And I have been with you wherever you went: In some languages it may be more natural to reverse the order of these two clauses by saying “Everywhere you went, I remained with you.”

And have cut off all your enemies from before you: In this context the verb cut off may be rendered “destroyed” (Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation, Revised English Bible) or “defeated” (Good News Translation, New Century Version). A literal rendering is likely to be misunderstood in many languages, although the English idiom “cut down” (New American Bible) may be appropriate in the context of warfare. New Jerusalem Bible uses the expression “got rid of.” The phrase from before you is left untranslated in some versions, but the expression seems to indicate that the destruction of David’s enemies took place in his presence as he moved forward in battle. This phrase may be awkward in some languages if translated literally. Revised English Bible offers a good model with “in your path,” and so does Contemporary English Version with “right in front of your eyes.”

And I will make for you a name, like the name of the great ones of the earth: The form of the Hebrew verb rendered will make may be understood here in two different ways. It may be taken as expressing future tense or past tense. The majority of versions use future tense here, but Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has past tense, rendering the whole clause as “and I have given you fame, like the most important men of the world have” (similarly Contemporary English Version, La Sainte Bible: La version Etablie par les moines de Maredsous). In this context the word name refers to “reputation” (Bible en français courant) or “fame” (Revised English Bible). The great ones of the earth refers to people who were well known by other people throughout the world. God’s Word speaks of “the greatest people on earth.”

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 Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army: As in verse 12, most readers would have no way of knowing that Zeruiah was a woman even though the original readers or hearers of this passage very likely knew this. So it may be a good idea to follow the Good News Translation model (also Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje), which renders Joab the son of Zeruiah as “Abishai’s brother Joab.” This rendering at least points the reader back to the identification of Zeruiah in verse 12 (see the comments there). Bible en français courant solves the problem by saying “Joab, whose mother was called Zeruiah.” Was over the army is literally “over the army.” Revised Standard Version adds the verb was. In some languages it will be more natural to render was over as “commanded,” “controlled,” or “supervised.” Still others may say “looked over the affairs of” or “was the leader of.” Compare also “was commanding general of” ( NET Bible).

And Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder: The precise meaning of the Hebrew terms translated recorder here and “secretary” in the following verse is not clear. And the difference between the two is also uncertain. But the rendering of the two terms should be decided together. McCarter translates the term for recorder as “remembrancer” in the parallel passage of 2 Sam 8.16, and indeed the root verb on which the Hebrew noun is based is “to remember” or “to be mindful.” According to the American Bible commentary, the task of the person holding this office has been compared to that of the Egyptian “speaker,” who was responsible to report to the king and to communicate his proclamations to his subjects. Therefore American Bible and Bible en français courant say “spokesman [for the king]” here. New Jerusalem Bible seems to follow this interpretation by translating “herald.” Revised English Bible has the modern sounding expression “secretary of state.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, like Moffatt, translates “chancellor,” but adds a note giving details about the duties of this office. The majority of English versions still use the noun “recorder” or a verb phrase having a similar meaning, such as “kept the records” (Knox). The person’s duties probably included oversight of public records. In some languages the term that is applied to the keeper of oral history and traditions of the society may be the best one to use here. But translators may accept the alternative interpretation that Ahilud was a “royal herald.” Some may say “king’s spokesman,” “person in charge of direct communication with the king,” or “person who reported to the king and made known his decisions to 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 .

For the background to verses 7-10, see 2 Sam 7.1-16 and 1 Chr 17.1-14.

Verses 7-16 are David’s words to Solomon. Within this long quotation David reports the words of God in verses 8-10. Good News Translation restructures these verses by making verse 8 an indirect quotation and then making verses 9 and 10 a direct quotation within the words of David to Solomon. Other languages may find this restructuring helpful.

David said to Solomon, “My son …: The Masoretic Text reads “And David said to Solomon his son….” If this reading is followed, then David’s direct speech to Solomon begins with the words I had it in my heart…. But the margin of the Masoretic Text contains the reading “my son” rather than “his son.” This marginal reading, which is followed by nearly all versions, is the basis for Revised Standard Version‘s rendering (also Good News Translation, New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, La Bible Pléiade, El libro del Pueblo de Dios).

