So renders the common Hebrew conjunction as a logical connector. Since the words that follow constitute a summary statement to this section, this kind of connector is quite appropriate.

Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David: For Israel see the comments on 2Chr 10.1. The separate kingdoms of Israel and Judah did not exist yet at the time of the events narrated in verse 1, so Good News Translation translated Israel there as “northern Israel.” But now that the separate kingdoms exist, Good News Translation correctly says “the northern kingdom of Israel” here (similarly New Living Translation, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Contemporary English Version provides a different model by rendering this whole clause as “the people of Israel have been opposed to David’s descendants in Judah.”

Has been in rebellion translates a single verb in Hebrew, which means “to break with.” It will be better translated in some languages as “has been rebelling.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh translates “has been in revolt,” while Bible en français courant says “has rejected the authority of.”

The house of David refers to the descendants of David. A literal translation is not recommended (see the model below).

For to this day, see the comments on 1 Chr 4.41. In this context the phrase may be rendered “from that time until now.”

New Living Translation provides a good model for expressing the meaning of this verse, saying:

• The northern tribes of Israel have refused to be ruled by a descendant of David to this day.

As noted in the comments on verse 15, Contemporary English Version restructures verses 15-19 to put the events in chronological order. For these five verses Contemporary English Version has:

• When the people realized that Rehoboam would not listen to them, they shouted: “We don’t have to be loyal to David’s family. We can do what we want. Come on, people of Israel, let’s go home! Rehoboam can rule his own people.”
Adoniram was in charge of the work force, and Rehoboam sent him to talk to the people. But they stoned him to death. Then Rehoboam ran to his chariot and hurried back to Jerusalem.
Everyone from Israel’s northern tribes went home, leaving Rehoboam to rule only the people from Judah. And since that day, the people of Israel have been opposed to David’s descendants in Judah. All of this happened just as Ahijah the LORD’s prophet from Shiloh had told Jeroboam.

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 .

In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam Abijah began to reign over Judah: As happens frequently in the books of 1-2 Kings, here the beginning of the reign of the king of Judah is dated by the number of the year of the king of Israel. It was after Jeroboam had ruled over Israel for eighteen years that Abijah started to rule over Judah, which was around 913 B.C. This means that Abijah became king of Judah eighteen years after the northern kingdom separated from the southern kingdom. Since this is the beginning of a new chapter and a new section, some translations identify Jeroboam more completely as the king of Israel (so Good News Translation). Began to reign is literally “reigned.” Revised Standard Version supplies the verb began, which is appropriate in this context. Another acceptable rendering is “became king” (Good News Translation, La Bible du Semeur).

It may be more natural in some languages to change the order of information given in this verse; for example, New Century Version has “Abijah became the king of Judah during the eighteenth year Jeroboam was king of Israel.” Another possible model is:

• Abijah began to rule over Judah in the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign.

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 .

And Asa cried to the LORD his God …: Since Asa’s cry to the LORD consisted of a prayer, Good News Translation says “prayed” (also New American Bible) instead of cried. The use of the archaic English pronouns thee and thou in this prayer to God is in keeping with the convention followed by Revised Standard Version, but in Hebrew there are no special pronouns to use with God, so it will be better to use the ordinary pronouns as New Revised Standard Version has done. Also, the vocative O, which occurs three times in Revised Standard Version, does not reflect a special form in the original text and does not need to be imitated in the receptor language unless it is a natural form in such a context.

There is none like thee to help, between the mighty and the weak: New Revised Standard Version is a clear improvement over Revised Standard Version in expressing the meaning of the Hebrew here by saying “there is no difference for you between helping the mighty and the weak.” In this context, where the army of Judah is about half the size of the Cushite army, Good News Translation correctly says “you can help a weak army as easily as a powerful one.” Compare also “no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty!” (New Living Translation) and “only you can help a powerless army defeat a stronger one” (Contemporary English Version).

Help us … for we rely on thee: The Hebrew verb rendered rely may be understood to mean “to support oneself on.” But in this context it is used metaphorically, so we rely on thee may be rendered “we depend on you” (Contemporary English Version, New Century Version) or “we trust in you” (New Living Translation).

