They came to Hilkiah the high priest: The pronoun They refers to the three men sent by Josiah. In some languages it will be better to render this pronoun as “These men” (New Century Version). The name Hilkiah is spelled “Hilkiyahu” in the Hebrew text throughout chapter 34. In the parallel passage in 2 Kgs 22, the name is spelled “Hilkiyahu” in verses 4, 8a, and 14, but in verses 8b, 10 and 12, it is spelled Hilkiah. A few very literal translations such as La Bible Pléiade maintain this distinction in translation, but nearly all other translations use the same form of the name in each of these verses. In order to avoid confusion for readers today, translators should choose one of the two spellings and be consistent. For the high priest, see the comments on “the chief priest” at 2 Chr 19.11. Languages differ as to whether it is more natural to give the name Hilkiah before the title the high priest, as in the Hebrew and many English versions, or after the title, as in New Jerusalem Bible and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh. Translators should ensure that the most natural order is used in the receptor language since there is no difference in meaning here.
And delivered the money that had been brought into the house of God …: The passive verb had been brought may be made active by making the people of Israel and Judah the subject of this verb since they are named in the last half of this verse as the donors.
The keepers of the threshold were Levites who were responsible for guarding the doorway into the Temple and ensuring that only authorized persons entered. They were apparently not mere doorkeepers, but high-ranking officials. Their specific duties are unknown today. They ranked just after the High Priest and his assistants in importance (see 2 Kgs 23.4; 25.18; Jer 52.24). According to 2 Kgs 25.18, there were three Levites who were given this task. This expression may be rendered “the Temple doorkeepers” or “who were on duty at the Temple entrance.”
From Manasseh and Ephraim and from all the remnant of Israel: From Manasseh is literally “from the hand of Manasseh,” but the meaning is adequately expressed by Revised Standard Version. Since Manasseh and Ephraim were tribes of the northern kingdom, they are included in the remnant of Israel. Therefore Good News Translation says “the rest of the Northern Kingdom.” However, Good News Translation does not quite express the sense of the word remnant. The reference is not simply to the rest of the northern kingdom in addition to Manasseh and Ephraim. Rather, the remnant refers to the rest of those who were “survivors” (Moffatt).
And from the inhabitants of Jerusalem: The reading in the Masoretic Text, which is followed by most versions, says “and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” The reading in the margin of the Masoretic Text says “and they returned to Jerusalem” (King James Version, Nouvelle Bible Segond). But this reading makes little sense in the context, unless it means that the Levites who had collected the money returned to Jerusalem.
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 .