And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon: This literal rendering may not be appropriate in many languages since wisdom is not something that can be seen. It may be necessary to supply a different verb here and use “see” with reference only to Solomon’s palace, which would have been visible. New Revised Standard Version and Revised English Bible use the verb “observed,” but this may present the same problems. For this whole clause New Living Translation provides a helpful model, saying “When the queen of Sheba realized how wise Solomon was.”

The house that he had built: In this context the Hebrew word for house refers to the royal palace and not to the Temple.

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 common Hebrew conjunction rendered Then is a temporal connector here, introducing the next event in the story. Good News Translation simply begins a new paragraph at this point.

King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men: The verb phrase took counsel may be rendered “asked advice” (Knox, Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie), “called … and asked,” or simply “consulted” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Moffatt). Most interpreters understand the old men and “the young men” of verse 8 as referring to age and not to formal titles of two groups who made decisions when the assembly of Israel gathered. Good News Translation and New Living Translation refer to the old men as “the older men.”

Who had stood before Solomon his father: Revised Standard Version has a literal translation of the Hebrew here, but New Revised Standard Version expresses the meaning more clearly with “who had attended his father Solomon.” The sense is that these elders had been available to give advice to King Solomon. For the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father, New Living Translation says “the older men who had counseled his father, Solomon.” But the New Living Translation rendering does not show that these men served in an official capacity. Better renderings are “the old councillors who had served his father Solomon” (Moffatt) and “some leaders who had been his father’s senior officials” (Contemporary English Version).

While he was yet alive: Good News Translation leaves implicit that Solomon was no longer alive (also Moffatt, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje). However, since the death of Solomon was recorded in the previous chapter, and may not be known to readers who have not already read that chapter, it may be better if the Good News Translation model is not followed here. Others have translated this clause as “during his lifetime” (New International Version, New Century Version) and “before he died.”

How do you advise me to answer this people?: Neither Revised Standard Version nor Good News Translation shows the emphasis that the Hebrew places on the second person plural pronoun you in Rehoboam’s question here and in verse 9 as he seeks the advice of two different groups. Compare Traduction œcuménique de la Bible: “You, how do you advise me to respond to this people?” The Hebrew participle translated advise comes from the same root as the verb rendered took counsel. This participle does not have the object me in Hebrew. Revised Standard Version adds it for naturalness in English. The Hebrew verb translated answer is literally “return word.” In some languages the direct quotation here will be more naturally rendered by indirect discourse. Possible models are “He asked them how they thought he should respond to these people” and “He inquired how they would advise him to answer the people.”

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 .

With twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen: This phrase completes the sentence begun in the previous verse. It deals with the military strength of Shishak. For chariots and horsemen, see the comments on 1 Chr 18.4 and 2 Chr 1.14.

And the people were without number who came with him from Egypt …: The Hebrew word translated people is frequently used to refer to an army. That is clearly its meaning in this context. Here it may be rendered “troops” (New International Version) or “army of foot soldiers” (New Living Translation).

Shishak came with mercenary troops from other countries that are named in the last part of this verse. The Libyans (literally “Lubians” [An American Translation]) were people who lived on the coast of North Africa, west of Egypt.

The Sukki-im are unknown today. Possibly they were of Libyan origin and lived in the desert west of Egypt. The Hebrew form here is plural. The plural form in some languages will be “Sukkites” (New Living Translation, Revised English Bible, An American Translation, Bible en français courant). The Septuagint translates this name as Trôglodutai (a name given to several peoples in Caucasia), which is the basis for Moffatt‘s rendering “Troglodytes.”

Ethiopians (also New Revised Standard Version, New Living Translation, La Bible Pléiade) is literally “Cushites” (New International Version, New Century Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Peregrino. God’s Word translates “Sudanese.” Revised English Bible gives “Nubians” as an alternative translation in a footnote, and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible has “Nubians” in the text itself. The problem in translating the Hebrew term as Ethiopians is that the location is not identical with modern-day Ethiopia. The footnote in Good News Translation provides a clear description of the area in view. But it may be best to retain the transliterated form “Cushites” in the text 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 .

Jeroboam did not recover his power: Jeroboam never regained his political power after he was defeated by Abijah. Did not recover his power is literally “did not keep power again.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “could not muster strength again,” and New Century Version has “never became strong again.” Bible de Jérusalem eliminates the negative by saying “lost his power.”

In the days of Abijah may be rendered “during the reign of Abijah” (Moffatt; similarly Good News Translation). Bible en français courant places this phrase at the beginning of the verse, which other languages may find helpful. The Masoretic Text has the name “Abiyahu” (La Bible Pléiade) here and in the next verse, which is a variant of the name Abijah.

