And King Uzziah was a leper to the day of his death: The translation of this clause should not give the impression that Uzziah was healed on the day that he died. Rather, he had the disease when he died. In some languages it will be more natural to say “King Uzziah continued to have the skin disease for the rest of his life” or “The skin disease remained with King Uzziah in his death.”

And being a leper dwelt in a separate house: The words being a leper may be considered redundant in some languages and need not be translated since the text has already said that Uzziah was a leper. A person with a skin disease was considered to be “ritually unclean,” as Good News Translation makes explicit. A separate house is literally “a house of freedom/separateness.” This expression has two possible meanings: (1) “a house where he was free from responsibilities” or (2) “a house set apart from other dwellings.” New English Bible and Revised English Bible follow the first interpretation by saying “relieved of all duties.” Like Revised Standard Version, most other versions follow the second interpretation; for example, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “isolated quarters,” and New Jerusalem Bible has “confined to his room.” Good News Translation seems to combine the two interpretations, but this is not recommended. Lev 13.46 suggests that the idea of living apart from other people is probably the correct interpretation. On the basis of a similar phrase in Ugaritic, some interpreters understand the “house of freedom/separateness” as referring to the underworld. If this interpretation is followed, then the sense is that Uzziah died.

For he was excluded from the house of the LORD: Uzziah also could not enter the Temple because of his skin disease. The Hebrew conjunction rendered for is better translated “and” (New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible) in this context.

And Jotham his son was over the king’s household, governing the people of the land: Was over the king’s household and governing the people of the land express two different ideas. The first phrase involves Jotham’s relationship with his immediate family and the governing of the palace, while the second phrase concerns the entire nation of Judah. Moffatt says that Jotham “managed the royal household, and ruled the nation.” Other ways of translating the first phrase include “was master of the palace” (New Jerusalem Bible), “was regent of the palace” (New American Bible), and “was in charge of the palace” (New Century Version).

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 .