Do not now be stiff-necked as your fathers were: Be stiff-necked is literally “make hard your neck.” This idiomatic expression is fairly common in the book of Exodus (32.9; 33.3, 5; 34.9) and is also used in Acts 7.51. It is a way of saying that these people were “stubborn” (Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible, Moffatt), “obstinate” (New American Bible), or “rebels” (Bible en français courant).

But yield yourselves to the LORD is literally “give a hand to the LORD” (Nouvelle version Segond révisée, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), which is an idiom that refers to the opposite of stubbornness. New American Bible keeps the Hebrew idiom by saying “extend your hands to the LORD.” God’s Word is similar with “Reach out for the LORD.” Possible nonfigurative renderings are “obey the LORD” (Good News Translation; similarly New Century Version), “surrender to the Lord” (Knox), and “submit yourselves to the LORD” (New Living Translation, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

And come to his sanctuary: His sanctuary is the Temple (see the comments on 1 Chr 22.19). Good News Translation says “the Temple in Jerusalem.”

Which he has sanctified for ever: God set aside the Temple as a special place of worship forever. See the comments on 2 Chr 7.16, where the Hebrew verb for sanctified is rendered “consecrated.”

And serve the LORD your God may be rendered “and worship the LORD your God” (similarly Good News Translation, New Living Translation).

That his fierce anger may turn away from you: See the comments on 2 Chr 29.10. It will be more natural in some languages to say “so that he will not be so very angry with you any more.”

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 .