Tomorrow go down against them may be rendered “Tomorrow march down against them” (New International Version, NET Bible). The downward direction is significant here since the enemy army would be coming up a mountain pass.

Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz: The Hebrew particle rendered behold directs the attention of King Jehoshaphat and his people toward the new information that the enemy army would be climbing the narrow mountain pass at Ziz, so it would be vulnerable to attack. The ascent of Ziz, which was located in the region of Tekoa (verse 20) about 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) south of Jerusalem, was a road that went up more than 325 meters (1,065 feet) from Engedi in the direction of Jerusalem over the distance of more than 1,600 meters (5,250 feet), but only about 800 meters (2,625 feet) “as the crow flies.” This road taken by the enemy troops was steep and difficult, but it was the shortest route from Moab to Judah. La Bible du Semeur, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, and La Bible Pléiade speak of “the mountain of the Flower” since the Hebrew word Ziz means “flower” or “blossom.” Bible en français courant and Parole de Vie are similar with “the slope of Flowers.” The term Ziz is sometimes transliterated with the Hebrew definite article on it as “Haziz” (Moffatt) or “Hassis” (Anchor Bible). The ascent of Ziz has often been identified with the Wadi Hasasah, but this identification is no longer widely accepted.

You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel: This clause does not mean that the enemy army was lost, but rather that the place mentioned here would be the point at which the two armies would meet. So it may be better to translate find them as “meet them” (Contemporary English Version) or “encounter them” (Bible en français courant). Jeruel was an area of the Judean wilderness. It was on the west shore of the Dead Sea, north of Engedi and south of Tekoa. The Hebrew term for wilderness refers to an uninviting area where people prefer not to live (see the comments on 1 Chr 12.8). It is frequently translated “desert” (Contemporary English Version, New International Version, New Century Version, God’s Word, La Bible du Semeur, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy).

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 .