So Gad came to David and said to him: So translates the common Hebrew conjunction, which introduces a logical result here. New American Bible renders it “Accordingly.” Revised Standard Version says that Gad came to David, but Good News Translation says that he “went” to him. In English the verb came implies that the speaker or person telling the story is where David is, while “went” implies that the speaker or writer was not where David was. Translators should use whichever verb sounds most natural in their language.

Take which you will is literally “Take for yourself.” Other translations include “Make your choice” (Revised English Bible), “Take your choice” (New Revised Standard Version), “Choose one of these three things” (Nueva Versión Internacional), “Choose among these three punishments” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente), and “Decide now” (New American Bible). Each punishment offered is shorter in time but also more severe than the previous one.

The embedded quotation in this verse may have to be handled differently in some languages. A possible model that uses indirect speech is:

• So Gad went to David and told him that the LORD required that David should decide which one of the following he would choose.

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 .

In the Hebrew text this verse begins literally with the phrase “And behold,” which Revised Standard Version omits. New American Bible and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh render it “See.”

With great pains is literally “in my affliction.” The Hebrew noun here has a range of meanings that include “poverty,” “pain,” and “work.” Translations vary in which nuance is considered to be in focus here. Some focus on the aspect of hard work. Good News Translation, for example, reads “by my efforts,” while Braun and Osty-Trinquet say “by my hard work.” Others focus on the fact that David provided for the Temple despite the fact that he lacked resources, was fighting wars, and had troubles within his family. Translations reflecting this understanding include “At the cost of some trouble” (Revised English Bible), “poor as I am” (New Jerusalem Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), “in my poverty” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh alternative translation), and “by denying myself” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Knoppers argues that the noun in this context signifies a self-imposed restraint, translating “In my humility.” Any of these translations is possible and acceptable.

I have provided for the house of the LORD a hundred thousand talents of gold, a million talents of silver: The amount of gold and silver is enormous. Perhaps these amounts were intended to be read as hyperbole, meaning “huge amounts of gold and silver,” rather than taken literally. In any case, the writer surely is giving round numbers rather than precise measurements. But since it is not clear that these amounts were intended in any way other than literal amounts, translators should keep the amounts in the receptor language. A “talent” was the approximate equivalent of 34 kilograms or 75 pounds. A hundred thousand talents is the equivalent of “almost four thousand tons” according to Good News Translation. La Bible du Semeur has “3,000 tons,” and Bible en français courant says “more than three thousand tons.” God’s Word expresses this in pounds as “7,500,000 pounds.” A million talents is the equivalent of “nearly forty thousand tons” (Good News Translation) or “75,000,000 pounds” (God’s Word). La Bible du Semeur has “30,000 tons,” and Bible en français courant says “more than thirty thousand tons.”

And bronze and iron beyond weighing, for there is so much of it: See the comments on 1 Chr 22.3.

Timber and stone too I have provided: See verses 2 and 4.

To these you must add: Most translations take this clause to mean that Solomon will need to obtain more timber and stone in addition to the quantities that David has already gathered. But some interpret it as simply giving Solomon permission to get more of these items; for example, American Bible says “but you may add to these,” New International Version and Revised English Bible translate “And you may add to them,” and New Jerusalem Bible has “to which you may add more.” Contemporary English Version seems to give yet another way of understanding this clause, saying “Ask for anything else you need.” This interpretation presents David as having more resources that would be forthcoming at Solomon’s request. But this option is less likely to be the intended meaning.

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 .

To assist also with the showbread is literally “and for the bread of the row.” Revised Standard Version adds the implied verb phrase to assist, and Good News Translation adds “to be responsible for.” This verse continues the list of the Levites’ duties. In some languages it may be helpful to begin a new sentence at this point by saying “They must also…,” which repeats the idea of their duty shall be from the previous verse. Compare God’s Word “They were also responsible for….” The Hebrew text does not specify how the Levites were to help with the items mentioned here. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente gives some indication by beginning with “They prepared…” (similarly Bible en français courant).

