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 .

Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number: 1 Chr 2.16 shows that Zeruiah was the mother of Joab. But since readers will probably assume that Zeruiah was the father of Joab, Good News Translation and Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje restate the son of Zeruiah as “whose mother was Zeruiah” here in verse 24. Since Joab has not been referred to as the son of Zeruiah earlier in this section, there is no reason to omit this phrase here as Biblia Dios Habla Hoy does. Many languages will require an explicit object for the verb number. In the context it is clear that Joab was taking a census of the men of Israel. For this reason New International Version says “count the men.” God’s Word says simply “count them.”

But did not finish; yet wrath came upon Israel for this: This rendering suggests that even though Joab did not complete the census, God punished Israel anyway. However, the Hebrew here may be understood in two other ways as follows:

• (1) It may mean that God punished Israel because Joab did not finish the census. New Jerusalem Bible, for example, begins this verse with “Joab … began the count but never finished. This is why retribution came upon Israel.”

• (2) It may mean that Joab never finished the census because God had already begun to punish Israel before Joab finished. This interpretation is found in the Targum, which says “but he was unable to complete the numbering before anger came upon Israel because of it.” Some modern versions also follow this interpretation. New American Bible, for example, says “Joab … began to take the census, but he did not complete it, for because of it wrath fell upon Israel.” Compare also “Joab began the census but never finished it because the anger of God broke out against Israel” (New Living Translation).

The agent of the wrath is left implicit in the Hebrew, but it may be wise to make it explicit as in Good News Translation by stating that the reference is to God’s wrath (also Moffatt, Bible en français courant, La Bible du Semeur, El libro del Pueblo de Dios, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, La Sainte Bible: La version Etablie par les moines de Maredsous, Peregrino. Nouvelle Bible Segond and La Bible de Jérusalem: Nouvelle édition revue et corrigée capitalize the French word for “wrath” in order to show that the reference is not simply to human wrath, but the use of capital letters is not recommended since those who only hear the text read will not see the printed words.

And the number was not entered in the chronicles of King David: The Masoretic Text literally reads “and the number was not entered in the number [bemispar in Hebrew] of the chronicles of King David.” The Hebrew should probably be corrected with the Septuagint to read “and the number was not entered in the book/writing [besefer in Hebrew]…” (similarly American Bible). This correction requires a very small change in the Hebrew text. The Hebrew here allows for a different interpretation from that in Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and most other translations. The Hebrew verb translated entered may also mean “to go up.” New Jerusalem Bible says “and the number did not come up to that recorded in the annals of King David.” This way of understanding and translating these words suggests that the census figures were smaller than the census figures that were actually recorded in King David’s annals.

The chronicles of King David probably refers to a specific writing. If so, then receptor language usage should be followed regarding how titles of books are written. La Bible Pléiade, for example, says “the Book of the Chronicles of King David.” Bible en français courant has “the book called Acts of King David,” and then states in a footnote that this book is lost. Good News Translation adds the further information that this writing was an “official” court document and not simply a private writing by King David (so also Contemporary English 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 .

Some Greek manuscripts of the Lord’s Prayer in the Gospel of Matthew end with the words “For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever” (see Matt 6.13); probably these words were added to the Lord’s Prayer by a scribe under the influence of this verse here in 1 Chronicles.

Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: Glory translates a Hebrew noun that may also be rendered “radiance” or “beauty.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “splendor.” The Hebrew noun rendered victory has two or three basic senses, and may be translated “glory,” “lastingness” or “success,” depending on the context. The Septuagint here translates this noun as “victory,” and the context certainly allows this. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh similarly has “triumph.” Here it is also possible to find the sense of “everlastingness,” that is, God’s majesty and glory have no end. Following this interpretation, New Jerusalem Bible says “length of days,” but such a translation cannot be recommended as an example of clarity. Since there is no verb here in the Hebrew text, Revised Standard Version supplies the verb is, which is clearly understood. But some languages may require that the abstract nouns greatness, power, glory, victory and majesty be rendered as adjectives by saying “LORD, you are great and powerful. You are glorious, victorious, and majestic” (similarly New Century Version).

For all that is in the heavens and in the earth is thine: The Hebrew word translated for may be understood here as an emphatic particle rather than as a logical connector, so it may be rendered “indeed” (Knoppers, Klein). An alternative model for this clause is “Indeed, everything in heaven and on earth belongs to you” (similarly New Century Version).

Thine is the kingdom may be rendered simply “you are king” (Good News Translation).

And thou art exalted as head above all: The Hebrew syntax for this clause is difficult, so it is hard to understand. But nearly all versions agree with the meaning expressed in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. Thou art exalted translates a Hebrew participle meaning “the one raising oneself.” Most translations do not keep this reflexive form, but American Bible does with “and you have exalted yourself as head over all.” New Living Translation uses an active expression, saying “We adore you as the one who is over all things.” Another possible model is “you are the great ruler high above all things.”

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 .

Moses had warned that the king of Israel was not to have a large number of horses for his army (Deut 17.16). This verse contains two important textual problems, and certain parts of the verse are the subject of different interpretations.

Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Kue: This wording of Revised Standard Version is awkward. The text says literally “And the going out of horses of Solomon [was] from Egypt.” The Hebrew word translated import is a noun but is used to describe an event. For this reason it is often translated by a verb or verbal expression. New Revised Standard Version and Revised English Bible have the passive expression “were imported,” while New American Bible has the active verb “imported,” with Solomon as its subject.

