Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: If Ahab is identified as king of Israel and Jehoshaphat as king of Judah in verse 1, then it may not be necessary or natural in the receptor language to repeat that information here (so Good News Translation). Since the verb said introduces a question, it may be better in some languages to translate it “asked,” as in Good News Translation and some other modern versions.

Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead?: The parallel text in 1 Kgs 22.4 says “Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?” Ahab is requesting military assistance. Good News Translation makes this explicit by saying “Will you go with me to attack Ramoth?” Similar renderings are “Will you help me to attack Ramoth?” and “Will you go with me against Ramoth Gilead?” (New International Version).

He answered him, “I am as you are, my people as your people. We will be with you in the war”: Jehoshaphat’s reply indicates that the people in the southern kingdom of Judah are one with the people of the northern kingdom of Israel. Whatever Ahab wishes to do, the people of Judah will join with him. Jehoshaphat gave a similar response to King Jehoram of Israel in 2 Kgs 3.7. Moffatt renders his response as “I am one with you, my men are one with your men; we will join you in the war.” Good News Translation takes the Hebrew noun for people in the specific sense of “army,” which is a common meaning for it (see the comments on 1 Chr 19.14).

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 .

For Revised Standard Version verses 2-3 are understood as expressing an event contrary to what King Jehoshaphat expected to find on his return to Jerusalem, so it renders the common Hebrew conjunction at the beginning of this verse as But (also Contemporary English Version, English Standard Version). However, most modern versions, including New Revised Standard Version, do not translate this conjunction. If some explicit connector is required, it is better to use the temporal transition word “Then.”

Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him …: The prophet Jehu is also mentioned in 1 Kgs 16.1 as speaking to King Baasha of Israel and in the summary statement of Jehoshaphat’s reign in 2 Chr 20.34. His father Hanani was also a prophet. He condemned King Asa of Judah for making an alliance with Syria in 2 Chr 16.7-9. The seer refers to Jehu in this context. The word seer is synonymous with “prophet” (Good News Translation) and may be so translated if the receptor language lacks synonyms. For the Hebrew word rendered seer, see the comments on 1 Chr 9.22. Went out to meet him is literally “went out to his face.” Since Jehu criticized Jehoshaphat, NET Bible translates this phrase as “confronted him.”

And said to King Jehoshaphat: The verb said may be rendered “asked” (New Living Translation) since a question follows.

Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD?: The Hebrew word translated the wicked is singular, referring to King Ahab of Israel. Many translations give the impression that this is a collective noun with a plural meaning (for example, God’s Word “wicked people”), but this is not the case. The Hebrew word rendered those who hate is plural and probably refers more generally to the people of the northern kingdom, although this is a general expression that occurs elsewhere in the Old Testament (see, for example, Exo 20.5; Deut 7.10). Love those who hate the LORD may be rendered “be an ally of those who oppose the LORD” ( NET Bible). This question is rhetorical and may have to be translated as a strong affirmation in some languages by saying “You should not have helped that wicked Ahab and make friends with those who hate the LORD.”

Because of this, wrath has gone out against you from the LORD: The demonstrative pronoun this refers to what Jehoshaphat had done in allying himself with Ahab and his army. Because of this may be translated “Because of what you have done” (New Living Translation) or “Because you did that” (La Bible du Semeur). Wrath has gone out you from the LORD is literally “on you is wrath from the face of the LORD.” This clause may be rendered “the LORD is very angry with you” (New Living Translation).

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 .

When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness: Judah refers to the army of Judah under the leadership of King Jehoshaphat, so Good News Translation says “the Judean army.” The Hebrew word rendered watchtower may refer to a particular structure built by human beings from which an area is be viewed (so Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version). Versions that understand the word in this way render the watchtower of the wilderness as “their post of attack looking over the open country” (Moffatt), “the observation post overlooking the desert” ( NET Bible), and “a tower that was in the desert” (Good News Translation). But the Hebrew noun may just as likely refer to a high natural point from which a person has a good view. This is the basis for renderings such as “the vantage-ground that overlooks the desert” (Knox), “the place that overlooks the desert” (New International Version), “a hill from which it was possible to see the desert” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente), “the point overlooking the desert” (New Jerusalem Bible), and “the lookout point in the wilderness” (New Living Translation; similarly NASB). It is not clear whether this place was man-made or natural. In any case, what is most important is that it was a place where the army of Judah could look out over the entire area. The wilderness here refers to the desert area near Tekoa (see verse 20).

