And for all the work to be done by craftsmen, gold for the things of gold and silver for the things of silver may be rendered simply “and for all the gold and silver objects that the skilled workers are to make” (similarly Good News Translation).

Who then will offer willingly, consecrating himself today to the LORD?: Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch introduces this question with “And now I ask you.” This question may be understood in three different ways:

• (1) It may mean “Now, who else is willing to contribute generously this day to the LORD?” (New American Bible). This refers to the giving of gold and silver for building the Temple.

• (2) Or it may mean “Who, then, is willing to devote himself to Yahweh’s service today?” (New Jerusalem Bible). This refers to devoting oneself to the LORD’s work.

• (3) Or, most likely, both meanings are in view as in New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, which says “Now who is going to make a freewill offering and devote himself today to the LORD?”

Seven of the fourteen occurrences of the form of the Hebrew verb rendered offer willingly are found in this chapter (verses 5, 6, 9, 14, 17). It focuses on the attitude of the donor who is in no way compelled to give. Freewill offerings were offerings not required by the Law but were given out of devotion to God (see Exo 25.2).

Consecrating himself is literally “to fill his hand.” The expression “to fill the hand” is used in the Old Testament for the installation of a priest into his office (see Exo 28.41; Lev 16.32; 21.10). The practice that led to the use of this expression is no longer known. An American Translation attempts to capture this sense of ordaining a priest by saying “Now who will make a voluntary offering today like one consecrating himself to the priesthood?” However, the meaning is not really clear in this translation. The sense here in 1 Chronicles is most likely that the person who offers a gift to God is also consecrating himself or herself to serve God. So the New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh translation is a good model.

Most versions take the first half of verse 5 with the preceding verse, as Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation have done. However, it is possible to understand the Hebrew as it is translated in Bible en français courant, which reads “And now, who among you will commit yourself willingly to consecrate to the Lord gold or silver, so that the craftsmen can make all the necessary objects of gold and silver?” (similarly La Bible de Jérusalem: Nouvelle édition revue et corrigée). The Bible en français courant rendering does not change the overall meaning, but it does give a slightly different focus to this verse since it is the people, and not David, who are to give the craftsmen the gold and silver that they need.

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 .