For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel: This clause gives the reason why Judah was defeated by the Edomites and the Philistines. The Hebrew conjunction rendered For may be translated “Because.” La Bible du Semeur begins this verse with “That happened because….” The Hebrew verb rendered brought … low is the causative form of the verb meaning “to be humble” and may be translated “humbled” (New International Version, NASB) or “caused … to lose face.” Revised English Bible has “reduced … to submission.” As in verse 9, Judah refers to “the kingdom of Judah” (Parole de Vie).

Instead of Ahaz king of Israel, which is the Masoretic Text reading (also New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Nouvelle Bible Segond, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), other Hebrew manuscripts have “Ahaz king of Judah” (so Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, La Bible Pléiade). Bible en français courant and Parole de Vie avoid the textual problem by saying simply “King Ahaz.” The reference is clearly to King Ahaz of Judah, and perhaps the Masoretic Text contains an error here. But it is also possible that the writer deliberately said Ahaz king of Israel in order to suggest that Ahaz was no different from the kings of the northern kingdom of Israel, who had been unfaithful to God. Moreover, the writer of 2 Chronicles often speaks of Judah as the true Israel (see the comments on 2 Chr 21.2). Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament favors the Masoretic Text here with a {B} rating.

For he had dealt wantonly in Judah: Dealt wantonly translates a Hebrew verb whose basic meaning is “to let free.” In this context the verb means “to let waywardness develop” or “to let unchecked freedom have its way.” The basic meaning of this clause in Hebrew may be expressed by saying “for his actions in Judah had been unbridled” (Revised English Bible) or “for he had behaved without restraint in Judah” (New Revised Standard Version; similarly New Jerusalem Bible). It is also possible to understand the Hebrew to mean that Ahaz had let the people of Judah sin without restraint. New Living Translation, for example, says “for he had encouraged his people to sin,” and Dillard has “because he had encouraged wickedness in Judah.”

And had been faithless to the LORD is literally “and was unfaithful unfaithfulness….” The Hebrew text has an infinitive and noun from the same root. For these two words see the comments on 1 Chr 10.13. Chouraqui translates them as “had rebelled, rebelled” in an effort to show the emphasis of the Hebrew. Other possible translations are “acted very treacherously” (Complete Jewish Bible), “had been grossly unfaithful” (Revised English Bible), and “proved utterly faithless” (New American Bible).

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 .