The Hebrew name for Egypt is Mitsrayim. The consonants in this name are similar to those in the place name “Musri.” Since Musri and Kue (or, Que) were located in Cilicia (in what is now southeast Turkey) and were well known as centers of horse breeding in Solomon’s time, many interpreters correct the Hebrew Mitsrayim to read “Musri” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, La Bible Pléiade, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, El libro del Pueblo de Dios, Osty-Trinquet) or “Muzur” (La Bible de Jérusalem: Nouvelle édition revue et corrigée, La Bible des Communautés Chrétiennes). The text of New International Version reads “Egypt,” but its footnote on this verse indicates the text should possibly read “Muzur.” The same kind of confusion exists in 2 Chr 9.28. A majority of modern versions maintain “Egypt” as the correct understanding of the text (so New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Bible en français courant, Nouvelle Bible Segond). Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text, which has “Egypt.” Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente transliterates the Hebrew name as “Mizraim.”

In past centuries interpreters and translators did not recognize the Hebrew word translated Kue as a place name. It was thought to be something imported from Egypt. King James Version and Reina-Valera revisada translated the Hebrew word as “linen yarn.” King James Version, for example, renders this whole clause as “And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn.” Other interpreters have understood the Hebrew word to mean “pool,” “collection,” or “group”; for example, Nouvelle version Segond révisée renders the whole verse as “They brought Solomon’s horses from Egypt; a group of the king’s merchants went to take them in groups at a (set) price.” ASV similarly translates the Hebrew word as “droves,” and La Bible du Semeur as “convoys.”

On the basis of Assyrian letters and inscriptions, many modern scholars now agree that the questionable word refers to a place called “Que” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Dillard), “Kue” (Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, New International Version, NASB, Revised English Bible), or “Koa” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Others agree that the text contains a place name but believe that Kue is another name for what was called “Cilicia” in the Greco-Roman period (so Good News Translation, New Living Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Anchor Bible, Bible en français courant, La Bible de Jérusalem: Nouvelle édition revue et corrigée, El libro del Pueblo de Dios). Cilicia was located on the southeast coast of Asia Minor, was bordered on the north by the Taurus Mountains and on the south by the Mediterranean Sea.

And the king’s traders received them from Kue for a price means horses were imported from Kue by Solomon’s agents. This statement seems to contradict the first half of the verse, which says that horses were imported from Egypt also. This contradiction, plus the claim by some scholars that horses were not bred in Egypt, is the basis for the following Anchor Bible translation of this verse, which omits Egypt: “Solomon’s horses were imported from Cilicia; the merchants of the king acquired them at the prevailing price.” The king’s traders refers to Solomon’s dealers. Good News Translation says “The king’s agents,” and New English Bible has “the royal merchants.” The Hebrew word translated for a price probably means “at market price”; that is, Solomon’s traders bought the horses at an agreed price. Translations that reflect this understanding of the Hebrew say “at a fixed price” (El libro del Pueblo de Dios), “at the prevailing price” (New Jerusalem Bible), and “at the standard price” (New Living Translation). However, other interpreters understand the Hebrew word to mean simply that the king’s agents paid for the horses, without any indication of whether it was at market price or some other price. Revised English Bible and New American Bible, for example, say “by purchase.” Similar translations render received … for a price as “bought” (Contemporary English Version, New Century Version), “purchased” (New International Version), and “paying cash” (Moffatt). Good News Translation appears to follow this second interpretation by restating the information in this clause and saying simply that “The king’s agents controlled the export.” Good News Translation leaves implicit that the king’s agents paid for the horses.

Parole de Vie adopts the recommended text and interpretation of this verse and provides a simple model for translation, saying “The horses of Solomon came from Egypt and Cilicia. The merchants went there to buy them for the king.”

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 he made the veil …: As noted in previous verses, Solomon himself did not do this work. Moffatt expresses the meaning more correctly with “He also had the curtains made….” Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version use the passive verb “was made” and leave the agents unstated. But since this will be impossible in some languages, translators may have to use a causative verb form.

The veil refers to the Temple “curtain” (New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New International Version) that concealed the Most Holy Place. Some translations make explicit the location of the veil; for example, Good News Translation adds “for the Most Holy Place,” and Berkeley has a footnote that says “Which hung in front of the Holy of Holies.” See Exo 26.31 for the curtain made for the Tent of the LORD’s presence. 1 Kgs 6.31-32 says that there were wooden doors at the entrance to the Most Holy Place. Either this description in 2 Chronicles reflects the period in which the Chronicler was writing or else the reader is to understand that there were also doors here which the writer does not mention. The use of the definite article in Hebrew with the word veil probably reflects the fact that the Temple curtain was something that the original readers were familiar with. But in this context it may be better to say “a veil” in languages where it is less well known to the readers or hearers of the translation.

Blue and purple and crimson fabrics and fine linen: See the comments on 2 Chr 2.7 and 14. According to Exo 26.31, the curtain in the Tabernacle was to be made of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and fine twisted linen. Since linen is a fabric, it will sound more natural in many languages to follow Good News Translation and say “linen and other fabrics dyed blue, purple, and red.” In the ancient world only wool could be successfully dyed, so it is almost certain that the other fabric was wool. So blue and purple and crimson fabrics may be rendered “blue, purple, and crimson yarn” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “blue, purple, and red wool” (Contemporary English Version).

And worked cherubim on it means the veil “had cherubim embroidered upon it” (New American Bible). The Hebrew word translated worked is more literally “mounted on,” but the means of mounting figures of cherubim on the cloth curtain was undoubtedly embroidery. In some languages it may be necessary to use a verb such as “sewed.” This clause may be rendered “He [Solomon] caused people/artisans to sew decorative cherubim on it.”

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 .