Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 6:28

The sons of Samuel: Joel his first-born, the second Abijah: Neither Revised Standard Version nor Good News Translation follows the Masoretic Text for this verse, which reads “And the sons of Samuel the first-born Vashni and Abijah.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh follows the Masoretic Text by saying “The sons of Samuel: his first-born Vashni, and Abijah” (similarly King James Version). However, some interpreters understand the Hebrew word for “Vashni” as two Hebrew words meaning “and” and “the second.” This interpretation of the Hebrew permits the following translation: “And the sons of Samuel: the firstborn and the second, Abijah.” In this interpretation Joel is not named but is only referred to as “the firstborn.”

The difficulty with the Masoretic Text here is that 1 Sam 8.2 names Samuel’s two sons as Joel and Abijah. The Masoretic Text does not have the name Joel here in verse 28. Verse 33, however, speaks of Joel being the “son of Samuel.” Because of verse 33, as well as the evidence from 1 Sam 8.2 and the limited textual evidence (some Greek manuscripts and the Syriac version) including the name of Joel, virtually all modern versions include Joel here even though his name is not in the Hebrew text. In Hebrew the last three letters in the name Samuel are the same as the last three letters in the name Joel. Most likely a scribe accidentally skipped over the name Joel because of the similar endings of the two names.

Another way of correcting the Masoretic Text is that found in New Jerusalem Bible and Bible de Jérusalem, which add the phrase “Sons of Elkanah” at the beginning of the verse and take the word first-born as referring to Samuel himself rather than to Samuel’s first-born son Joel, who is not mentioned in the Masoretic Text here. For this verse New Jerusalem Bible says “Sons of Elkanah: Samuel his first-born, the second Abijah.” This way of correcting the Masoretic Text makes good sense, but the translations found in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation are most likely closer to the original text.

Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {C} rating to the Masoretic Text and suggests that an error occurred very early in the history of the text. The ancient Greek and Syriac translations do not really show a knowledge of an earlier form of the Masoretic Text; they are simply attempts to make sense of the Masoretic Text by correcting it. Even so, since the text as we have it today obviously contains an error here, it is better to correct it as Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation have 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 .

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 6:71

Verses 71-76 expand on verse 62.

To the Gershomites were given out of the half-tribe of Manasseh …: The Gershomites were the descendants of Levi’s son Gershom (verse 1). For the spelling of Gershom, see the comments on 1 Chr 6.1. Instead of the passive verb were allotted (which is not actually in the Hebrew text), it may be more natural in many languages to use the active verb “received” (New American Bible). The half-tribe of Manasseh here refers to East Manasseh.

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 1 Chronicles 7:26

Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son: The three names in this verse continue the list of descendants begun in the previous verse. While Revised Standard Version reflects the Hebrew in repeating his son after each name, this phrase may be left implicit as in Good News Translation if verse 25 makes clear that these are descendants in linear order and not brothers.

Elishama the son of Ammihud is mentioned in Num 1.10 and 2.18 as a leader of the tribe of Ephraim during the wilderness wanderings at the time of Moses.

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 1 Chronicles 8:28

These were …: This verse is a kind of summary of what has been said in detail in the previous verses. The idea is “the above mentioned persons were the leaders….” New Century Version begins this verse with “The family histories show that all these men were leaders….”

For heads of fathers’ houses, see the comments on 1 Chr 5.24.

According to their generations: Peregrino says “In their genealogical tree,” and New Jerusalem Bible has “according to their relationship.” Revised English Bible provides another helpful model: “enrolled in the tribal lists.” Compare also “listed in their genealogy” (New International Version).

These dwelt in Jerusalem: It is not clear to whom this sentence refers. Only to the Benjaminite descendants listed in verses 15-27? The descendants listed in verses 13-27? Or to all of the people named in verses 6-27? If the reference is to all of the preceding verses, then this seems to contradict the statements in verses 6, 8, 12, and 13 that some of these descendants of Benjamin lived in other locations such as Geba, Aijalon, Ono, and Lud. But if the reference is to all of verses 6-27, then the section heading “Descendants of Benjamin living in Jerusalem” is appropriate for these verses.

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 1 Chronicles 9:30

Others, of the sons of the priests, prepared the mixing of the spices is literally “And from the sons of the priests were the preparers of the mixing of the spices.” It is probably wise to introduce this verse with a contrasting conjunction as in Good News Translation since there is an implied contrast between the responsibilities of the Levites in the previous verses and those of the priests in this case. La Bible du Semeur also begins with the connector “But.” Contemporary English Version is even stronger with “But only.”

