They delivered it to the workmen …: The Hebrew verb rendered delivered is plural, apparently referring to Shaphan and his companions (verse 8), perhaps along with Hilkiah (verse 9). Good News Translation uses a passive verb here, but in those languages where this is not feasible, it may be necessary to make the subject explicit. New Century Version says “Then the Levites gave it…,” but this is not likely the intended meaning. A better translation is “Then the royal delegation gave the money…” or “Then those whom the king had sent….”

To the workmen is literally “into the hand of the one doing the work.” In some languages it will be perfectly normal to translate this literally, retaining the word “hand”; but in many others it will be more natural to speak simply of giving the money “to the workmen.” The Hebrew is singular here, saying “the one doing the work.” Revised Standard Version and many other versions follow the parallel text in 2 Kgs 22.5, which has the plural. Good News Translation says there were “three” of them, but this number should not be added.

There may be some confusion about the relationships between the different groups mentioned in verses 10 and 11. The identity of the workmen who had the oversight of the house of the LORD and the workmen who were working in the house of the LORD, mentioned in this verse, and “the keepers of the threshold” in the previous verse, should also be examined carefully. These seem to be three different classes or groups in a hierarchical structure. The Temple doorkeepers (verse 9) were a separate group and were not directly involved in the Temple reconstruction. Those involved in the reconstruction were divided into those who supervised the work and those who actually did the work. The money was given first to the overseers who in turn divided it up among the workers according to the needs of each group as outlined in the following verse. New Living Translation calls the two groups in this verse “the men assigned to supervise the restoration of the LORD’s Temple” and “the workers who did the repairs and renovation of the Temple.”

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 .