Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 19:8

Moreover renders the common Hebrew conjunction joined with another conjunction that is sometimes translated “also” or “yet.” Together they have the sense of “in addition.” But some versions choose to omit these words here (so Good News Translation).

In Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed certain Levites and priests and heads of families of Israel: For Levites and priests, see the comments on 1 Chr 9.2. Heads of families is literally “heads of the fathers” (see the comments on 1 Chr 7.11). This phrase may be rendered “family leaders” ( NET Bible) or “clan leaders” (New Living Translation).

To give judgment for the LORD is literally “for the judgment of Yahweh.” Here the sense is not that Yahweh is being judged, but rather that the appointed persons were “to serve as judges for cases involving the LORD’s regulations” (New Living Translation).

And to decide disputed cases: The Hebrew word rendered disputed cases may refer to “civil disputes” (New Living Translation, An American Translation). Such cases were “controversies” (Jewish Publication Version) that could be settled by arbitration, as opposed to those religious matters that were decided with direct reference to the Law of Moses.

They had their seat at Jerusalem: The Masoretic Text reads literally “and they returned to Jerusalem.” The footnote in Good News Translation says the Hebrew is unclear. Actually, the Hebrew is quite clear, but it does not make good sense in this context. It is not clear to whom the pronoun “they” refers. It does not seem to refer to the judges whom Jehoshaphat had just appointed in Jerusalem. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament suggests that the original text here is preserved in the Septuagint and the Vulgate, which say that the judges decided lawsuits “for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” The consonants of the Hebrew verbs meaning “they returned” and “the ones inhabiting” are very similar. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {C} rating to the reading of the Septuagint and the Vulgate, which Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente follow. Revised Standard Version attempts to make sense of the Masoretic Text, but the correct meaning seems to be rather that expressed in Good News Translation. However, if Revised Standard Version is correct in its interpretation of this final sentence, it may be considered redundant in some languages in this context.

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 .

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 20:8

And they have dwelt in it means the Israelites settled in the land that God gave them.

And have built thee in it a sanctuary for thy name: Eventually they constructed the Temple (a sanctuary) there. For for thy name, see the comments on 2 Chr 2.1 and 6.5. This phrase may be rendered “to honor you” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version) or simply “for you” (New Living Translation, New Century Version).

Saying introduces an embedded quotation of the Israelites, which appears in verse 9. The precise translation of this word will depend on how the following verse is translated.

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 .

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 21:5

Jehoram was thirty-two years old … and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem: This verse follows the common formula that is used to summarize the reign of a ruler of Israel or Judah by stating his age when he took over (thirty-two years old), the length of his reign (eight years), and his capital (Jerusalem). See the comments on 2 Chr 13.2.

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 .

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 23:7

The Levites shall surround the king: Since the previous verses indicate other duties for some Levites, Bible en français courant renders The Levites as “The other Levites.” Good News Translation makes explicit why the Levites surround their king by using the verb “stand guard.” Contemporary English Version is similar with “protect,” and so is New Living Translation with “form a bodyguard around.” The king refers to Joash, which Contemporary English Version makes explicit by saying “King Joash.”

Each with his weapons in his hand: The weapons were most likely “swords” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). Swords are normally kept in their sheathes when there is no immediate danger. But the extreme threat to the safety of Joash in the situation foreseen here requires that the swords be drawn and ready for action. According to Contemporary English Version, the swords must be “ready to kill.”

And whoever enters the house shall be slain: The house refers to the Temple. The passive verb shall be slain may be easily transformed into an active one since it is quite clear who the agents are. It is the protective guard of Levites who are to kill any intruder. So this whole clause may be rendered “The guards [or, Levites] must kill anyone who enters the Temple” or simply “They must kill any person who comes into the Temple.”

Be with the king when he comes in, and when he goes out: The Levite guards are to stay with the king all the time. When he comes in, and when he goes out is a common Hebrew idiom meaning “wherever he goes” (Good News Translation, New International Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, Knox) and should probably not be translated literally in most languages.

The long quotation in verses 3b-7 may be made into indirect speech in those languages where direct discourse is not acceptable here. A possible model for this is as follows:

• Jehoiada told them that the son of King Ahaziah who had died must now be their ruler, just as the LORD had promised concerning the descendants of David. 4 Then he gave them the following rules: A third of the priests and Levites who go on duty on the Day of Rest must guard the Temple gates, 5 a third of them must guard the royal palace, and a third must guard the Foundation Gate; and all the other people must gather in the courtyards of the Temple. 6 No one should enter the Temple except the priests and the Levites on duty; they may enter because they are ceremonially pure, but all the others must observe the LORD’s command not to enter the Temple. 7 The Levites must stand guard around the king, each one with his weapons ready. They must stay close to the king wherever he goes. Anyone who enters the Temple must be put to death.

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 .

