For many readers the presentation of the names of the Edomite kings in the form of a list in verses 43-50 as in Good News Translation will be easier to read and understand than the presentation in paragraph form as in Revised Standard Version. Translators need to consider what form will be most effective in their own language. By adding the words “one after the other,” Good News Translation (and Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje) also attempts to make it clear from the beginning that the following list is in the order of the chronological appearance of these kings.

These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the Israelites means Edom had kings ruling over the inhabitants of that land before Israel had kings ruling over the Israelites. Most translations express this meaning clearly, but New American Bible says “The kings who reigned in the land of Edom before they had Israelite kings were the following,” which means the Edomites had their own kings before Israelite kings ruled over them. Some translations give this alternative interpretation in a footnote (so New International Version, New Living Translation). The Israelites is literally “the sons of Israel,” which may be rendered “the people of Israel.”

Dinhabah (verse 43) may have been Bela’s place of birth, but more likely it refers to the area of his rule.

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 .