Now after this Nahash the king of the Ammonites died: Now after this is literally “And it was after this” (compare 1 Chr 18.1). The passage of a rather important period of time is indicated here in a number of modern versions; for example, New International Version has “In the course of time,” and New Revised Standard Version says “Some time afterward.” Nahash first appears in the Old Testament in 1 Sam 11.1. The Ammonites is literally “the sons/children of Ammon” (so King James Version) here and throughout this chapter. This expression clearly refers to an ethnic group consisting of those who descended from a man named Ammon.

And his son reigned in his stead: His son was Hanun. He is named in verse 2 in the Masoretic Text, but this information may be placed here in verse 1 for reasons of clarity in translation (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation, Parole de Vie). Hanun had at least one brother; and this brother, named Shobi, appears in 2 Sam 17.27. Some Hebrew manuscripts and some of the ancient versions have the name of Nahash’s son here in verse 1. Some interpreters think that the name “Hanun” was originally in the Hebrew text and then was accidentally omitted by a scribe (so Knoppers, who includes the name in his translation). The expression reigned in his stead is a very common one to describe the orderly progression from one king to the next. It occurs in Gen 36.33-39 and very frequently in 1–2 Kings and 1–2 Chronicles (see, for example, 1 Kgs 11.43; 2 Kgs 8.24; 1 Chr 1.44). In some languages there will be a special term for the succession of a chief. In others it will be necessary to use a more general expression such as “took his place,” “began to rule from his throne” or “followed him as king.”

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 .