Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 13:9

Instead of Homam (verse 39), the parallel text in Gen 36.22 reads “Heman,” and this is the basis for the reading “Heman” here in some translations of 1 Chronicles (so New Living Translation, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, La Biblia: Traducción en Lenguaje Actual).

Timna (verse 39) is probably the same person as the Timna who was the concubine of Eliphaz and the mother of Amalek (see the discussion on verse 36).

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 14:2

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 .

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 1:46

Midian (verse 46) may be rendered “the Midianites” (Good News Translation, NJPSV, Moffatt, Bible en français courant) or “the Midianite army” (New Living Translation). Midian is first mentioned in verses 32-33.

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 1:47

Samlah of Masrekah (verse 47): Nothing more is known of this ruler or this place.

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 1:28

The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael: There is no verb in this verse in Revised Standard Version or in the Hebrew text (which is fitting in a genealogical list in Hebrew), but many languages will require one. Possible models are “Abraham had two sons, Isaac and Ishmael” (Good News Translation) and “Abraham was the father of Isaac and Ishmael” (Contemporary English Version). In some languages it will be natural to use the verb “gave birth to.” Since Abraham was mentioned at the end of the previous verse, Revised English Bible omits his name here and renders this verse as a relative clause, saying “whose sons were Isaac and Ishmael.” However, if a section heading separates these two verses, it will be important to repeat the name of Abraham.

Only two sons of Abraham are mentioned here, but verses 32-33 include descendants of Abraham and his concubine Keturah. Although Ishmael was the firstborn, his name does not appear first, no doubt because Isaac was the ancestor of the people of Israel (see Gal 4.21-31).

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 1 Chronicles 1:48

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 .

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 1:49

Unlike the previous six kings and the following king, Baal-hanan (verse 49) is not linked with any particular place.

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 1:50

Instead of Pai (verse 50), many Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions read “Pau” as in Gen 36.39 (so Good News Translation, New International Version, New Living Translation, La Bible du Semeur, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Nueva Versión Internacional, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, Peregrino). As with other variant spellings of names in this chapter, the difference seems to be caused by the similarity of the Hebrew letters yod (Pai) and waw (Pau). The exact location of the city of Pai is not known.

Mehetabel the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab (verse 50): There are several difficulties in translating these words. First, the Septuagint translation of the parallel text in Gen 36.39 says that Matred was the son of Mezahab rather than his daughter (so Peregrino here in verse 50). Second, it is not certain whether Mezahab was a man or a woman, that is, whether this person was the father or the mother of Matred. Even more important, some scholars consider Mezahab to be a place name. New English Bible and Revised English Bible, for example, say “Mehetabel daughter of Matred, a woman of Me-zahab.” If Mezahab is a person, then Mehetabel is the “granddaughter” of Mezahab (so Good News Translation, New Living Translation, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje). This seems more likely than the other possibilities and is recommended to translators.

One important manuscript of the Septuagint omits the words and his wife’s name Mehetabel the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab. Knoppers, therefore, omits these words here, assuming that these words were added to the Masoretic Text later in order to agree with the text of Gen 36.39.

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 .