In verse 42 the Masoretic Textreads Jaakan, but the parallel text in Gen 36.27 reads “and Akan.” In Hebrew the initial letter yod in the name Jaakan is similar to the Hebrew word for “and,” which consists of a single letter (waw). So scribes might easily confuse Jaakan and “and Akan.” HOTTP gave a {C} rating to the name “Akan,” but the final report, CTAT, has given a {C} rating to the name Jaakan, while recognizing that the original name may well have been “Akan.” Numerous versions have “Akan” (New International Version, New Living Translation, Revised English Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, La Bible du Semeur).

The names Dishon and Dishan are nearly identical in spelling in Hebrew, as in English. There is some confusion in the Hebrew texts regarding these two names. According to the Revised Standard Version translation of verses 38-42, two people are named Dishon: (1) the fifth son of Seir, and (2) a grandson of Seir, the son of Seir’s son Anah. Dishan was the brother of Dishon and the seventh son of Seir. In verse 42 the Masoretic Text has the name “Dishon” (so Anchor Bible), but Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation have changed the name to “Dishan,” taking the name as referring to the seventh son of Seir. If the Masoretic Text is followed in reading “Dishon” in verse 42, then the Masoretic Text does not list the sons of Dishan, but only the sons of Dishon.

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 .

Rehoboth on the Euphrates (verse 48) is literally “Rehoboth-han-nahar” (New American Bible; similarly New Jerusalem Bible, Osty-Trinquet, Peregrino). The name Rehoboth means “broad places.” The Hebrew expression han-nahar means “the river,” and it often refers specifically to the Euphrates River or the Nile River. La Bible Pléiade transliterates the Hebrew in the text and then places the words “Places-of-the-river” in parentheses, while Nueva Biblia Española translates the name in the text as “Plaza del Río.” Good News Translation and Bible en français courant say “Rehoboth-on-the-River” (similarly An American Translation, La Bible du Semeur, El libro del Pueblo de Dios, Italian Common Language Version, La Sainte Bible: La version Etablie par les moines de Maredsous). Since the Hebrew word nahar often refers to the Euphrates River, a number of translations say “Rehoboth on the Euphrates” (Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version [English Standard Version]; similarly Moffatt) or “Rehoboth-on-the-River-Euphrates” (Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje). But it seems doubtful that a king of Edom had a residence on the Euphrates. More likely nahar here refers to a river in Edom that flowed into Zered Brook. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy provides a helpful model, saying “Rehoboth, the town that was near the river.” If translators wish to indicate that the river may be the Euphrates, it seems better to state this in a footnote as New International Version and Italian Common Language Version do, rather than in the text itself as Revised Standard Version does.

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 .