Certain chiefs also of the men of Ephraim …: Since these leaders are listed by name later in the verse, Good News Translation introduces them as “Four of the leading men of the Northern Kingdom…,” and Contemporary English Version is similar with “four of Israel’s leaders….” Regarding the meaning of Ephraim in this context, see the comments on 2Chr 28.7. New Living Translation has “Israel,” with a footnote explaining that the text says literally “Ephraim.”

Revised Standard Version follows the form of the Hebrew by inserting the names of the four men and their fathers in the middle of this verse. Some translations restructure here by placing the names at the end of the verse (so Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

Several of the Hebrew names in this verse have a longer form than that found in Revised Standard Version and most English versions. Azariah is “Azaryahu” (Bible de Jérusalem, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, La Bible Pléiade); Johanan is “Jehohanan” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible de Jérusalem); Berechiah is “Berechyahu” (Bible de Jérusalem, La Bible Pléiade); and Jehizkiah is “Jehizkiyahu” (so Bible de Jérusalem, La Bible Pléiade). Some scholars think that the name Jehizkiah is a corrupted form of the name “Hezekiah” (so Revised English Bible). If translators have consistently transliterated the longer forms of names in Hebrew when such forms occur, they should do so here also.

Stood up against those who were coming from the war means they confronted the returning Israelite soldiers. Stood up against may be rendered “confronted” (New International Version, New Living Translation), “opposed” (La Bible du Semeur), or “took sides against” (Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie).

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 .