Then the Levites arose: While the Levites were in the open square east of the Temple (verse 4), they may have sat down. But since the Hebrew verb rendered arose is often used to indicate the beginning of action, here it may be translated “set to work” (Revised English Bible) or “started to work” (New Century Version, God’s Word). For this whole clause NET Bible has “The following Levites prepared to carry out the king’s orders.”

The words of the sons of in verses 12-14 refer to members of clans (so Good News Translation, Parole de Vie). As the format in Good News Translation makes clear, these three verses list Levites from seven different clans. There were two Levites from each of the clans of Kohath (see 1 Chr 6.18), Merari (1 Chr 6.19, 29-30), and Gershon (see 1 Chr 6.20-21). There were also two from the clan of Eli-zaphan, who was a descendant of Kohath (see the comments 1 Chr 6.18), and two from each division of the singers: Asaph (see 1 Chr 6.39), Heman (see 1 Chr 15.17), and Jeduthun (see 1 Chr 16.41).

Several of the Hebrew names in these verses have longer forms that are not represented in most versions. Translators should render these names according to the decisions they have made regarding the transliteration of Hebrew names into the receptor language.

Azariah (verse 12): A more exact transliteration here is “Azaryahu” (Bible de Jérusalem, La Bible Pléiade).

Jeuel (verse 13) is the form of the name in the Masoretic Text. However, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh follows the corrected form in the margin of the Masoretic Text, which is “Jeiel.”

Zechariah (verse 13): A more exact transliteration here is “Zecharyahu” (Bible de Jérusalem).

Mattaniah (verse 13): A more exact transliteration here is “Mattanyahu” (Bible de Jérusalem, La Bible Pléiade).

Jehuel (verse 14) is the form of the name in the Masoretic Text. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and La Bible Pléiade follow the corrected form in the margin of the Masoretic Text, which is “Jehiel.”

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 .