He set up the pillars in front of the temple: The subject of the verb here is still Solomon, which International Children’s Bible makes clear by using his name instead of the pronoun He. He set up the pillars may be rendered “He had the columns set up” or “He caused the workmen to set up the columns.” Temple translates the Hebrew word hekal (so Bible de Jérusalem), which refers to the main room, in front of the Most Holy Place. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh translates this whole clause as “He erected the columns in front of the Great Hall.” This is a literal translation of the Hebrew, but it may confuse the reader today by giving the false impression that the pillars stood between the vestibule (verse 4) and the main room (verses 5-6). Since the pillars stood in front of the vestibule, it will probably be better to say that they were set up in front of the temple or “at the sides of the Temple entrance” (Good News Translation).

One on the south, the other on the north is more literally “one on the right and one on the left” (similarly Moffatt, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). The front of the Temple faced east. When the rising sun is the place of orientation, the south is to the person’s right hand and the north is on his left. In a number of languages the use of “the right hand” for south and “the left hand” for north will be quite natural and should be used here.

That on the south he called Jachin, and that on the north Boaz: The verb called is to be understood in the sense of giving names to the two columns. It is for this reason that a variety of modern versions say “named” (New International Version, Revised English Bible). Some use the passive verb “was called” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “was named” (Good News Translation), but this will not be helpful for languages where the passive is unnatural or non-existent. The subject of this verb is Solomon.

The names Jachin and Boaz have meaning in Hebrew. Jachin means “he [Yahweh] will establish,” and Boaz means “strength is in him [Yahweh].” Readers need to know the significance of the names Jachin and Boaz to understand fully the meaning of this text. There are various ways to do so as follows:

• (1) Transliterate the Hebrew names in the text and explain the meanings in footnotes (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New International Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible).

• (2) Place the meaning within parentheses or square brackets in the text following the transliterated Hebrew names (so God’s Word, La Bible du Semeur, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Menge).

• (3) Transliterate the Hebrew names in the text, and then explain the meaning in the text. Bible en français courant, for example, has “that on the right was called Jachin—which means ‘God establishes,’ and that on the left Boaz—‘In God is strength.’ ”

• (4) Leave out the Hebrew name altogether and place only the translated meaning in the text, without any footnote. Peregrino, for example, says “The one on the right was called ‘Firm’ and the one on the left ‘Strong.’ ” Similarly, New Century Version translates “He named the south pillar He Establishes. And he named the north pillar In Him Is Strength.”

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 .