Gold, silver, bronze, and iron: As noted in the comments on the previous verse, the words “without number” should probably be taken with the metals in this verse. Compare “while your gold and silver, bronze and iron will be beyond reckoning” (New Jerusalem Bible; similarly Traduction œcuménique de la Bible) and “gold, silver, copper, and iron without limit” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh; similarly Bible en français courant, La Bible du Semeur, El libro del Pueblo de Dios).

Arise and be doing!: The Hebrew verb for Arise does not mean that Solomon was sitting or lying down. When used with another verb, as here, it means “begin [to do something].” Other ways of expressing the meaning of this whole sentence are “Now begin the work” (New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New International Version), “Now get started” (Contemporary English Version), and “Set to work” (Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible).

The LORD be with you!: The pronoun you in Hebrew is singular and refers to Solomon. This wish on the part of David may be expressed in some languages as a kind of prayer; for example, Contemporary English Version has “I pray that the LORD will be with you in your work.”

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 .