If the sons of the priests is translated literally (so also Crampon, Chouraqui), it may incorrectly suggest that the priests’ sons and not the priests themselves were responsible for mixing the spices. Since this expression as well as “the sons of Aaron” are frequently used to speak of the priests themselves, it will be better to translate simply “the priests.”

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 1 Chronicles 11:5

The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not come in here”: It is probable that the quotation here was not actually something that the people of Jebus spoke directly to David but rather a message that was conveyed to him by intermediaries. You will not come in here is a literal translation of the Hebrew. In this context the Hebrew words seem to be a boast, so it is appropriate to say “You cannot invade this place” ( NET Bible). New Living Translation says “You’ll never get in here,” and New Century Version is similar with “You can’t get inside our city.” Most translations take the Hebrew as a boast, but it is also possible to interpret the Hebrew here to be a plea to David and his army by saying “Do not come in here.” The adverb here refers to the city of Jebus and is rendered “our city” by New Century Version and Bible en français courant for the sake of clarity. The direct quotation may have to be rendered indirectly in certain languages (so Good News Translation).

Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion: David and his army captured the city in spite of the Jebusites’ firm belief that he would be unable to do so and in spite of their resistance. This event is described in greater detail in the next verse. Nevertheless translates the common Hebrew conjunction, and the context clearly requires a transition word that marks contrast.

The Hebrew term for stronghold refers generally to a fortified place (see 1 Sam 22.4). Here and in the parallel text of 2 Sam 5.7 it refers specifically to the part of Jerusalem which was strongly fortified and very difficult to capture. Originally the name Zion referred to the fortress built on the southeastern ridge of what later became the city of Jerusalem. Later it referred both to the Temple area that Solomon built immediately to the north of the fortress (see Psa 2.6; 78.68) and to the entire city of Jerusalem (see Isa 2.3). For the latter usage Good News Translation often uses the more common name “Jerusalem” when the Hebrew says “Zion,” as in Isa 1.8 and Psa 69.35.

That is, the city of David: Since the readers would have been quite familiar with the expression the city of David, it was added to make it clear that Jerusalem was intended. But because Jerusalem was not referred to in this way at the time of its capture, Good News Translation fills in the information that this was a later name by saying “it became known as ‘David’s City.’ ” Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente similarly says “which was later called ‘City of David.’ ” Other translations include “now known as the City of David” (Biblia Dios Habla Hoy) and “named thereafter City of David” (Bible en français courant). In the Old Testament the city of David refers to a specific part of what later became the larger city of Jerusalem. That part is the long, narrow, triangular-shaped ridge located below the Temple mount on the southern end of the eastern ridge (see, for example, Neh 3.15). The eastern ridge and the western ridge of Jerusalem are divided by the Tyropoeon Valley.

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 1 Chronicles 11:38

Joel the brother of Nathan (verse 38): The parallel text of 2 Sam 23.36 has “Igal the son of Nathan from Zobah.” Probably the same name is intended for Joel and “Igal,” but a scribe confused the Hebrew letters equivalent to “g” and “w,” which have similar shapes in Hebrew. It is not possible to know which form of the name is original. In 2 Samuel Igal is “the son of Nathan,” but here Joel is the brother of Nathan.

Mibhar the son of Hagri (verse 38): The parallel text of 2 Sam 23.36 has “Bani the Gadite.” Nearly all translations follow the Masoretic Text here, but it is possible that a scribe miscopied the words “from Zobah Bani the Gadite,” somehow resulting in Mibhar the son of Hagri. La Bible Pléiade corrects the Masoretic Text here and translates “Mibhar, the son of a Gadite.”

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 1 Chronicles 13:4

All the assembly agreed to do so is literally “And all the assembly said to do thus,” that is, all the Israelites agreed to retrieve the Covenant Box.

For the thing was right in the eyes of all the people: This clause explains why the people agreed to David’s proposal. For an idea to be right in the eyes of someone, means to be pleasing or agreeable. Some other ways of expressing this clause are “for everyone found that it was a good idea” (Parole de Vie) and “because all the people thought that this was the right thing to do” (New Jerusalem Bible). In certain languages the two parts of this verse may have to be reversed as Good News Translation has done, stating first the reason before the actual agreement.

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 .