As noted in the footnote of Bible en français courant, the Hebrew text of verses 15-19 is often difficult to understand.

Eden … were faithfully assisting him in the cities of the priests: As in verse 13, Good News Translation indicates that the men named in this verse were “Levites.” As in verse 13, were … assisting him is literally “under his hand.” For this reason New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh begins this verse “Under him were…,” and NASB says “And under his authority were….” Anchor Bible translates “Supporting him … were….”

For the Hebrew noun rendered faithfully, see the comments on verse 12. According to the punctuation of this verse in the Masoretic Text, the word faithfully goes with the first part of the verse. However, New American Bible and Moffatt place this word with the verb distribute. Several other versions also follow this second interpretation (so God’s Word, Nouvelle version Segond révisée, Nouvelle Bible Segond, La Bible du Semeur, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible).

The cities of the priests are also called Levitical cities (see Num 35.1-8; Josh 21.1-42). These cities were where the Levites lived when they were not on duty at the Temple in Jerusalem.

To distribute the portions to their brethren, old and young alike, by divisions: Their brethren refers to the fellow Levites of those in charge of the distribution of the food. New International Version has “their fellow priests,” but the reference here is to the Levites and not the priests. Old and young alike is literally “according to the great according to the small” (similarly NASB). Some interpreters understand this phrase to refer to both old and young people. Revised English Bible follows this interpretation but reverses the order into natural English, saying “young and old alike.” Others take this phrase to mean “high and low alike” in terms of social class (so the alternative translation in Revised English Bible). La Bible du Semeur speaks of “those of high rank and those of lesser rank.” And adopting the same meaning, La Bible de Jérusalem: Nouvelle édition revue et corrigée says “whether great or small.” Regardless of the exact sense of the Hebrew, the general sense seems to be that all Levites received their portions of food regardless of age, status, or importance. Good News Translation uses the general word “equally” to cover all categories.

For by divisions, see the comments on 2Chr 31.2. New American Bible says “according to their classes,” and Good News Translation has “according to what their duties were.”

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 .