And the LORD smote him, and he died: And at the beginning of this sentence renders the common Hebrew conjunction. Several modern versions translate it “Finally” (Good News Translation, New Living Translation, Revised English Bible, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy) in order to avoid giving the impression that Jeroboam was killed immediately. The Hebrew verb translated smote may refer to a military defeat, a plague, an illness, or a curse (see the comments on verse 15, where it is rendered “defeated”). The context does not provide enough information to know which is intended here. God’s Word says “caused … to become sick,” which is probably more specific than the context allows.

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 all Judah rejoiced over the oath: All Judah refers to all the people of Judah and Benjamin. Rejoiced over the oath may be rendered “were happy about the promise they had made.”

For they had sworn with all their heart: The people were happy because they had made the promise to God wholeheartedly. For with all their heart, see the comments on verse 12.

And sought him with their whole desire, and he was found by them: See the comments on verses 2 and 4. With their whole desire describes the manner in which the people followed God. This phrase may be rendered “eagerly” (New International Version) or “willingly” ( NET Bible). The passive clause he was found by them may be made active by saying “they found him” (New Living Translation), “he allowed them to find him,” or “he responded to them” ( NET Bible).

And the LORD gave them rest round about: See the comments on 2 Chr 14.6. In this context rest refers to “peace” (Good News Translation). Round about indicates that there was peace throughout the southern kingdom. There were no areas of conflict anywhere. In some languages this phrase is best translated “everywhere.” Bible en français courant and Parole de Vie say “on all their borders,” and BCI has “from all their neighbors who were around them.” The sense is probably similar to that expressed in 2 Sam 7.1.

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 .

Of Benjamin refers to the tribe of Benjamin.

Eliada, a mighty man of valor: Eliada was the top commander of the soldiers from Benjamin. A mighty man of valor may be rendered “a mighty warrior” (New Revised Standard Version), “an experienced soldier” (Revised English Bible), or “an outstanding soldier” (Good News Translation).

With two hundred thousand men armed with bow and shield: This phrase leaves a certain amount of information implied. Each of the 200,000 men under the command of Eliada was issued a bow and shield. For this reason Good News Translation uses the plural “shields and bows.” But it is certainly understood that those who had bows were also given arrows. So in some languages it may be advisable to make this explicit by saying “bows and arrows as well as shields.” However, in certain languages there is a single term that refers to the bow and arrow combination as a weapon. For the Hebrew words rendered bow and shield, see the comments on 1 Chr 5.18.

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 captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat: And renders the Hebrew verbal transition meaning “And it happened,” but most modern versions ignore it. Since the captains of the chariots are mentioned in the previous verse, it may be more natural in some languages to refer to them by a pronoun in this verse (so Good News Translation).

The words they said may be taken in one of two different ways. The following words may be understood as (1) a quotation of what the chariot captains actually said to each other or (2) a statement of what these men were thinking. Given the context, the second interpretation is more likely to be correct. If this is true, it will be accurate to translate as in Good News Translation, which has “they all thought.” This understanding is also reflected in New International Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and Moffatt.

It is the king of Israel: Since Jehoshaphat was wearing his royal robes, the Syrian captains thought he was Ahab.

So they turned to fight against him may be rendered “so they turned to attack him” (New Century Version).

And Jehoshaphat cried out means he prayed to God. In those languages where it is necessary to specify to whom Jehoshaphat cried out, translators may say “cried out to the LORD to save him” (New Living Translation) or “called on God for help.”

And the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him: The use of both the LORD and God here may be confusing to readers who do not know much about the Bible. For this reason Good News Translation combines them by rendering these two clauses as “and the LORD God rescued him and turned the attack away from him.”

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 Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up is literally “And the Levites of the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites stood up.” Since not all Levites stood up to praise God, NET Bible renders the Levites as “some Levites.” The Levites were divided into subgroups or clans. The Kohathites were descendants of Levi’s second son Kohath (see 1 Chr 6.1). Korah was a descendant of Kohath (see 1 Chr 6.22), so the Korahites were a family within the Kohathite clan (see the comments on 1 Chr 26.1). For of the Kohathites and the Korahites, Moffatt says “Korahites belonging to the Kohath family.” Some of the Kohathites and the Korahites were consecrated as Temple musicians (see 1 Chr 6.33-38). Numerous Psalms are said to be songs composed by members of the clan of Korah.

To praise the LORD … with a very loud voice is literally “to praise the LORD … with a great voice upward.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “to extol the LORD … at the top of their voices.” Since these Levites were singers in the Temple, the sense is most likely not that they shouted but that they sang loudly. Therefore New American Bible says “to sing the praises of the LORD … in a resounding chorus.”

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 .