I had it in my heart to build a house … is literally “As for me, it was with my heart to build a house….” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible preserves the emphasis of the first person pronoun in Hebrew by saying “I myself had it in my heart to build a House…” (similarly Bible en français courant, La Bible du Semeur). Another way of keeping this emphasis is “it was my purpose to build a house myself…” (New American Bible). In languages that have emphatic pronouns, it will certainly be fitting to use the first person singular form in this context to reflect the emphasis of the original. In the Old Testament the heart was not regarded as the seat of feelings and emotions. Depending on the context, it may refer primarily to a person’s disposition, determination, will or intention, or reason. Here it may be rendered “mind” (King James Version). I had it in my heart may be rendered simply “I wanted” (Good News Translation, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Revised English Bible says “it was my intention” (similarly Nouvelle version Segond révisée).

To the name of the LORD my God may be translated “dedicated to the Lord my God” (Bible en français courant, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente) or “in honor of Yahweh my God” (American Bible; similarly Good News Translation, La Bible du Semeur). A literal translation of these words in some languages may imply that David’s God (my God) was different from Solomon’s God, but the pronoun my simply emphasizes David’s personal devotion to God, not that he worshiped a different God from Solomon. If this problem exists in the receptor language, it will be acceptable to translate “our 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 .

Eleazar died having no sons, but only daughters: This verse deals with the descendants of Merari’s son Mahli, and verse 23 deals with the sons of Merari’s other son, Mushi. Eleazar was a son of Mahli and a brother of Kish (verse 21).

Their kinsmen, the sons of Kish, married them: Their kinsmen is literally “their brothers” (New American Standard Bible). Since Eleazar and Kish were brothers, many translations correctly refer to their sons and daughters as “cousins” (Good News Translation, New International Version, New Living Translation, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Moffatt, Nueva Versión Internacional, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). For this whole clause Contemporary English Version says “and they [Eleazar’s daughters] married their uncle’s sons.” Bible en français courant follows the form of the Hebrew more closely by saying “and it was their cousins, the sons of Kish, who married them.” Marriage to their kinsmen was in agreement with the Law of Moses (Num 36.5-9), which guaranteed that no inheritance would be transferred from one tribe to another.

Married translates a Hebrew verb that means “to lift up” or “to take.” New American Standard Bible translates married them as “took them as wives,” supplying the implied object. Sometimes this verb has the object “wife” or “wives,” but even without an explicit object, it sometimes means “to take a wife,” as it does in this verse.

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 sons of Mushi …: Mushi was a brother of Mahli and another son of Merari (verse 26).

Jerimoth is written “Jeremoth” in 1 Chr 23.23. The spellings may be harmonized since they are two very similar forms of the same name. New Living Translation uses “Jerimoth” in both cases, while Good News Translation uses “Jeremoth” for the two occurrences.

These were the sons of the Levites according to their fathers’ houses: This sentence refers to all of the above list beginning at verse 20, not just to the first half of this verse, as the paragraphing in Revised Standard Version seems to suggest. For this reason many versions begin a new paragraph here (so Good News Translation, New International Version, New Living Translation, La Bible Pléiade, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, El libro del Pueblo de Dios, Nueva Versión Internacional, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente), which we recommend. The sons of the Levites means simply “the Levites” (Good News Translation). According to their fathers’ houses may be rendered “according to their respective families” (Bible en français courant). For this whole sentence New Century Version has “These are the Levites, listed by their families.”

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 .

This Shelomoth and his brethren were in charge of all the treasuries of the dedicated gifts: In some languages the demonstrative pronoun This cannot be used with a proper name. The purpose of this construction is to ensure that the reader understands that the person named Shelomoth in this verse is the same as the one mentioned in the previous verse. In most cases this will be clear without adding the demonstrative pronoun. His brethren here may mean “the members of his family” (Good News Translation), but more likely refers to “his kinsmen” (Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible) or “his relatives” (New Century Version) in a broader sense.