They looked toward the multitude: The multitude refers to the enemy soldiers. So it is possible to translate this phrase as “the enemy’s large army” (New Century Version) or “the enemy host” (Revised English Bible).

And behold, they were dead bodies lying on the ground; none had escaped: In spite of the fact that the people of Judah had been told in advance that they would not have to fight, all the enemy corpses must have been a surprising and awe-inspiring sight. The Hebrew focusing particle rendered behold highlights the surprising nature of what they saw.

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 the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead: Ahaziah is called “Jehoahaz” in 2 Chr 21.17 (see the comments there). At the beginning of this new section it will be helpful to make it clear that the pronoun his refers to Jehoram. New Century Version does this by rendering his youngest son as “Jehoram’s youngest son.”

For the band of men that came with the Arabs to the camp had slain all the older sons: See 2 Chr 21.16-17. This verse seems to say the Arabs led the raid and did not merely join it. No mention is made of a camp in 21.16-17. Some scholars think the Hebrew text originally read lammilchamah (“to the battle”) rather than lammachaneh (“to the camp”). Revised English Bible says “in the campaign” but states in a footnote that the Hebrew is literally “in the camp.” If the Hebrew text is correct, the sense is probably “to the Judean military camp” (Bible en français courant). Good News Translation avoids the problem by expressing this whole sentence as “Some Arabs had led a raid and killed all of King Jehoram’s sons except Ahaziah, the youngest.” Good News Translation places this sentence at the beginning of the verse since it is known information. Other languages may find this restructuring helpful.

So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned: Good News Translation combines this clause with the first sentence of the verse, which other languages may find useful.

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 .

Jehoiada got for him two wives: The text does not say when Jehoiada got the two wives for Joash, but since Joash was only seven years old when he began to rule, the sense is probably that Jehoiada did this some years later. It is probably for this reason that some versions, such as God’s Word and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, make a separate paragraph of this verse. The limitation to two wives was in keeping with the law that a king was not to have many wives (Deut 17.17). Most versions understand the pronoun him to refer to Joash (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation). But the Hebrew pronoun for him may be reflexive and refer to Jehoiada himself. An American Translation, for example, renders this clause as “Jehoiada took for himself two wives.” However, the majority view is better here. Alternative models for this clause are “Jehoiada arranged two marriages for King Joash” and “… provided him with two wives” (New American Bible).

And he had sons and daughters: It is implied that the two wives just mentioned gave birth to these children of King Joash. The common Hebrew conjunction rendered and may be translated “later” to indicate that the children were born some time after Joash was married. Wives, sons, and daughters were considered a sign of God’s blessing.

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 Amaziah discharged the army that had come to him from Ephraim, to go home again: The common Hebrew conjunction at the beginning of this verse may be rendered Then or “So” (Good News Translation). Either interpretation is possible. Revised Standard Version focuses on the time relationship, that is, the events of verse 10 follow those of verse 9. However, Good News Translation focuses on the result that is stated in verse 10. Discharged is literally “divided” or “separated” (An American Translation). For Ephraim see the comments on 2Chr 25.7. Bible en français courant says “the kingdom of the North.” A possible rendering for this whole sentence is “Then Amaziah told the troops from the northern kingdom to return to their homes” or “So Amaziah sent the Israelite troops back to their homes.”

And they became very angry with Judah, and returned home in fierce anger: The expressions they became very angry and in fierce anger refer to the same emotion of anger, but the first one has to do with its beginning while the second one underlines its continuation. They became very angry is literally “their nose/anger burned greatly” (see the comments on 1 Chr 13.10 for this idiomatic expression), and in fierce anger is literally “in the burning of anger.” Bible en français courant translates Judah as “the kingdom of Judah.” Home is literally “to their own place.” A possible model for this whole sentence is “So they started being angry with the people of Judah, and they continued to be very angry when they returned home.”

