Heldai the Netophathite, of Othni-el (verse 15): Heldai is called “Heled” in 1 Chr 11.30. New Living Translation harmonizes the spellings by using the name “Heled” here in verse 15 also. Othni-el is mentioned in Jdg 1.13 and 3.9. Since readers may not know whether Othni-el is a person or place, some versions render of Othni-el as “a descendant of Othniel” (Good News Translation, La Bible du Semeur, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje), “from the clan of Othniel” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), or “from Othniel’s family” (New Century Version; similarly Revised English Bible, New American 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 .

And whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of the LORD: Whoever had is literally “the one with whom it was found.” Some other ways to express this phrase are “Whoever happened to have” (God’s Word) and simply “People who had” (New Century Version). Precious stones is literally “stones” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, An American Translation, Osty-Trinquet). In this context the reference seems to be to gems and not simply to stones used for building, so many versions say “precious stones.” Other possible renderings are “stones of value” and “expensive stones.” Revised Standard Version has supplied the pronoun them after the verb gave as English requires.

In the care of Jehiel the Gershonite is literally “on the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite.” Jehiel was in charge of the Temple treasury. He is referred to in 1 Chr 26.21, but a slightly different form of his name is used there, which is “Jehieli.” The Gershonite may be rendered “a descendant of Gershon” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) or “of the Levite clan of Gershon” (Good News Translation). The original readers would probably have known immediately that Gershon was a Levite; but since modern readers do not know this, it is legitimate to supply this implied information as Good News Translation has done.

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 .

As noted in the introductory comments on this chapter [2 Chr 1.1-17], some versions begin a new section here instead of at verse 13.

Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: Since the name Solomon has been used in the previous verse, it may be more natural to substitute it with a pronoun (so Good News Translation). However, if a new section begins here, it is better to keep the name Solomon. In this context the verb gathered together does not refer to the assembling of the chariots and horsemen at a specific time or place. Rather, it was over a period of time that Solomon “amassed” (Revised English Bible) or “built up” (Good News Translation, God’s Word) these forces in different places. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente begins this verse with “Solomon put together an army of….” Chariots were two-wheeled carts that were pulled by horses (see the comments on 1 Chr 18.4). The body of the chariot had a front and two sides that were came to about mid-thigh level and had an open back. Iron was used to strengthen the wood of a chariot, especially the rims of its wheels. Chariots were used for ordinary transportation, but they are best known for their use in warfare. They carried two or three riders armed with weapons. The earliest chariots were pulled by two horses, but later chariots were pulled by teams of three or four horses. The Hebrew word translated horsemen is difficult to translate because sometimes it refers to horses and sometimes to charioteers (see the comments on 1 Chr 18.4). Here some versions say horsemen (also New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), “drivers” (New American Bible), “crew members” (La Bible du Semeur), or “chariot fighters” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), but others use “horses” (New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, Revised English Bible, Bible en français courant). In fact, in New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and El libro del Pueblo de Dios the first occurrence of this noun in the verse is translated as “horsemen,” and the second occurrence as “horses.” When it does refer to horsemen, it probably always refers to men who rode in chariots and not to men who rode on horses. Translators may say “horses” or “chariot fighters” here.

He had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen: Compare 1 Kgs 4.26.

Whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem: Stationed translates the causative form of a Hebrew verb meaning “to settle down” or “to rest.” Here it may be rendered “placed” (Jewish Publication Version) or “kept” (New Jerusalem Bible, Anchor Bible, Dillard). The chariot cities were probably located in the Valley of Esdraelon (also called the Plain of Megiddo), which extended from the port of Jaffa to the city of Beth Shan. Much of the territory of Israel was mountainous and not suited to the use of chariots. Some may have to translate “the cities where chariots could be used.” New Century Version has “special cities for the chariots.” And with the king in Jerusalem means that some of these horses and chariots were kept on the grounds of the royal palace. Since King Solomon is already mentioned by name at the beginning of this verse, it may be better to replace the king with a pronoun in some languages (so New Living Translation, Bible en français courant, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Obviously, Solomon stationed some of the chariots and horses in the chariot cities and some in Jerusalem. In some languages it will be natural and clear to add “some” and “others” as in Revised English Bible, which renders this whole clause as “he stationed some in the chariot-towns, while others he kept at hand in Jerusalem” (similarly Good News Translation, God’s Word, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). In some languages it may be more natural to reverse the order of the chariot cities and Jerusalem, as Good News Translation has done.

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 of this cherub, one wing … (verse 12): Anchor Bible clarifies that this verse refers to the second cherub by saying “On the other hand, one wing of the second cherub….” Revised English Bible likewise says “Similarly, a wing of the second cherub….” The use of the singular form, cherub, in English is ill advised since this term has come to signify a chubby little angelic figure used on Valentine cards and bears little resemblance to the cherubim of the Bible. But this problem is unlikely to affect translators 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 .

For renders the common Hebrew conjunction. Here it introduces that the purpose of the cherubim in the Most Holy Place was to cover the ark, and this should be clear in translation. Good News Translation omits this connector and the repetition in the verse.

The cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark is literally “the cherubim were spreading out their wings….” New Century Version says “The wings of these creatures were spread out….” Obviously the cherubim were not living creatures capable of moving their wings but representations of these creatures with the wings fixed in an outspread position (see 2 Chr 3.11-13). A literal translation may suggest that their wings actually moved. For this reason Good News Translation says “Their outstretched wings covered…,” which may be a helpful model for other languages. Over the place of the ark means simply “over the Ark” (New Living Translation), and in some languages a literal translation such as that of Revised Standard Version would give the impression that the ark was not actually present at the time. Perhaps the expression is intended to show that the wings of the cherubim covered the whole area and not just the box itself.

So that the cherubim made a covering above the ark and its poles: So that renders the common Hebrew conjunction. Here it introduces a further explanation of the first half of the verse, so a better rendering is “that is” (Anchor Bible). For made a covering, Revised English Bible says “formed a canopy,” and La Bible du Semeur has “formed a vault.” Many languages will use simply a single verb such as “covered” (New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Dillard) or “sheltering” (New American Bible). The Hebrew does not state here the purpose of the poles, which were used to carry the ark (see the comments on 2Chr 5.4). Some translations make it explicit that the poles were used to carry the ark by rendering it poles as “its carrying poles” (New International Version, New Living Translation, New Century Version; similarly Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

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 .

Verses 32-33 present a fifth situation in which someone may turn to God in prayer. In Hebrew it begins with the common conjunction followed by the adverb that denotes the addition of something. Elsewhere this adverb is sometimes translated “also.” Together these two words are rendered Likewise in Revised Standard Version and “Moreover” in King James Version. While Good News Translation and several other modern versions do not translate these two Hebrew words, there seems to be no convincing reason to omit them since the author is specifically giving another example.

When a foreigner, who is not of thy people Israel …: The Hebrew word rendered foreigner is not the word that refers to foreigners living within Israel. The Hebrew noun here refers to someone (a non-Israelite) who lives in another country. In some cases it may be considered redundant to say that a foreigner is not of thy people Israel, so these two expressions may be combined, as Good News Translation has done. Also, the singular word foreigner is used collectively and may be better translated as a plural in many languages (so Good News Translation).

An individual who comes from a far country or those who collectively leave their own home countries are described as making the journey to the land of Israel because of what they have heard about Yahweh.

For the sake of thy great name may be rendered “because they have heard of your greatness.” The two expressions that follow, and thy mighty hand, and thy outstretched arm, refer to the mighty acts or the powerful deeds of God which have made his name famous even among non-Israelites. Some other ways of translating these three expressions are “having heard of your glorious name and the power with which you act” (Bible en français courant) and “because of your great fame, of your powerful hand and your great interventions” (La Bible des Communautés Chrétiennes).

When he comes and prays toward this house: See the comments on verse 20.

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 Hebrew text begins with the verbal transition that is sometimes rendered “And it came to pass” (King James Version) or “Now it came about” (NASB). But most modern versions express it by beginning a new paragraph.

At the end of twenty years …: Revised Standard Version follows the form of the Hebrew by making verses 1 and 2 a single sentence. Good News Translation has restructured and simplified the form in English, making two separate sentences.

Interpreters differ considerably with regard to the time relationship of the events expressed in verses 1-2. According to Revised Standard Version, Solomon took twenty years to build the Temple and his own palace and then after that he rebuilt the cities that King Hiram had given him (so also New Revised Standard Version, New Living Translation, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, Bible en français courant). International Children’s Bible follows this same interpretation very clearly by beginning verse 2 with the word “Then.”

Good News Translation is ambiguous since it is unclear in that translation whether Solomon also rebuilt the cities from Hiram within the twenty-year period or following it. The Hebrew text itself is not clear. A literal translation of verses 1-2 reads “And it was at the end of twenty years in which Solomon built the house of Yahweh and his house and the cities that Huram had given to Solomon; Solomon rebuilt them and settled there the children of Israel.”

Some versions take all of verses 1-2 within the twenty-year period. New Jerusalem Bible, for example, says “1 At the end of the twenty years which it took Solomon to build the Temple of Yahweh and his own palace, 2 and to rebuild the towns which Huram had given him and settle them with Israelites….”

At the beginning of this section Solomon may be rendered “King Solomon” (Nueva Versión Internacional). The name Solomon is repeated fourteen times in this brief chapter. Translators will use pronouns in place of the proper name whenever it is more natural to do so in their languages. But they may also use the proper name in the place of pronouns in certain cases.

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 king also made a great ivory throne: As in the two previous verses, the verb made is to be understood in the sense of having something made or commissioning the making of an object. The Hebrew here is most naturally understood to mean that the throne was made of ivory, but archaeological discoveries make it more likely that the throne was a wooden chair covered in part with ivory (so Good News Translation), “decorated with ivory” (Bible en français courant), or “inlaid with ivory” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible footnote). Similarly, the reference to an ivory house in 1 Kgs 22.39 must be understood to mean “decorated with ivory” and not made entirely from ivory. The Hebrew word for ivory is the same as “tooth”; in this context ivory is the “tooth” of an elephant. If a word for ivory does not exist in the receptor language, this may perhaps be rendered “elephants’ teeth.”

And overlaid it with pure gold: See the comments on 1 Chr 28.17 and 2 Chr 3.4. It is not likely that the expensive ivory would have been covered with gold so that the ivory did not show, so Good News Translation makes this clear by saying “Part of it was covered with ivory and the rest of it was covered with pure gold.”

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 .