And Micaiah said: The verb said may be translated “replied” (New Living Translation) because of the context. But it may be replaced with a stronger verb such as “cried out” (La Bible du Semeur), “declared” (New International Version, Revised English Bible), or “exclaimed” (Good News Translation).

If you return in peace is literally “If to return you return in peace.” The Hebrew construction here is emphatic. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible keeps the emphasis by saying “If you truly return safe and sound.”

The LORD has not spoken by me may be rendered “it will mean the LORD has not spoken through me” (New Living Translation).

And he said means Micaiah continued speaking in the second half of this verse. In some languages the intrusion of these words may be considered superfluous (so New Century Version and God’s Word, which omit them), but because the prophet addresses a different audience, it is better to translate them. In order to show that Micaiah is talking to the entire group there, some may prefer to translate “Then he told the crowd.”

Hear, all you peoples!: These words of the prophet Micaiah are identical to the first words of the prophet Micah (see Micah 1.2). Many interpreters think that these words were added here in 2 Chronicles to the original Hebrew text by a scribe who incorrectly identified this Micaiah with the prophet Micah of Moresheth. (The two Hebrew names are different forms of the same name.) For this reason a number of modern versions omit the last sentence of this verse (so Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Moffatt) or place it within square brackets (so Osty-Trinquet). In the parallel passage of 1 Kgs 22.28, the Septuagint omits this sentence. However, here in 2 Chronicles the Septuagint omits only the Hebrew verb translated And he said. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament thinks that the Septuagint omitted this Hebrew verb since it seemed unnecessary, so Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives an {A} rating to the Masoretic Text.

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 .