Moreover he appointed certain of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the LORD: Moreover renders the common Hebrew conjunction, which is left untranslated by most modern versions, including New Revised Standard Version. The translation certain of the Levites may give the impression that specific Levites were appointed, but the Hebrew is literally “from the Levites.” A better rendering in English is “some of the Levites” (New International Version, Knoppers). The Hebrew term translated ministers refers here to those who led others in worship. They were to stand in front of the Covenant Box.

The Levites have three responsibilities: to invoke, to thank, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel. The exact meaning of the Hebrew verb translated to invoke is not clear in this context. The Hebrew verb is used with God’s name as the object in Exo 20.24, so the sense may be that the Levites are “to cause God’s name to be mentioned.” New English Bible has “to repeat the Name,” perhaps referring to liturgical responses or chants, such as found in Psa 136. Braun says “to commemorate.” The verb may also be translated “to praise” or “to confess” and may refer to singing psalms of lament. Some scholars note the similar root of the Hebrew word rendered “memorial portion” in Lev 2.2, 9, 16; 5.12, and suggest that to invoke involves some liturgical practice related to sacrifice.

Exactly how and when the Levites were to thank … the LORD is not stated, but probably this involved giving thanks on specific occasions both on behalf of the people as a whole and on behalf of individuals. The song of praise that follows in verses 8-36 indicates how they are to praise the LORD.

In Hebrew sometimes a series of near synonyms is used to express the idea of totality. Some interpreters think that the Hebrew verbs rendered to invoke, to thank and to praise are not to be understood as referring to separate activities but as referring to all that is involved in worship.

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 .

Revised Standard Version continues the sentence begun at the previous verse. But this verse may be made into a separate sentence since it states the purpose of the appointment of the priests. In some languages this verse may begin with “Their job/work/assignment was to offer….” Another possibility is to follow the restructuring of Good News Translation.

To offer burnt offerings to the LORD upon the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening: For burnt offerings, see the comments on 1 Chr 16.1. Continually is rendered “regularly” in New Revised Standard Version, and this is more in keeping with the meaning of the Hebrew adverb in this context.

According to all that is written in the law of the LORD which he commanded Israel: See, for example, Exo 29.38-42; Num 28–29. Compare “exactly as it is written in the law enjoined by the LORD on Israel” (Revised English Bible). The Hebrew may also be translated “and according to all that is written in the Law of the LORD which he commanded Israel.” According to this alternative translation, the priests were to offer burnt offerings as well as performing all the other duties that the Law required them to do. This interpretation is followed in the King James Version (and in most French versions), which renders this whole verse as “to offer burnt offerings unto the LORD upon the altar of the burnt offering continually morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the law of the LORD, which he commanded Israel.”

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 David took from him a thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers: The Hebrew verb translated took has the nuance of “capture,” which fits this context well (so Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, and many other versions). Chariots of Syria at this time were light vehicles with two wheels and six or eight spokes on each wheel. The body of the chariot had a front and two sides that came to about mid-thigh level and had an open back. Iron was used to strengthen the rims of the wheels. The earliest chariots were pulled by two horses, but later chariots were pulled by teams of three or four horses. For a good discussion on chariots, see WTH, pages 110-111|fig:WTH.chariot.110-111.html. The translation of the Hebrew word for horsemen is debated. While many understand it to mean “cavalry” (Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente), there is archaeological evidence to suggest that the horsemen were rather men who rode in the chariots. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has a word list entry under “war-chariot” in which it is explained that these chariots usually had two men: the driver and an archer. Sometimes there was also a shield-bearer. The Hebrew term should be translated “charioteers” (New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) or “chariot drivers” (Contemporary English Version).