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 24:19

The common Hebrew conjunction rendered Yet may signal contrast between the misconduct of the people of Judah and the gracious action of the LORD in spite of this (so Revised Standard Version). On the other hand, some versions take it as looking forward and showing contrast between God’s action and the inaction of the Judeans to whom he sent prophets (so New Century Version with “Even though” and New International Version with “Although”).

He sent prophets among them to bring them back to the LORD is a literal rendering of the Hebrew. But such a translation may suggest incorrectly that the pronoun he refers to someone other than the LORD. Good News Translation restates this sentence by saying that “the LORD sent prophets to warn them to return to him” (similarly New International Version, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje), and Revised English Bible has “The LORD sent prophets to bring them back to himself.”

These testified against them: The demonstrative pronoun these refers to the prophets. Testified against them means “denounced them” (Revised English Bible) or “put the case against them” (New Jerusalem Bible) by telling about the people’s sins.

But they would not give heed means the people of Judah would not listen.

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 .

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 25:27

From the time when he turned away from the LORD: See verses 14 and 20. The Hebrew literally says “From the time when Amazyahu turned away from the LORD,” but both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation have replaced the name “Amazyahu” with the pronoun he for reasons of English style.

They made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem is literally “they conspired a conspiracy….” The Hebrew word translated conspiracy is the same one rendered “treason” in 2 Chr 23.13 (see the comments there). The subject of the Hebrew verb here is indefinite. In languages that use passive forms, the meaning of this clause may be expressed as “a conspiracy was formed against him” (Revised English Bible, New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Where the passive is not possible, the following model of Contemporary English Version might be helpful: “some people in Jerusalem plotted against Amaziah.”

And he fled to Lachish: Lachish was an important city, strategically located about 45 kilometers (28 miles) southwest of Jerusalem (see the comments on 2 Chr 11.9). It would have been a possible place of refuge for the king in the face of an uprising against him in his capital city. It will be important in most languages to add a classifier word like “city.”

But they sent after him to Lachish: The pronoun they refers to the same indefinite enemies as in the beginning of the verse. Revised English Bible has “the conspirators” as the subject of this clause. For they sent after him, Good News Translation has “his enemies followed him,” and New American Bible says “they pursued him.” Other possible renderings are “he was pursued” and “he was followed” if the passive form is a realistic option. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “they sent men after him,” indicating that the leaders of the coup did not make the journey themselves, but rather sent their subordinates. To Lachish may be rendered “there” (Good News Translation) since this city has just been mentioned.

And slew him there: The archaic verb slew is replaced by “killed” in New Revised Standard 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 .

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 27:9

The account of Jotham’s reign is concluded by the common formula used to summarize the reign of most of the kings of Israel and Judah. It refers to his death, burial, and successor.

For slept with his fathers, see the comments on 2 Chr 9.31.

For the city of David: see the comments on 1 Chr 11.5 and 2 Chr 5.2.

For reigned in his stead, see the comments on 1 Chr 19.1 and 2 Chr 9.31.

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 .

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 29:12 - 29:14

Then the Levites arose: While the Levites were in the open square east of the Temple (verse 4), they may have sat down. But since the Hebrew verb rendered arose is often used to indicate the beginning of action, here it may be translated “set to work” (Revised English Bible) or “started to work” (New Century Version, God’s Word). For this whole clause NET Bible has “The following Levites prepared to carry out the king’s orders.”

The words of the sons of in verses 12-14 refer to members of clans (so Good News Translation, Parole de Vie). As the format in Good News Translation makes clear, these three verses list Levites from seven different clans. There were two Levites from each of the clans of Kohath (see 1 Chr 6.18), Merari (1 Chr 6.19, 29-30), and Gershon (see 1 Chr 6.20-21). There were also two from the clan of Eli-zaphan, who was a descendant of Kohath (see the comments 1 Chr 6.18), and two from each division of the singers: Asaph (see 1 Chr 6.39), Heman (see 1 Chr 15.17), and Jeduthun (see 1 Chr 16.41).

Several of the Hebrew names in these verses have longer forms that are not represented in most versions. Translators should render these names according to the decisions they have made regarding the transliteration of Hebrew names into the receptor language.

Azariah (verse 12): A more exact transliteration here is “Azaryahu” (Bible de Jérusalem, La Bible Pléiade).

Jeuel (verse 13) is the form of the name in the Masoretic Text. However, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh follows the corrected form in the margin of the Masoretic Text, which is “Jeiel.”

Zechariah (verse 13): A more exact transliteration here is “Zecharyahu” (Bible de Jérusalem).

Mattaniah (verse 13): A more exact transliteration here is “Mattanyahu” (Bible de Jérusalem, La Bible Pléiade).

Jehuel (verse 14) is the form of the name in the Masoretic Text. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and La Bible Pléiade follow the corrected form in the margin of the Masoretic Text, which is “Jehiel.”

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 .