And the plan seemed right to the king and all the assembly: King Hezekiah and all his subjects were happy about what they had decided. Plan translates a Hebrew noun that is often rendered “word,” “matter,” or “thing.” Here it may be translated “proposal” (Revised English Bible, New American Bible) or “arrangement” (New Jerusalem Bible). The Hebrew verb rendered seemed right comes from a root that means “to be straight” or “to be right.” Other translations here include “pleased” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), “had been approved” (New American Bible), and “seemed fitting” (New Jerusalem Bible). To the king and all the assembly is literally “in the eyes of the king and in the eyes of all the assembly.” All the assembly may be translated “all the people who had gathered.” In many languages it will sound more natural to make the king and all the assembly the subject of this sentence rather than following the structure of the Hebrew; for example, God’s Word says “The king and the whole assembly considered their plan to be the right thing to do” (similarly Good News Translation).

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 .