Verse 1 functions as a heading for the list in verses 2-15, and not for the whole chapter. Since Good News Translation restructures verses 2-15, the information in those verses that there was a different commander for each month is brought forward to the end of verse 1. Rather than repeat the words twenty-four thousand in each verse, Good News Translation states it once only–in verse 1.

This is the list of the people of Israel is literally “And the children of Israel after their number.” Bible en français courant says “Here is a list of Israelites in the king’s service.”

The heads of fathers’ houses is literally “the heads of the fathers.” Nearly all translations supply the word houses, “families,” or something similar, as the context requires. For this whole phrase see the comments on 1 Chr 5.24.

The commanders of thousands and hundreds refers to military commanders (see the comments on 1 Chr 13.1). Other translations include “commanders of battalions and companies,” “commanders of regiments or companies” (Bible en français courant), “army commanders” (Contemporary English Version), and “generals and captains” (New Living Translation).

Their officers: The Hebrew word translated officers has a general meaning of “officials” or “administrators” (Bible en français courant). In this military context it may refer to the people with authority to muster troops. Some scholars think that the Hebrew word originally meant “scribe” or “record-keeper” (see the comments on 1 Chr 23.4) This is the basis for the renderings “scribes” (La Bible de Jérusalem: Nouvelle édition revue et corrigée, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), “clerks” (Revised English Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), and “secretaries” (Nouvelle Bible Segond).

The heads of fathers’ houses, the commanders of thousands and hundreds, and their officers are in apposition to the people of Israel. Revised English Bible makes this clear by saying “The number of the Israelites–that is to say, of the heads of families, the officers over units of a thousand and a hundred, and the clerks.”

Who served the king in all matters concerning the divisions that came and went, month after month throughout the year: Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje indicates that those who served the king were those “who gave military service in the kingdom.” The Hebrew does not state exactly what the purpose of the divisions here was. But they were almost certainly “military divisions” (La Bible du Semeur, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Nueva Versión Internacional, Reina-Valera revisada) or “army divisions” (New International Version). Came and went means these divisions came on duty and came off duty (compare 2 Chr 23.8). New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh expresses that came and went, month after month throughout the year as “who worked in monthly shifts during all the months of the year,” and New International Version says “that were on duty month by month throughout the year.” Knoppers translates this clause as “the rotating divisions, month by month throughout all the months of the year.” Revised English Bible also expresses the meaning clearly with “which took monthly turns of duty throughout the year.”

Each division numbering twenty-four thousand: Twelve divisions of 24,000 in each division gives a total of 288,000.

Bible en français courant may provide a helpful model for translating this verse:

• Here is a list of Israelites in the king’s service: heads of families, commanders of regiments or companies, and administrators. Their activity concerned the military divisions which, all year long, were in the service in rotation for one month. Each division had twenty-four thousand men.

Compare also International Children’s Bible:

• This is the list of the Israelite people who served the king in the army. Each division was on duty one month each year. There were leaders of families, commanders of 100 men, commanders of 1,000 men and other officers. Each division had 24,000 men.

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 .