And David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but left enough for a hundred chariots: The Hebrew verb rendered hamstrung literally means “to pluck up [by the roots]” in its base form. It is used in its more literal sense in Eccl 3.2; but in some other contexts where the verb has a doubled consonant in the middle of the verb, it conveys the idea of a simple operation to cripple animals such as oxen (Gen 49.6) or horses (Josh 11.6, 9). Most English versions take it in this sense here (so Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New International Version, New Century Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). But this verb is also used in its base form in a figurative sense meaning to “uproot,” “exterminate,” or “destroy” as in Zeph 2.4. It is more likely that the reference here is to the crippling operation as the majority of versions indicate. Many versions use the technical term hamstrung, but Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, and New Century Version use the more common verb “crippled.” French versions say that David “cut the hocks” (Nouvelle version Segond révisée, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible) or “had the hocks cut” (Bible en français courant, La Bible du Semeur), using the rather technical term for the tendon that is cut to make an animal lame. If the name of this tendon is well known in the receptor language, then this may prove to be good translation model. Parole de Vie translates “cut the hocks” and then provides a footnote explaining that the hock of a horse is “the place where the hind leg bends.” The reason for crippling the horses is not stated; perhaps it was to prevent the enemy troops from using the horses again if they should recapture 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 when the servants of Hadadezer saw …: The servants of Hadadezer were subjects of Hadadezer, but people of such high status that they can not be referred to as “servants” in many cultures. They might be called “followers” or “supporters” of Hadadezer. International Children’s Bible says “officers.” A number of versions call them “vassals” (New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), but this translation seems to harmonize the text with the parallel in 2 Sam 10.19, which refers to “the kings who were servants of Hadadezer.” Good News Translation and Bible en français courant both say “the kings who were subject to Hadadezer.” Once again the verb saw may be better understood if translated “realized” (Good News Translation), “became aware,” “knew,” or “understood.”

That they had been defeated by Israel: This passive expression can be easily transformed into an active form, and this should probably be done in many languages. One possible model that does this is “that the Israelites had defeated them.”

They made peace with David: The immediate context shows that this event involved accepting the terms of peace dictated by David’s victorious army. In some languages the proper expression here will be “they begged for peace with David,” “they sat in peace with David,” or “they gave up fighting David.”

And became subject to him means they lived under the rule and authority of David and his kingdom.

So the Syrians were not willing to help the Ammonites any more: So translates the common Hebrew conjunction. It introduces the result of the military victory by the people of Israel. This conjunction introduces a final note in the story of the Syrians’ relationship to Israel. Because of Israel’s victory, the Syrians were not willing to help the Ammonites any more. This sentence takes the reader back to verses 6 and 7, where the Ammonites hired Syrian troops to help them fight against Israel. The Hebrew verb translated were not willing indicates a conscious decision on the part of the Syrians. Any more is literally “again” (New Century Version, Revised English Bible). An alternative model for this whole clause is “The Syrians decided that they would never again help the Ammonites.”

Some editions of Good News Translation make the final sentence of this chapter verse 20. But the Hebrew, the Septuagint and the Vulgate, as well as virtually all translations other than Good News Translation, make it a part of verse 19 and have no verse 20. The Good News Translation error should not be repeated in 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 .

So translates the common Hebrew conjunction. Some translators may prefer to leave it untranslated or to render it “And” as in Good News Translation, but most will probably prefer to render it as a logical connector as Revised Standard Version has done.

David paid Ornan six hundred shekels of gold by weight for the site: According to the parallel text of 2 Sam 24.24, David paid fifty shekels of silver. The value of the shekel was different at different times in Israel’s history, and there were different rates used for different purposes, so perhaps this explains the difference in amounts paid according to 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles. But in any case, six hundred shekels of gold would have been a huge amount. No doubt this extremely large amount is intended to reflect the splendor and magnificence of the future Temple. Rather than keep the unknown idea of shekels, translators may say simply “six hundred gold coins” (Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, La Bible du Semeur, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Nueva Versión Internacional). Or the approximate weight may be given. Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, for example, has “almost seven kilos of gold,” and God’s Word says “15 pounds of gold.” David bought the site of the threshing floor and not just the threshing floor itself.

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 they cast lots by fathers’ houses: See 1 Chr 24.5, 31 and 25.8. The lots were cast according to ancestral groupings. Unlike other places where lots were cast to determine the order in which the various groups were to serve at the Temple, these lots were cast to determine which gates each group would guard. It is not clear whether the casting of lots also determined the number of guards posted at each gate. The casting of the lots was done by fathers’ houses, that is, “family by family” (Revised English Bible).

Small and great alike: See the comments on 1 Chr 25.8. This phrase may refer to the numerical size of the families (so Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible). Some versions take it as referring to the age of the individuals (so New International Version, Revised English Bible, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). New International Version, for example, says “young and old alike.” However, others take it as a reference to social status (so La Bible du Semeur, quoted below). All three of these interpretations are possible, so translators must simply choose among the possible meanings.

For their gates is literally “for gate and gate.” Not even Revised Standard Version or King James Version gives a literal translation of this Hebrew idiom. King James Version is perhaps closer to the intended meaning with “for every gate.”

La Bible du Semeur provides a helpful model for this verse, saying “They cast lots, for the responsibility of each gate, between the different groups of families, without any distinction between those of high rank and those of rank of little importance.”

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 .