And in thy name we have come against this multitude: Thy name refers to God himself. The Hebrew noun rendered multitude can have a variety of meanings, including “agitation,” “turmoil,” “noise,” and “multitude.” In this context it may be rendered “huge army” (Good News Translation, NET Bible) or “immense army” (Bible en français courant). A possible model for this whole clause is “and we will fight against this huge army to honor you” (similarly Contemporary English Version).

Thou art God; let not man prevail against thee: Here the contrast is between God and human beings, so man is better rendered “mortal” (Revised English Bible), “human” (New Jerusalem Bible), “person,” or “human being.” The root meaning of the Hebrew verb rendered prevail against is “to rule,” “to dominate,” or “to restrain.” In this context it is used in a negated wish, which may be rendered “Don’t let anyone win against you” or “Don’t let anyone successfully oppose you” (God’s Word). Since this verb expresses the desire of King Asa with God as the subject, some versions turn the strong expression of the king’s desire into an affirmation that God will prevail against human beings. Contemporary English Version, for example, translates “we know that you won’t be defeated.” Other similar renderings include “Human strength cannot prevail against you!” (New Jerusalem Bible) and “no mere mortal can vie with you” (Revised English Bible).

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 .

Then Asa was angry with the seer: Asa became angry with the prophet because of his message of condemnation. The common Hebrew conjunction rendered Then may be taken as a temporal connector (so Revised Standard Version) or as a logical one (“So”). But many modern versions omit it altogether in this context (so Good News Translation).

And put him in stocks, in prison is literally “and he put him in the house of stocks.” Hanani was placed in stocks within a prison. The meaning of the Hebrew word translated stocks is uncertain. It comes from a verb that means “to turn over.” It may refer to iron chains placed around ankles. Some interpreters think the Hebrew word refers to a very small space in which a prisoner would be kept in a cramped position. Several modern versions simply refer to imprisonment without any further detail (so Contemporary English Version, Nouvelle version Segond révisée). In any case, the sense seems to be that Asa was immobilized in some way.

For he was in a rage with him because of this: He was in a rage with him is synonymous with Asa was angry with the seer. This clause emphasizes just how upset Asa was with the prophet. Where possible, it is a good idea to retain both clauses. It may be clearer to render because of this as “because of what he had said” (New Century Version) or “because of this intervention” (La Bible du Semeur). Parole de Vie reflects the emphasis here by rendering this whole clause as “Indeed, he was very angry because of the words of Hanani.”

And Asa inflicted cruelties upon some of the people at the same time: Inflicted cruelties translates a Hebrew verb whose root meaning is “to crush.” Here, as in Job 20.19, the word is used figuratively. It may be rendered “ill-treated” (New Jerusalem Bible), “brutally oppressed” (New International Version), or “treated cruelly.” Knox says “put … to death,” but this rendering is too strong. The phrase at the same time may be shifted to the beginning of this sentence (so Good News Translation). It was at the same time that Hanani was put in prison that Asa started to oppress some of his own people.

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 .

And all the prophets prophesied so: The other prophets said in agreement with Zedekiah that the Israelite army would defeat the Syrians. Since Zedekiah was also a prophet, Good News Translation renders all the prophets as “all the other prophets.” This whole clause may be translated “And all the other prophets agreed” or “… prophesied the same kind of thing.”

And said: As in the previous verse, some languages may add “to Ahab” to clarify who is being addressed here.

Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph; the LORD will give it into the hand of the king: See the comments on 2Chr 18.5. As there, the prophets speak first to King Ahab in the second person (Go up), and then in the third person (the king). Since this shifting from second to third person in direct address is not natural English style, Good News Translation uses only the second person for Ahab here. This will be a good model for most other languages to follow. As in verse 5, the verb Go up may be taken in this context as having a military meaning. Consequently, it is translated “March against” (Good News Translation, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), “March on” (New Jerusalem Bible), and “Attack” (New International Version, New Century Version, Revised English Bible).

