good News Translation, so the two possible interpretations are as follows:

• (1) If the preposition is translated against, then the clause means the soldiers from Manasseh helped David’s troops fight a group of raiders. Compare “They assisted David against the raiding bands” (Braun; similarly New International Version, New Living Translation, Revised English Bible, Reina-Valera revisada). American Bible says “They aided David against the marauders.” The band of raiders most likely refers to the Amalekites who burned Ziklag while David and his men were away (see 1 Sam 30).

• (2) If the preposition is translated “over,” then the sense is that the soldiers from the tribe of Manasseh helped David (as officers) over David’s own troops, referred to in verse 18 (so Contemporary English Version, New American Bible, Bible en français courant, Segond, Nouvelle Bible Segond, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, La Bible Pléiade, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

For they were all mighty men of valor: The transition word for (Good News Translation “because”) introduces the reason why the soldiers from Manasseh helped David, whichever meaning is understood. The status of these men as “good fighters” (Revised English Bible) explains why they were capable of leading David’s troops or why they were able to fight against the enemy troops.

And were commanders in the army: Good News Translation takes this clause to mean that these men eventually became leaders in the Israelite army and not that they had already attained this status when the defected to David. For this reason Good News Translation begins with “Later they were officers….” New Living Translation follows the same interpretation by saying “who became commanders in his army.”

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 .