The sons of Ulam were men who were mighty warriors, bowmen: Ulam was the oldest son of Eshek (verse 39). Mighty warriors has been rendered in a variety of ways by modern versions; for example, “able men” (Revised English Bible), “distinguished warriors” (An American Translation), “outstanding soldiers” (Good News Translation), and “brave warriors” (New International Version). Bowmen is literally “ones bending the bow.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says “armed with arrow and bow,” while Good News Translation and New Jerusalem Bible use simply “archers.” The Benjaminites were well known as archers (see, for example, 2 Sam 1.22; 1 Chr 12.2; 2 Chr 14.8). New Living Translation and An American Translation insert the word “expert” before the word “archers/bowmen.” Reina-Valera revisada says “skillful archers” (similarly Luther). New International Version has “who could handle the bow,” which also suggests that they were experts. Compare also “who could use a bow and arrow well” (International Children’s Bible) and “who were experts at using a bow and arrows” (Contemporary English Version). New American Bible combines mighty warriors and bowmen into the expression “combat archers.”

Having many sons and grandsons, one hundred and fifty: Grandsons is literally “sons’ sons” (so King James Version). Some modern versions render sons and grandsons as “children and grandchildren” (New Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh); but since the information in verses 39-40 probably comes from a military list, this phrase probably refers to male children and male grandchildren.

All these were Benjaminites: It is not clear how this sentence is connected to what precedes. Some translations include it with verse 40 as a separate paragraph (so Good News Translation), which seems to suggest that it refers only to the 150 descendants of Ulam. Other translations include it in a paragraph that includes verses 33-40 (so Revised English Bible). However, probably the best solution is to understand the last sentence as referring to all of chapter 8, in which case it should stand alone in a separate paragraph (so New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Nouvelle Bible Segond, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible).

A number of translations include all or the first half of 1 Chr 9.1 with this section (so New International Version, New Century Version, American Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Nueva Versión Internacional, La Sainte Bible: La version Etablie par les moines de Maredsous). Whether all or part of 9.1 is placed at the end of chapter 8 or at the beginning of chapter 9 is perhaps not very important since the meaning is not changed. But the decision about this does have consequences for the way in which 9.1 is connected to its context (see the comments on 9.1). If readers in the receptor language have access to a major language translation in English, French, or Spanish, they may wish to follow it here.

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 .