Contemporary English Version provides a good model for those languages where the direct quotation of this verse will be better translated as indirect speech, saying:

• All the prophets agreed that Ahab should attack the Syrians at Ramoth and promised that the LORD would help him defeat them.

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 .

And behold …: The Hebrew particle translated behold focuses the attention of the listeners on the final statement about the hierarchy involved in the decision-making process and the final exhortation at the end of the verse.

Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the LORD; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the governor of the house of Judah, in all the king’s matters: In the Hebrew text the longer forms of the names Amariah and Zebadiah are used here, which are “Amaryahu” and “Zebadyahu” (so La Bible Pléiade, Osty-Trinquet), but nearly all versions use the shorter forms.

The Hebrew phrase rendered the chief priest (literally “the head priest”) occurs several other times in 2 Chronicles (24.11; 26.20; 31.10). This priest was the leader of the other priests. Good News Translation says “the High Priest,” and New Century Version has “the leading priest.” In 2 Chr 34.9 the Hebrew expression translated “the high priest” is literally “the great priest,” but the meaning is the same as the chief priest here.

Is over you may be rendered “is your supervisor,” “has the final say” (similarly Contemporary English Version), or “is ultimately responsible.” This expression is also implied in the next clause that speaks of Zebadiah. If necessary, it may be repeated explicitly.

All matters of the LORD refers to religious matters, while all the king’s matters refers to civil matters (so Good News Translation, Moffatt, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). This distinction is found also in 1 Chr 26.30, 32 and Ezra 7.26. These two expressions may be rendered “all the affairs concerning God” and “all the affairs concerning the king.”

The governor of the house of Judah may be translated “the leader of the tribe of Judah” (New International Version, God’s Word; similarly New Living Translation, New Century Version, La Bible du Semeur) or simply “the leader of Judah.” The word house means “tribe” in this context.

And the Levites will serve you as officers is literally “and as officers the Levites before you.” The Hebrew noun translated officers may originally have meant “scribe” or “record keeper” (see the comments on 1 Chr 23.4). Therefore some versions say the Levites were “secretaries” (Nouvelle Bible Segond) or “scribes” (La Bible Pléiade). But the Hebrew noun is often used with no description of the duties involved, so a more general expression is recommended, such as “officials” (New American Bible), “officers of the court” (New Jerusalem Bible), or “administrators.”

Deal courageously (literally “Be strong and act”) is an exhortation to the newly appointed judges. This command is more accurately translated “Be strong and resolute” (Revised English Bible, Dillard) or “Act firmly” (New American Bible).

And may the LORD be with the upright!: Jehoshaphat concludes by expressing his deep desire that Yahweh would be present in the lives of righteous people. The upright is literally “the good” (New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, Dillard), that is, “those who do well” (New International Version) or “those who do what is right” (New Living Translation, New Century Version).

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 .

The high places, however, were not taken away: See the comments on 1 Chr 15.17. The connector however translates a Hebrew adverb that marks the contrast between the positive evaluation of the reign of Jehoshaphat in the previous verse and the negative statement that follows here. This adverb is actually the first word in the Hebrew text of the verse. New Revised Standard Version has “Yet,” while many other versions use “but” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, God’s Word, Revised English Bible). For high places, see the comments on 1 Chr 16.39 and 2 Chr 1.3. The passive expression were not taken away will have to be made active in some languages. While the text is somewhat ambiguous, the intent is probably that Jehoshaphat, who should have removed the pagan places of worship, did not do so. Contemporary English Version places the blame squarely on Jehoshaphat by saying “he did not destroy the local shrines.” New Living Translation is similar with “he failed to remove all the pagan shrines.”

The people had not yet set their hearts upon the God of their fathers means the people of Judah still did not follow the LORD faithfully. For the expression set their hearts, see the comments on 2 Chr 11.16. Fathers refers to “ancestors” (Good News Translation) in this context. For this whole clause New Living Translation has “and the people never fully committed themselves to following the God of their ancestors.” Since the Hebrew word for hearts refers more to the faculty of thinking than to the emotions, Knox says “not yet had his people turned their whole minds to worshipping the Lord, the God of their fathers.”

