A literal translation of the Hebrew in verses 3 and 4, as in Revised Standard Version, will probably be misleading. Verse 4 in Revised Standard Version appears to state that both the priests and the Levites carried the ark, the tent of meeting, and the holy vessels. Good News Translation clearly expresses the correct sense: the priests alone carried the ark, and the Levites helped the priests carry the tent and the vessels. Contemporary English Version combines verses 3-4 and incorrectly implies that the Levites helped carry everything, including the ark. It says “Then the priests and the Levites carried to the temple the sacred chest, the sacred tent, and the objects used for worship.” Good News Translation is a better model here than either Revised Standard Version or Contemporary English Version for expressing the correct meaning.

There is a textual problem here. The Septuagint omits the words And they brought up the ark of the LORD at the beginning of this verse and also omits the words the priests and the Levites brought them up at the end of the verse. New Jerusalem Bible follows the Septuagint and renders the end of verse 3 and all of verse 4 as follows: “the priests took up the ark and the Tent of Meeting and all the sacred utensils which were in the Tent.” Translators should follow the Masoretic Text here, as in Good News Translation.

The Hebrew verb rendered brought up indicates that the ark and the other items were “transported” or “carried” (Contemporary English Version, Revised English Bible) from one place to another. The movement in an upward direction is not important to the story and may be omitted if its inclusion would be unnatural in the receptor language.

The tent of meeting: See the comments on 1 Kgs 1.39.

All the holy vessels: This included the table for the bread offered to God (Exo 25.23-31), the lampstand (Exo 25.31-40), and other objects such as pots and bowls. For holy see 1 Kgs 6.16; for vessels see 1 Kgs 7.51.

Levites: This term is very rarely used in the books of 1-2 Samuel and 1–2 Kings, although it occurs more than ninety times in 1-2 Chronicles. It is debated whether Levitical priests were functioning at this time in the history of Israel. Perhaps this detail was inserted here by a later writer, but this is a part of the text and must be translated. A glossary entry on this word will be essential. The only other place in the books of 1–2 Kings where the term is used is in 1 Kgs 12.31. Both the priests and the Levites were descendants of Levi. The Levites included all of the Temple personnel who were not priests.

Brought them up: Here the Hebrew leaves implicit the destination, that is, “to the Temple” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). Some languages will require a specific statement like this. Note that New Living Translation makes this explicit already in verse 1.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .