From spoil won in battles is literally “From the wars and from the spoil.” This is an example of hendiadys and means “from the war spoils” (Knoppers). Revised Standard Version has correctly understood it as spoil gained during wars. If the receptor language does not have a technical word such as spoil, “booty” or “loot,” a general expression such as “things taken from enemies in war” (Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje) may be used. See the comments on 1 Chr 20.2.

They dedicated gifts for the maintenance of the house of the LORD: Some of the booty taken in battle was given for the upkeep of the Temple. The pronoun they refers to the army leaders, not to Shelomoth and his relatives. The words for the maintenance translate a Hebrew infinitive. The root of this verb means “to be strong” or “to make strong.” In the form used here the verb usually means “to fortify” or “to repair.” Good News Translation does not preserve this specific sense by rendering the end of this verse as “for use in the Temple.” New International Version more accurately says “for the repair of the temple of the LORD.” But since the Temple had not yet been built at this point, the word maintenance fits the context better. Other translations include “for the upkeep of the house of the LORD” (Revised English Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible; similarly Segond), “to maintain the House of the LORD” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), and “for the enhancement of the house of the LORD” (New American Bible).

For this whole verse Bible en français courant has “These men had consecrated to God a part of the spoil taken in wars, with the purpose of maintaining the temple of the Lord.”

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 .