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 .

But Jeho-shabe-ath, the daughter of the king, took Joash … and stole him away from among the king’s sons …: But renders the common Hebrew conjunction. Here it marks the contrast between the desperate situation described in the preceding verses and the hope offered in what follows. The majority of versions use the connector “But.” However, it is also possible to understand the Hebrew conjunction as expressing the logical result, so NET Bible uses the connector “So.”

Jeho-shabe-ath is called “Jehosheba” in the Septuagint and in the parallel text of 2 Kgs 11.2. Some versions use the name “Jehosheba” here in 2 Chronicles also (so Good News Translation, New International Version, Revised English Bible, Bible en français courant). As the second part of this verse makes clear, she was the daughter of King Jehoram, which means that she was the sister of King Ahaziah and the aunt of Joash. New Century Version renders the daughter of the king as “King Jehoram’s daughter” for clarity. Bible en français courant calls her “the princess Jehosheba,” and New American Bible similarly says “Jehosheba, a royal princess.”

The verbs took and stole may have to be translated by a single verb plus an adverb in some languages. The idea is that Jehosheba “secretly took” (New American Bible) her nephew so that no harm could be done to him.

The king’s sons may be rendered “the other sons of the king” (New Century Version) since Joash was also a son of King Ahaziah.

Who were about to be slain: This passive expression may be made active by saying “whom Athaliah was about to kill” or “whom they [indefinite] were about to murder.”

And she put him and his nurse in a bedchamber: The Hebrew word rendered nurse is a participle that comes from the causative form of the verb meaning “to suck.” This word should not to be taken here in the sense of a person with special medical training, but rather should be understood as a “nursemaid.” Such women were hired to take care of small children, and in some cases even to nourish them with their own milk. In this context the meaning may be expressed in modern English as “caregiver.”

Bedchamber probably refers to one of the private bedrooms in the Temple area which were destined for use only by the priests and their families. Because Jehosheba was the wife of a priest, she was apparently able to hide her nephew in one of the private rooms that were normally used only by the priests. In Hebrew bedchamber is literally “inner room of the beds,” so some interpreters believe this refers not to a bedroom but rather to a room where the covers and cloths for the beds were kept. This interpretation is the basis for the NET Bible rendering “room where the bed covers were stored.” This Hebrew expression is better rendered “bedroom” (Good News Translation, New Century Version, New American Bible; see WTH, page 144|fig:WTH.3.1.6.7.Bedroom.144.html) or “sleeping quarters” (New Jerusalem Bible). Good News Translation and Bible en français courant make it explicit that this bedroom was “in the Temple,” bringing this information forward from verse 12.

Thus Jeho-shabe-ath, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of Jehoiada the priest … hid him from Athaliah: This clause repeats much of the information in the first half of the verse, so it serves as a summary. Revised Standard Version indicates this by rendering the common Hebrew conjunction as Thus. New Century Version is similar with the connector “So.” Jehoiada is described as the priest. But the definite article may be misleading since there were many priests. 2 Chr 24.6 says he was the chief priest.

Jehosheba rescued Joash because she was a sister of Ahaziah. According to some interpreters, 2 Kgs 11.2 suggests that Jehosheba had a different mother from Ahaziah. Furthermore, Josephus (the first-century Jewish historian) and Jerome (the translator of the Latin Vulgate) thought that Jehosheba was the daughter of Jehoram but not of Athaliah since she was not loyal to Athaliah. This interpretation is the basis for the Good News Translation translation of sister as “half sister.” But nowhere in the Old Testament is it said that Jehoram had another wife, so it is better to follow Revised Standard Version and most other translations in saying that she was the sister of Ahaziah.

So that she did not slay him may be rendered “so that Athaliah could not murder him” (New Living Translation).

Good News Translation restructures this verse by providing the essential information about the relationships first and then giving the details of how Joash managed to escape death. This restructuring may also be a good model for many other languages.

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 .