Which David the king … had dedicated: See 1 Chr 18.7-8, 11.

The heads of the fathers’ houses refers to “the chiefs of the clans” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Good News Translation calls this group “the heads of families.” See the comments on 1 Chr 5.24.

The officers of the thousands and the hundreds and the commanders of the army: It is not clear whether these officers are (a) army officers, in addition to the commanders of the army, or whether these officers are (b) clan leaders. Good News Translation and Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje consider these officers as “leaders of clan groups.” Compare also “the family leaders who led units of a thousand and a hundred” ( NET Bible). But Bible en français courant renders the end of this verse as “by the commanders of regiments and companies and by the other military leaders.” If they are army officers, then Bible en français courant correctly adds the word “other” to the last phrase. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh also does this by saying “the officers of thousands and hundreds and the other army officers.” Compare also Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, which reads “by commanders of units of a hundred and of a thousand soldiers and by the officers of the army.”

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 .

David was speaking to all of the people in the previous verse, but in verses 9-10 he addresses only Solomon, so Good News Translation begins this verse with “And to Solomon he said.” Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente is similar with “Then David turned to Solomon.”

And you, Solomon, my son, know the God of your father: This verse begins in the Hebrew with the word weʾatah (“And you”). The Septuagint changes this word slightly to read weʿatah (“And now”), which is followed by Braun. But almost no other modern translation adopts the reading of the Septuagint, and we do not recommend it to translators. In any case, either reading serves the same effect of marking a transition. Both New American Bible and Complete Jewish Bible translate “As for you.”

The charge to know God means that Solomon should live in a personal relationship with God; that is, he should worship and serve God. The phrase the God of your father should not be understood to mean that Solomon’s God was different from David’s God. The Septuagint reads the plural “fathers” (so Braun; similarly New Living Translation, which says “ancestors”). But in this context repeated references to Solomon as my son, “your son,” and “his son” favor the reading your father here. For this whole clause Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says “But you, my son Solomon, learn to know the LORD, the God of your father, better and better!” In many languages it will be more natural to translate using the first person rather than the third person for your father since it is David, Solomon’s father, who is speaking; for example, Bible en français courant translates “As for you, my son Solomon, learn to know well the God whom I serve.” Others may say “… accept the God whom I, your father, worship.” Contemporary English Version translates more dynamically and perhaps more naturally, saying “Solomon, my son, worship God … just as I have done.”

And serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind: With a whole heart is a common expression in 1–2 Chronicles (1 Chr 12.38; 29.9, 19; 2 Chr 15.17; 19.9; 25.2). It refers to complete loyalty and devotion without any distraction. Other translations include “with an undivided heart” (Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, Moffatt) and “with a perfect heart” (New American Bible). The Hebrew may contain a play on words here since the adjective translated whole has the same consonants as the name Solomon (see also the comments on 1 Chr 22.9). The phrases a whole heart and a willing mind echo the language and thought of Deut 4.29 and 10.12. For this whole clause New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “and serve Him with single mind and fervent heart.”

For the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every plan and thought: This clause explains why Solomon should obey God completely. It is because God knows everything people think and plan. The LORD searches all hearts means he examines the minds of everyone. The Hebrew word for plan refers to intentions and the word for thought refers to thinking. These two words together referring to thinking and the motives behind such thoughts. For this whole sentence NET Bible has “for the LORD examines all minds and understands every motive of one’s thoughts.”

If you seek him, he will be found by you: Seek renders the same Hebrew verb that is translated searches. Here it means to obey the LORD (see the comments on 1 Chr 16.10-11). The passive expression he will be found by you will have to be made active in certain languages. Since the real subject (you) is clear, it will be easy to transform this clause to an active statement in most languages by saying “you will find him” (New Living Translation). However, in order to focus more on the initiative of God, some may prefer to say “he will allow you to find him.” For this whole sentence God’s Word has “If you dedicate your life to serving him, he will accept you.”

But if you forsake him, he will cast you off for ever: This sentence expresses the opposite idea of the previous one. God’s Word expresses it well with “But if you abandon him, he will reject you from then on.”

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 .