After these things and these acts of faithfulness: These things is a very general reference to the events recorded in the previous chapters. The Hebrew expression rendered After these things occurs frequently in the Old Testament to refer to events that have already been told earlier in the narrative. But this phrase is joined here to a more specific allusion to the faithful actions of King Hezekiah (these acts of faithfulness). It is probably better to keep the two phrases separate by the conjunction and since the writer had two somewhat different things in mind. These acts of faithfulness refer to the religious reforms of Hezekiah and the celebration of Passover (chapters 29–31). Revised English Bible speaks of “this example of loyal conduct.” It may be helpful in other languages to make it clear that it was primarily the faithfulness or loyalty of King Hezekiah that the author has in mind here. New International Version does so by speaking of “all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done.” The addition of the words and these acts of faithfulness prepare the reader for the failure of Sennacherib since the author repeatedly shows that faithfulness to God results in victory and success.

Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah: Sennacherib was king of Assyria from 705 to 681 B.C. His invasion of Judah probably occurred in 701 B.C. He is mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament in 2 Kgs 18.13–19.37 and Isa 36–37. Because the biblical accounts regarding Sennacherib’s invasion of Judah are so different from the account in the ancient Assyrian sources, some interpreters think that Sennacherib invaded Judah twice: once in 701 B.C. and again in 688–681 B.C. The text refers to Sennacherib alone, but he is clearly representative of the entire Assyrian army since he did not invade Judah alone. In some languages it may be necessary to transform the singular Hebrew verbs in this verse to plurals, referring to the invading army. The two verbs came and invaded translate the same verb in Hebrew (meaning “to come”) and may be translated by a single verb since the idea of coming is included in the English verb invaded (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation). Dillard says “Sennacherib … came into Judah,” translating literally and leaving implied that this was an invasion.

And encamped against the fortified cities: The root meaning of the Hebrew verb rendered encamped is “to set up a tent,” but the idea here is that of a whole army setting up temporary residence around cities in order to conquer them and eventually take control of them. Several translations use the technical military expression “besieged” (Good News Translation, New American Bible, An American Translation) or “laid siege” (New Jerusalem Bible, Anchor Bible). For fortified cities, see the comments on 2 Chr 17.2. The Hebrew word translated fortified has the sense of something inaccessible. The high walls around the cities made them inaccessible.

Thinking to win them for himself is literally “and he said to break through/into them for himself.” The intent of Sennacherib and his invading army was to conquer the fortified cities of Judah. The root meaning of the Hebrew verb rendered win is “to break through.” The same verb is used in 1 Chr 11.18, where it is translated “broke through” (see the comments there). Jewish Publication Version and Dillard use the verb “breach” with the walls of the cities in view. Good News Translation makes this explicit by rendering the whole clause as “and gave orders for his army to break their way through the walls.” Revised English Bible says “believing that he could gain entry and secure them for himself,” and An American Translation has simply “and expected to take them.”

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 .