inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (1Chr. 12:17)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, both the Jarai translation and the Adamawa Fulfulde translation use the inclusive pronoun (including David, the Benjamites and the Judahites).

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (2Chr. 18:14)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, some translators select the exclusive form, “since Micaiah would not be expected to participate in the battle,” the Jarai translation, however, uses the inclusive pronoun.

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (1Chr. 12:18)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, both the Jarai translation and the Adamawa Fulfulde translation use the exclusive pronoun, “since it involves a commitment to David to whom Amasai is speaking on behalf of his fellow tribesmen from Judah and Benjamin.”

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (2Chr. 32:11)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, the Jarai translation uses the inclusive pronoun, “since Hezekiah addressed his own people with these words.”

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (2Chr. 2:4)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, the Jarai translation uses the exclusive pronoun, “since it refers to Solomon and the Israelite people but does not include the king of Tyre, to whom his words are addressed.”

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 35:14

And afterward means after the Levites had cooked the Passover animals and sacrificial animals and had handed the meat over to their fellow Israelites.

They prepared for themselves and for the priests: The pronoun they refers to “the Levites” (New Living Translation, New Century Version). The verb prepared has no direct object in the Hebrew. Good News Translation adds the object “meat.” Moffatt supplies the noun “flesh.” Another way of handling this problem is by rendering this clause as “they made preparations for themselves and for the priests” (New International Version).

Because the priests the sons of Aaron were busied in offering the burnt offerings and the fat parts until night: The Levites had to prepare the meat for the priests because the priests were occupied with offering sacrifices. The words were busied are supplied by Revised Standard Version; they are not in the Hebrew text. Most modern versions add an expression like this as the context requires. New Revised Standard Version adds “were occupied,” which is more natural in English. It will be possible in some languages to supply only the verb “to be” by rendering this clause as “because the priests … were offering the burnt offerings…” since the idea of busyness is not actually present in the text. In this context the sons of Aaron is better rendered “the descendants of Aaron” (New Revised Standard Version) or “descended from Aaron” (Good News Translation). The fat parts probably refers to the fatty animal parts of fellowship offerings (so Dillard; see the comments on 2 Chr 7.7 and 29.35). Bible en français courant renders the burnt offerings and the fat parts as “the complete offerings and the fatty parts of the other sacrifices.”

So the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests …: This summary statement is a repetition of information already given at the beginning of the verse. If such repetition is unnatural or awkward in the receptor language, it may be omitted (so Good News Translation).

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 6:1

Then Solomon said: Verse 1b may be understood as words that Solomon spoke to himself. If so, then Solomon’s prayer to God begins in verse 2 (so NET Bible). Other translations understand verse 1b as the beginning of Solomon’s prayer. Since verse 2 makes clear that Solomon is talking to God and not to human beings, some of these translations introduce the direct quotation of verses 1b-2 with the verb “prayed” instead of said (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation).

The LORD has said that he would dwell in thick darkness: This line refers to Lev 16.2. In the Masoretic Text the parallel text in 1 Kgs 8.12 agrees with the wording here. However, the Septuagint text of 1 Kgs 8.12 has a longer reading (beginning with the words “The LORD has set the sun in the heavens”), which is followed by Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, and several other translations of 1 Kgs 8.12. Some versions harmonize the text here in 2 Chronicles with that of the Septuagint in 1 Kings by following the longer text (so Revised English Bible, Moffatt). Revised English Bible, for example, says “The LORD has caused the sun to shine in the heavens; but he has said he would dwell in thick darkness.”

The Most Holy Place had no windows; no natural light penetrated it except when the curtain was drawn back. While darkness may be said to be thick in English, the term used in other languages may be quite different. In fact, the Hebrew has a single word for thick darkness, which refers to “obscurity” (Biblia Dios Habla Hoy). The idea is “an obscure place” (La Bible du Semeur) or simply “a very dark place.” The same expression is found in Exo 20.21. It may be translated “a/the dark cloud” (New International Version, New Century Version, New American Bible).

Good News Translation, which takes this line as part of Solomon’s prayer, has changed the third person references to the LORD to second person by saying “LORD, you have chosen to live in clouds and darkness” (similarly Parole de Vie). Good News Bible does this because the Hebrew uses the second person for the LORD in the rest of the prayer in the following verse. Translators must decide whether it will be confusing to readers in the receptor language to shift from third person to second person in speaking to God. In addition to the question about shifting pronouns, translators must also ask themselves whether it is natural in their language to use the third person in prayers to God.

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 1:23

Ophir was famous for its gold (see 1 Chr 29.4).

It is not certain whether Havilah refers to the same place as in verse 9 or whether more than one area had the same name.

All these were the sons of Joktan refers to the descendants of Joktan listed in verses 20-23. For reasons of English style Good News Translation omits this summary statement since it repeats the information from verse 20, but this kind of repetition may be quite appropriate 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 .