For the showbread, see the comments on 1 Chr 9.32. Each Sabbath twelve loaves of fresh bread were placed in two rows on the golden table in the Holy Place of the Temple (see Lev 24.5-9). Other renderings for the showbread include “the rows of bread” (New Revised Standard Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), “the bread offered to God” (Good News Translation), “the sacred bread offered to God” (Bible en français courant), “the Bread of the Presence” (Revised English Bible), “the loaves of permanent offering” (New Jerusalem Bible), and “the bread set out on the table” (New International Version).

The flour for the cereal offering: The Hebrew noun translated flour refers to fine flour made from wheat (see the comments on 1 Chr 9.29, where it is rendered “fine flour”). For cereal offering, see the comments on 1 Chr 21.13. Other versions say “grain offering[s]” (New Revised Standard Version, New International Version) or “oblation” (New Jerusalem Bible). Bible en français courant introduces a verb here, saying “to prepare the flour intended for the vegetable offerings.”

The wafers of unleavened bread were thin crackers made without yeast (see Lev 2.4; 7.12). Good News Translation says “the wafers made without yeast” (similarly Nueva Versión Internacional). La Bible Pléiade takes the words that follow as describing two different ways in which the wafers of unleavened bread might be made, saying “the wafers of unleavened bread that were baked in a pan or mixed with oil.” According to Lev 2.4-7, grain offerings could be baked in an oven, on a griddle, or in a pan. The cakes baked on a griddle became crisp and could be broken into pieces. The cakes baked in a covered pan became soft.

The baked offering: The meaning of the Hebrew noun here is debated. The Hebrew noun elsewhere refers to a metal or clay baking tray or a flat griddle (Lev 2.5; 6.21; 7.9; Ezek 4.3). So some translations here say “the griddle” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Knoppers). But others understand it to refer here to the flat round crisp cake baked on this tray or griddle (so Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation). Other translations include “the pan-baked materials” (New Jerusalem Bible, American Bible) and “the griddle cakes” (Braun).

The offering mixed with oil (literally “the mixed”) refers to dough mixed with oil. This expression renders a Hebrew participle that occurs only here and in Lev 6.21 and 7.12. Some understand this word to mean “well soaked” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), meaning that the dough was fully prepared in boiling water. However, most understand it to mean “mixed.” Braun says “the mixed breads,” but this may incorrectly suggest to the reader that the bread consisted of different kinds of dough mixed together. Good News Translation says “the flour mixed with olive oil,” which is a good model.

New American Bible combines the baked offering and the offering mixed with oil as “the baking and mixing.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh also combines the two, saying “the cakes made on the griddle and soaked.” In light of the descriptions of grain offerings in Lev 2, it seems likely that the reference here is to baked offerings that had oil mixed in rather than to two separate kinds of offerings.

And all measures of quantity and size: The Levites were in charge of making sure that the required quantities were used in the preparations of the different kinds of offerings. The Hebrew nouns here refer respectively to measures of volume and measures of length. Contemporary English Version says “These Levites will weigh and measure these offerings” (similarly Good News Translation), but this translation fails to indicate that the Levites did more than simply weigh and measure offerings, they also were responsible for ensuring that the amounts were correct.

It is also possible to understand this final part of the verse as not referring to weighing and measuring the offerings but to maintaining the official standards of weights and measures used throughout Israel (see Lev 19.35). Such a task would correspond with the Levites’ role as being in charge of the Temple treasury (1 Chr 26.20). Bible en français courant expresses this sense by saying “and to control the measures of capacity and of length” (similarly New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). But in this context the reference is most likely to weighing and measuring the offerings, as the footnote on this verse in New Jerusalem Bible states, “The Levites were not to be inspectors of weights and measures as such, but to check that the offerings were of the quantity specified by the ritual.”

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 .

