The generous response of the people is similar to that at the time of Moses when the people willingly contributed for the building of the Tabernacle (see Exo 36.3-7).

And all the princes and all the people rejoiced: The Hebrew word for princes is better rendered “leaders” (Good News Translation, New Living Translation) or “officials” (New International Version, NET Bible) in this context (see the comments on 2 Chr 12.5). The Hebrew verb for rejoiced refers to an inner feeling of joy here, so it may be translated “were happy” (New Century Version) or “were overjoyed” (God’s Word).

And brought their tax and dropped it into the chest is literally “and brought and threw into the chest.” There is no explicit object for either verb in the Hebrew text. But where an object is required, it is clearly the tax contributions that are in view. In some languages the general term for “money” will be acceptable.

Until they had finished is literally “until to complete.” This clause may mean either (1) until everyone had made their contribution or (2) until the box was completely full. Revised Standard Version follows the first interpretation. Contemporary English Version seems to follow the same interpretation, but it leaves this clause implied. New Revised Standard Version follows the second interpretation by saying “until it was full” (similarly Revised English Bible, New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Moffatt, Knox). Good News Translation also adopts this interpretation by using the verb “filled.” This second way of interpreting the Hebrew is more likely correct in the context of the next verse, but either interpretation is possible.

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 .