King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold: In some languages it will be more fitting to say that Solomon had these shields made (so Bible en français courant) or that he caused workmen to make them. The verb made is not to be taken in its most literal sense.
The Hebrew noun rendered large shields refers to rectangular shields that protected the whole body of the warrior (see the comments on 1 Chr 12.8). It differs from the Hebrew noun for “shields” in verse 16, which Good News Translation renders “smaller shields” (similarly La Bible Pléiade). It is possible that the shields were made of gold, but more likely they were made of wood or some kind of metal and “covered” with gold (so Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).
The adjective beaten translates a Hebrew participle from the verb usually meaning “to slaughter.” In this context it is usually understood to mean “to beat”; that is, the gold was beaten or hammered into very thin sheets that covered the shields made of wood. Most modern versions are based on this understanding of the Hebrew verb and say “beaten gold” (Revised Standard Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy) or “covered with gold.” However, according to Holladay, the Hebrew verb should be understood in light of a similar verb in Arabic which means to mix wine with water. In this case the Hebrew verb will mean “mixed” or “alloyed,” that is, the gold was mixed with some other kind of metal. This understanding is followed in Bible en français courant, which says “gold alloy.”
Six hundred shekels of beaten gold went into each shield is literally “six hundred beaten gold….” The noun shekels is understood and is supplied in the Revised Standard Version translation here, as also in the next verse. When a unit of weight is left unnamed in Old Testament texts, it is normally the shekel. For shekels see the comments on 2 Chr 1.17. In pounds the equivalent of six hundred shekels is “about fifteen pounds” (Good News Translation). In kilograms the equivalent is about “six kilos” (Bible en français courant, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy) or “seven kilos” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Instead of adding the word shekels here, New International Version adds the word “bekas” (see the comments on the next verse for an explanation).
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 .