As in the previous verse, the Masoretic Text has ambiguities that allow for several different interpretations and translations of this verse. The recommendation of this Handbook is given at the end of the comments on 1 Chr 25.7. Revised Standard Version has reversed the order of the words in the last part of this verse, which reads as follows in the Masoretic Text: “… with cymbals, harps, and lyres for the service of the house of God under the order of the king, Asaph and Jeduthun and Heman.” In the discussion below, the word order of the Hebrew is important, since it is uncertain whether under the order of the king refers to the sons or to the fathers only.

They were all under the direction of their father in the house of the LORD …: Since the previous verse ends by referring to both the sons and daughters of Heman, it is possible that the pronouns They and their include the daughters also. However, most interpreters think that both the immediate context, as well as the larger context, suggests that women were not among the singers. Good News Translation and Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje make explicit that only the “sons” of Heman are in view.

There are several additional difficulties in interpreting and translating this verse:

• (1) It is not clear whether the pronoun They and the phrase their father refer (a) to the sons of all three fathers and all three of the fathers or (b) only to the sons of Heman and to Heman. If interpretation (a) is followed, then the pronouns They and their refer to the sons of Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman, and the word father has a collective meaning, that is, “fathers” (New Living Translation, NET Bible). In this interpretation verse 6 is a summary of verses 1b-5, and should begin a new paragraph (so New Living Translation, NET Bible, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). If interpretation (b) is followed, then only Heman and his sons are in view, and verse 6 is connected to verses 4-5 (so Good News Translation and Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, which say “his sons”). Since a general statement follows regarding the groups under Asaph in verse 2 and Jeduthun in verse 3, it is possible that verse 6a refers specifically to the sons of Heman.

• (2) It is not clear whether the phrase were under the order of the king refers only to the three fathers (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New Living Translation) or whether it refers to the fathers and all of their sons. According to most versions, the last part of this verse is a summary of the preceding verses, which states that the three fathers took their orders directly from the king. The punctuation of the Hebrew text favors this understanding. Nouvelle Bible Segond follows this interpretation and begins a new paragraph with the words “Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the direction of the king.” Some interpreters consider the names of the fathers at the end of this verse to be a later addition, but since they are a firm part of the Masoretic Text, they should be translated.
However, it is possible to connect the phrase were under the order of the king more closely with the first part of the verse, which means that it was the sons who were under the direction of the king. El libro del Pueblo de Dios follows this interpretation by rendering the whole verse as “They were all under the direction of their father, to sing in the House of the Lord at the sound of cymbals, harps and lyres, for the service of the House of God, following the instructions of the king, of Asaph, of Jeduthun and of Heman” (similarly La Bible Pléiade, Osty-Trinquet). New American Bible follows the same interpretation of the Hebrew and reads “All of these, whether of Asaph, Jeduthun, or Heman, were under their fathers’ direction in the singing in the house of the LORD to the accompaniment of cymbals, harps and lyres, serving in the house of God, under the guidance of the king” (similarly God’s Word). If this interpretation is followed, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente provides a good model, saying “All of these, under the direction of their fathers Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman, were in the employ of the king. They accompanied the worship in the house of the Lord, singing with the sound of cymbals, harps and lyres.”

• (3) How is the phrase for the service of the house of God to be connected to the rest of the verse? We note three different views and recommend the first one as most likely the intended meaning:

(a) The punctuation in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation follows the punctuation of the Masoretic Text in placing this phrase with the first part of the verse.
(b) However, it is possible to connect this phrase with the last sentence in the verse and to translate the last part of this verse as follows: “In order to carry out their service in the temple, Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the order of the king” (alternative translation in La Bible du Semeur).
(c) Some translations follow the Septuagint and omit this phrase. Klein, for example, translates this verse as “All these were under the direction of their father (Heman) for music in the house of Yahweh, with the accompaniment of cymbals, harps, and lyres, according to the orders of the king.”

Unlike nearly all other versions, New Jerusalem Bible connects the names Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman with the beginning of verse 7 as the beginning of a new paragraph. New Jerusalem Bible renders verses 6-7 as follows:

• 6 Under the king’s direction all these had the duty of singing to the accompaniment of cymbal, lyre and harp for the liturgy of the house of God under the direction of their fathers.
Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman, 7 trained in the songs of Yahweh, with their brothers, numbered two hundred and eighty-eight, all expert.