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 Jerusalem he made engines, invented by skilful men: The initial prepositional phrase In Jerusalem may be shifted to a different position in the sentence if it is more natural to do so. In fact, in Hebrew the verb for made comes first. The rendering of Revised Standard Version makes it sound as if Uzziah did the actual work of building the war equipment in view here after the inventors provided the plans. But this was almost certainly not the case. The inventors of this equipment were also the ones who built it. Engines invented by skilful men is literally “thought/invention of inventing by an inventor.” The Hebrew may be understood as referring to war equipment made by a single individual or by several individuals. Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation refer to several inventors. Other versions mention only one inventor; for example, Bible en français courant says “the engines invented by an engineer” (similarly Moffatt), and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente has “machines … invented by an expert.”

To be on the towers and the corners: The war equipment was placed in the towers and on the corners of Jerusalem’s walls (see verse 9). Good News Translation add the words “of the city wall” (similarly Bible en français courant).

To shoot arrows and great stones: This clause describes how the war equipment worked. According to Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, it refers to catapults, which were offensive weapons used to hurl arrows and stones. However, catapults were probably not invented until several centuries later. The detailed palace reliefs that depict Assyrian conquests of various cities of Judah in this period do not show catapults. So this war equipment was probably defensive structures built on the city walls to shield the defenders on the walls as they shot arrows and threw down large stones on the attackers below. New Living Translation expresses this sense well by rendering the first sentence of the verse as “And he built structures on the walls of Jerusalem, designed by experts to protect those who shot arrows and hurled large stones from the towers and corners of the wall.”

And his fame spread far is literally “And his name went out far.” The Hebrew word for “name” has the sense of reputation in this context. New Century Version says “So Uzziah became famous in faraway places.”

For he was marvelously helped is literally “for he was marvelously to be helped.” The Hebrew verb rendered was marvelously is sometimes used in reference to doing miraculous acts. New Jerusalem Bible renders this clause as “for he was miraculously helped.” The implied agent of the passive verb was … helped is most likely God as some modern versions make explicit (so Good News Translation, New Living Translation, Bible en français courant). But is it also possible to understand the implied agent to be other human beings (so the alternative translation in Bible en français courant).

Till he was strong hints at the fact that Uzziah was no longer helped by God after he became powerful, and the following section makes this abundantly clear. Ironically, as noted in the comments on 2Chr 26.1, his name means “Yahweh is my strength.” For the idea of strong here, see the comments on 2Chr 26.8.

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 .

This verse begins with the Hebrew transition word translated For. What follows provides the explanation of how Tilgath-pilneser caused suffering to Ahaz.

Ahaz took from the house of the LORD … is literally “Ahaz divided the house of the LORD….” There are two translation problems here: (1) the meaning of the Hebrew verb, and (2) what object is to be supplied for the verb.

As for the first problem, the Hebrew verb here is chalaq, which means “divided.” However, in this context it seems to mean “plundered.” Some interpreters think that the Masoretic Text contains an error here in the final consonant and that the verb originally was chillets, which means “plundered” or “robbed.” But Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament does not even deal with this as a textual problem, indicating that there is little doubt about the Hebrew text. Several modern versions understand the text to mean that Ahaz “took some of the things” (New International Version; similarly English Standard Version, Bible en français courant, Bible de Jérusalem).

As for the second problem, in some languages it may be necessary to indicate what was taken or plundered from the Temple and the homes of the king and the leaders. The meaning is that he took valuable items. NET Bible says “riches.” Good News Translation is perhaps too free in saying that he took “gold,” although gold was surely among the things taken.

The Hebrew word translated princes may also be rendered “leaders” (Good News Translation). Either interpretation is possible here.

And gave tribute to the king of Assyria is literally “and gave to the king of Assyria.” Many languages will require an object for the verb. Revised Standard Version adds tribute. Other acceptable objects are “it” (Good News Translation) and “the proceeds” (Anchor Bible).

But it did not help him is literally “and not for help for him.” The meaning is that even though Ahaz gave tribute to the Assyrian king, the Assyrian king did not help him. Anchor Bible translates “he received no support from him.” Some languages will require a connector such as but or “in spite of this” in order to make this clause fit naturally in the discourse.

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 .