If my people …: This verse is a conditional sentence in which there are four separate requirements for God’s people: humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways. In some languages the word if will have to be repeated for each of these conditions.
Who are called by my name describes my people more fully. This passive clause may be expressed actively by saying “who bear my name” or “who belong to me” ( NET Bible). Revised English Bible makes it clear that the implied agent is God himself: “whom I have named my own.”
Humble themselves means they acknowledge their wrongdoing and repent. New Century Version says “are sorry for what they have done,” and Good News Translation has simply “repent.”
Seek my face may be rendered “seek me” (Revised English Bible), “turn back to me” (Contemporary English Version), or “obey me” (New Century Version). See the comments on 1 Chr 16.11.
Turn from their wicked ways may be translated “turn away from the evil they have been doing” (Good News Translation) or simply “stop sinning” (Contemporary English Version).
Then I will hear from heaven: From his position in heaven God will hear the prayers of his people. Possible models for this clause are “I will hear them from heaven” (New Century Version) and “then I will hear their prayers from heaven” (similarly God’s Word).
And will forgive their sin: The Hebrew term for sin is singular but collective in meaning. For this reason some versions say “sins” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, Moffatt).
And heal their land means God will restore the land of Israel to its former productivity. The use of the verb heal with land as the object may present problems in some languages. Bible en français courant has “and I will reestablish the prosperity of their land,” and Contemporary English Version translates “and make their land fertile once again.”
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 .