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 weight of gold for each table for the showbread: The construction of the gold … table for the showbread is described in Exo 25.23-30. This table was made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold. Only here and in 2 Chr 4.19 is there mention of more than one table for the loaves of bread offered to God. Therefore a few versions refer to only one table for the bread; for example, New Living Translation says “He designated the amount of gold for the table on which the Bread of the Presence would be placed,” and Contemporary English Version has “the gold table which held the sacred loaves of bread.” However, translators should translate the plural both here and in 2 Chr 4.19. For the showbread, see the comments on 1 Chr 9.32. Good News Translation says “the loaves of bread offered to God.”

The silver for the silver tables: Silver tables are mentioned only here in the Old Testament lists concerning the items for the interior of the Temple. Nothing is said regarding how they were used in the Temple. Since the gold tables seem to have been made of wood and covered with gold, the silver tables were probably also made of wood and covered with silver. Contemporary English Version says “the tables made of silver,” but it is better to say “the tables covered with silver.”

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 .

Solomon the son of David established himself in his kingdom: Since this is the beginning of a book, translators may wish to identify more precisely Solomon and David. Some versions do so by inserting “King” before the name David (so Good News Translation, New Living Translation), and others do it by inserting “King” before the name Solomon (so Revised English Bible). Established himself in his kingdom is literally “strengthened himself over his kingdom.” The Hebrew verb translated established himself is a reflexive verb that is found frequently in 2 Chronicles (12.13; 13.21; 17.1; 21.4; 27.6). Here it focuses on Solomon’s action in taking control of his kingdom. But the remainder of the verse makes it clear that this was not done in his own power. Some interpreters see this clause as an indirect reference to Solomon’s elimination of anyone who might have been a threat to his authority, as described, for example, in 1 Kgs 2.46. The author may also have been thinking of Solomon’s building projects. Acceptable translations of established himself in his kingdom include “consolidated his power over his kingdom” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente), “strengthened his authority over his kingdom” (La Bible du Semeur), “strengthened his hold on the kingdom” (Revised English Bible, New American Bible), “took firm hold of his kingdom” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), “made himself secure over his kingdom” (New Jerusalem Bible), and “took firm control of his kingdom” (New Living Translation). Instead of his kingdom, the meaning may be clearer for some readers if translators specify “the kingdom of Israel.”

And the LORD his God was with him …: And renders the common Hebrew conjunction. A number of modern versions omit the conjunction, making no explicit connection with the previous clause (so Nouvelle Bible Segond, La Bible de Jérusalem: Nouvelle édition revue et corrigée, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). However, some interpreters understand the second half of this verse as providing the basis or reason that Solomon was able to take firm control of his kingdom. The Hebrew grammar favors this interpretation. If this interpretation is followed, then the conjunction may be translated “for” (New International Version, New Living Translation, Revised English Bible, NET Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “because” (Contemporary English Version).

Was with him is literally “with him.” Revised Standard Version has supplied the verb was as English usage requires. These words imply more than simply the presence of the LORD his God. They suggest that God protected Solomon, and that God’s presence with Solomon was of considerable benefit to Solomon and greatly enhanced his life and reign. Some may even prefer to translate “blessed him.”

And made him exceedingly great is literally “and made him big exceedingly.” See the comments on 1 Chr 29.25. The Hebrew verb here is a very general one, but it is clearly used of political greatness and power in this context. The adverb translated exceedingly strongly reinforces the meaning of the verbal expression. Translators should ensure that the meaning rendered involves more than personal physical strength or ability. The Hebrew no doubt includes the idea that God gave Solomon “very great prestige” (La Bible du Semeur; similarly Bible en français courant), but it seems to include more than that. The whole clause may be translated “greatly increased his power” (Biblia Dios Habla Hoy), “caused him to be great,” or “caused him to become powerful.” For the last half of this verse La Sainte Bible: La version Etablie par les moines de Maredsous says “The LORD his God was with him and developed his power.”

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 .