To assist also with the showbread is literally “and for the bread of the row.” Revised Standard Version adds the implied verb phrase to assist, and Good News Translation adds “to be responsible for.” This verse continues the list of the Levites’ duties. In some languages it may be helpful to begin a new sentence at this point by saying “They must also…,” which repeats the idea of their duty shall be from the previous verse. Compare God’s Word “They were also responsible for….” The Hebrew text does not specify how the Levites were to help with the items mentioned here. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente gives some indication by beginning with “They prepared…” (similarly Bible en français courant).
For the showbread, see the comments on 1 Chr 9.32. Each Sabbath twelve loaves of fresh bread were placed in two rows on the golden table in the Holy Place of the Temple (see Lev 24.5-9). Other renderings for the showbread include “the rows of bread” (New Revised Standard Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), “the bread offered to God” (Good News Translation), “the sacred bread offered to God” (Bible en français courant), “the Bread of the Presence” (Revised English Bible), “the loaves of permanent offering” (New Jerusalem Bible), and “the bread set out on the table” (New International Version).
The flour for the cereal offering: The Hebrew noun translated flour refers to fine flour made from wheat (see the comments on 1 Chr 9.29, where it is rendered “fine flour”). For cereal offering, see the comments on 1 Chr 21.13. Other versions say “grain offering[s]” (New Revised Standard Version, New International Version) or “oblation” (New Jerusalem Bible). Bible en français courant introduces a verb here, saying “to prepare the flour intended for the vegetable offerings.”
The wafers of unleavened bread were thin crackers made without yeast (see Lev 2.4; 7.12). Good News Translation says “the wafers made without yeast” (similarly Nueva Versión Internacional). La Bible Pléiade takes the words that follow as describing two different ways in which the wafers of unleavened bread might be made, saying “the wafers of unleavened bread that were baked in a pan or mixed with oil.” According to Lev 2.4-7, grain offerings could be baked in an oven, on a griddle, or in a pan. The cakes baked on a griddle became crisp and could be broken into pieces. The cakes baked in a covered pan became soft.
The baked offering: The meaning of the Hebrew noun here is debated. The Hebrew noun elsewhere refers to a metal or clay baking tray or a flat griddle (Lev 2.5; 6.21; 7.9; Ezek 4.3). So some translations here say “the griddle” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Knoppers). But others understand it to refer here to the flat round crisp cake baked on this tray or griddle (so Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation). Other translations include “the pan-baked materials” (New Jerusalem Bible, American Bible) and “the griddle cakes” (Braun).
The offering mixed with oil (literally “the mixed”) refers to dough mixed with oil. This expression renders a Hebrew participle that occurs only here and in Lev 6.21 and 7.12. Some understand this word to mean “well soaked” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), meaning that the dough was fully prepared in boiling water. However, most understand it to mean “mixed.” Braun says “the mixed breads,” but this may incorrectly suggest to the reader that the bread consisted of different kinds of dough mixed together. Good News Translation says “the flour mixed with olive oil,” which is a good model.
New American Bible combines the baked offering and the offering mixed with oil as “the baking and mixing.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh also combines the two, saying “the cakes made on the griddle and soaked.” In light of the descriptions of grain offerings in Lev 2, it seems likely that the reference here is to baked offerings that had oil mixed in rather than to two separate kinds of offerings.
And all measures of quantity and size: The Levites were in charge of making sure that the required quantities were used in the preparations of the different kinds of offerings. The Hebrew nouns here refer respectively to measures of volume and measures of length. Contemporary English Version says “These Levites will weigh and measure these offerings” (similarly Good News Translation), but this translation fails to indicate that the Levites did more than simply weigh and measure offerings, they also were responsible for ensuring that the amounts were correct.
It is also possible to understand this final part of the verse as not referring to weighing and measuring the offerings but to maintaining the official standards of weights and measures used throughout Israel (see Lev 19.35). Such a task would correspond with the Levites’ role as being in charge of the Temple treasury (1 Chr 26.20). Bible en français courant expresses this sense by saying “and to control the measures of capacity and of length” (similarly New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). But in this context the reference is most likely to weighing and measuring the offerings, as the footnote on this verse in New Jerusalem Bible states, “The Levites were not to be inspectors of weights and measures as such, but to check that the offerings were of the quantity specified by the ritual.”
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 .