The names in this list are thought to be those of the Thirty famous soldiers referred to earlier in this chapter. When compared with the parallel list in 2 Sam 23.24-39, there are some discrepancies that may be due to scribal errors. In some cases there may be two variants of the same name which may be harmonized in translation. But where the names are significantly different, translators must reflect the differences found in the text.

Existing translations follow different policies regarding the renderings of the names in these verses. Some keep the forms of the names in the Masoretic Text here in 1 Chronicles. Others change the forms to correspond to the forms in the Septuagint and the parallel text in 2 Samuel. Einheitsübersetzung, for example, states the following in a footnote for verses 26-47: “The names are sometimes distorted through errors in copying. The corrections for the most part are based on 2 Samuel and G [that is, the Septuagint].” But even those translations that correct the text here to correspond with the parallel text do not do so in all places where names are different.

Most of the places named in verses 26-41 are in Judah and the hill country west of Jerusalem. The places that are known in verses 42-47 are mostly from Transjordan (east of the Jordan River).

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 .

These are the men refers back to the men listed in verses 9-13. Good News Translation changes the focus of the passage somewhat by referring to them simply as “they” in the middle of the verse. In order to maintain its focus, it may be better to begin this verse by saying “It was they who…” (New American Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible) or “These are the ones who…” (New American Standard Bible). Contemporary English Version highlights the fact that the event described in this verse had taken place previously by beginning with the word “Earlier.”

Who crossed the Jordan in the first month: The bravery of these men from the tribe of Gad is shown by the fact that they crossed the Jordan River while it was at flood level. These men did not regularly cross the Jordan River in the first month of each year. This verse refers to something that happened on one single occasion, so Good News Translation adds the words “of one year.” For the same reason Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente begins this verse by saying “One time…,” and American Bible has “These were the ones who once crossed the Jordan….” The Jordan is “the Jordan River” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation), and the men crossed it from east to west. The first month is Nisan, which corresponds to mid-March to mid-April.

When it was overflowing all its banks: The flooding may have been caused by the melting snow from Mount Hermon in the north or it may have been caused by heavy rains or a combination of the two.

And put to flight all those in the valleys, to the east and to the west is literally “and they put to flight all the valleys to the east and to the west.” Most interpreters understand “the valleys” as referring to the people who lived in the valleys, as do Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. In some languages it may be more natural to render to the east and to the west as “on both sides of the Jordan River” or “on both sides of the river.” This last part of the verse may be understood in three different ways:

• (1) Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and most other versions interpret the Hebrew to mean that the soldiers from the tribe of Gad fought against the people living on both sides of the Jordan River and caused them to flee.

• (2) The flooding Jordan River, not the soldiers, caused the inhabitants of the valley to flee. Braun follows this interpretation by rendering the whole verse as “These were the men who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all the inhabitants of the valleys to the east and to the west.” New Jerusalem Bible is similar by making the flooding Jordan River the subject of the verb put to flight, but most versions either leave it ambiguous or clearly make the invading army of the tribe of Gad the subject of this verb.

• (3) Some interpreters make a slight change in the Hebrew verb translated put to flight, and then take the flooding river as the subject of the verb. The Hebrew verb is understood as related to the word for “bar” (of a gate). Following this interpretation, American Bible translates the final part of this verse as “and made impassable all the lowlands to the east and to the west.” Knoppers is similar with “rendering the lowlands impassable to the east and to the west.”

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 .

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 .