The Hebrew text begins with the verbal transition that is sometimes rendered “And it came to pass” (King James Version) or “Now it came about” (NASB). But most modern versions express it by beginning a new paragraph.

At the end of twenty years …: Revised Standard Version follows the form of the Hebrew by making verses 1 and 2 a single sentence. Good News Translation has restructured and simplified the form in English, making two separate sentences.

Interpreters differ considerably with regard to the time relationship of the events expressed in verses 1-2. According to Revised Standard Version, Solomon took twenty years to build the Temple and his own palace and then after that he rebuilt the cities that King Hiram had given him (so also New Revised Standard Version, New Living Translation, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, Bible en français courant). International Children’s Bible follows this same interpretation very clearly by beginning verse 2 with the word “Then.”

Good News Translation is ambiguous since it is unclear in that translation whether Solomon also rebuilt the cities from Hiram within the twenty-year period or following it. The Hebrew text itself is not clear. A literal translation of verses 1-2 reads “And it was at the end of twenty years in which Solomon built the house of Yahweh and his house and the cities that Huram had given to Solomon; Solomon rebuilt them and settled there the children of Israel.”

Some versions take all of verses 1-2 within the twenty-year period. New Jerusalem Bible, for example, says “1 At the end of the twenty years which it took Solomon to build the Temple of Yahweh and his own palace, 2 and to rebuild the towns which Huram had given him and settle them with Israelites….”

At the beginning of this section Solomon may be rendered “King Solomon” (Nueva Versión Internacional). The name Solomon is repeated fourteen times in this brief chapter. Translators will use pronouns in place of the proper name whenever it is more natural to do so in their languages. But they may also use the proper name in the place of pronouns in certain cases.

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 .