O LORD God, let thy promise to David my father be now fulfilled: In the Hebrew text this verse begins with the word rendered now, which is not translated by Good News Translation but is included in most modern versions (so New International Version, Revised English Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Naturalness in the receptor language will determine whether such a transition word is needed here. The vocative O does not reflect a special word in Hebrew. Therefore translators should not attempt to imitate this form in their own languages unless it is clearly accepted as a natural way of beginning a prayer to God. Thy promise is literally “your word.” But the idea of a commitment or promise is certainly implied. God’s promise to David is recorded in 2 Sam 7.12-16. The Hebrew verb translated be … fulfilled has the basic meaning of “to be firm” or “to be permanent.” Osty-Trinquet uses the expression “be verified.” Most interpreters understand the form of the Hebrew verb here to be a way of expressing the will or desire of the speaker as in Revised Standard Version. This passive expression will have to be made active in many languages. One possible model is to use an imperative form of the verb “fulfill” as in Good News Translation, but in some languages such a form may be considered rude or discourteous unless a word such as “please” is also added. La Bible du Semeur, for example, translates this clause as “Now, Eternal God, please keep the promise that you made to my father David.” However, other interpreters take the Hebrew verb form here not as expressing a desire or a request, but a statement of fact. New Jerusalem Bible, for example, says “Yahweh God, the promise you made to David my father has now been fulfilled” (similarly Bible de Jérusalem).

For thou has made me a king over a people: The Hebrew conjunction translated for functions as a logical connector here, so other possible renderings are “since” (New Jerusalem Bible) and “because.” The Hebrew pronoun rendered thou is an independent pronoun, so it is slightly emphatic. This emphasis is not expressed in Revised Standard Version or Good News Translation. A better rendering for this clause is “for it is you who has made me to rule over a people” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible; similarly Nouvelle Bible Segond).

As many as the dust of the earth: See Gen 13.16; 28.14. The comparison of the people of Israel with the dust of the earth highlights the size of the population over which Solomon would rule. Since dust is not usually thought of as something that can be counted, some versions speak of “specks of dust” (Contemporary English Version, God’s Word) or “grains of dust” (Nouvelle Bible Segond, La Bible du Semeur). In some languages the dust of the earth may have to be rendered “the grains of sand on the seashore” for naturalness.

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 .