So renders the common Hebrew conjunction as a logical connector. But many versions do not translate this conjunction here (so Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).
His servants took him out of the chariot and carried him in his second chariot …: For chariot see the comments on 1 Chr 18.4 and 2 Chr 1.14. Moffatt renders his second chariot as “his reserve chariot” (similarly New Jerusalem Bible). This second chariot was probably larger and better suited for a retreat carrying a wounded passenger, while the first would have been smaller with room for only one person actively engaged in fighting. The Hebrew word rendered second may also be understood as referring to King Josiah’s officer who was “second-in-command,” rather than to his second chariot. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, for example, renders his second chariot as “the wagon of his second-in-command,” and Revised English Bible says “his viceroy’s chariot.”
And he died, and was buried in the tombs of his fathers: The passive verb was buried may be made active by saying “they [indefinite] buried him” or “his people buried him.” The tombs of his fathers may be rendered “the tombs of his ancestors” (God’s Word) or simply “the royal tombs” (Good News Translation).
All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah: See Jer 22.10. All Judah and Jerusalem may be rendered “All the people of Jerusalem and the rest of Judah.”
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 .
