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 .

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 .

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 .

When Azubah died is literally “And Azubah died.” This should not be understood to mean that Caleb’s new marriage took place immediately following the death of Azubah. Rather, it occurred at some point “After the death of Azubah” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). In some languages it may be more natural to translate “Azubah died. And later….”

Caleb married Ephrath: Married is literally “took for himself” (simply “took” in Nouvelle Bible Segond and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), but the meaning is clearly “took as his wife.” So married is considered by many translations to be the most natural equivalent (for example, New Century Version, English Standard Version, Holman Christian Standard Bible). If verse 24 is understood to mean that Caleb’s father Hezron was married to Ephrath, then Caleb married his father’s widow or another woman by the same name.

Who bore him Hur: Hur, who is mentioned in Exo 31.2, was a son, not a daughter, so this may be made explicit here (so Good News Translation, New Century Version). Adding the words “a son” also avoids the possible confusion to the hearer in English since the pronoun “her” and the proper name “Hur” are pronounced the same.

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 .

These are the sons of David that were born to him in Hebron: Verses 1-3 list the sons of David that were born in Hebron, a town located about 30 kilometers (19 miles) southwest of Jerusalem. Verse 4 mentions there were six sons born in Hebron. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente adds the idea of “six” sons at the beginning of verse 1 by saying “Six sons were born to David in Hebron.” In some languages it may be more natural and more helpful to begin with “Here is the list of the sons of David who were born in Hebron” (Bible en français courant, La Bible du Semeur). Although the text does not say so, this seems to be a list of the firstborn sons of each of David’s wives and not a list of all of the sons born by these wives.

The first-born Amnon, by Ahino-am the Jezreelitess; the second Daniel, by Abigail the Carmelitess: Although the Hebrew says simply by Ahino-am and by Abigail, it may be clearer in some languages to say “whose mother was Ahinoam” and “whose mother was Abigail” (Good News Translation, New Living Translation, Moffatt, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). The Hebrew says the Jezreelitess and the Carmelitess, but it may be better to say “from Jezreel” and “from Carmel” (Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje) or “from the city of Jezreel” and “from the city of Carmel” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). The information that Jezreel and Carmel were towns or cities would have been understood by the ancient readers, but may not be known by modern readers in other languages.

The son named Daniel is called “Chileab” in 2 Sam 3.3. New Living Translation harmonizes the parallel passages with the name “Kileab” in both cases. But since the two names cannot be seen as variants of a single name, such harmonization is not recommended. An explanatory footnote, however, is advisable.

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 Kenaz: The descendants of Kenaz (called Kenizzites) became a tribe in southern Israel that eventually joined with Judah.

Othni-el was one of the “judges” before Israel was ruled by kings (see Jdg 3.7-11).

And the sons of Othni-el: Hathath and Meonothai: As the footnote in Good News Translation indicates, the Masoretic Text does not have the name Meonothai. However, ancient translations in Greek and Latin include this name here. In addition, the plural sons of Othniel leads the reader to expect more than one name, and the presence of the name Meonothai in the next verse without any identification may suggest that his name has accidentally dropped out of the Masoretic Text in verse 13. Many modern versions follow the longer text, which includes the name Meonothai (so Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New International Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, Osty-Trinquet). La Bible Pléiade includes this name in square brackets to show that it is not in the original, but a footnote explains that it was accidentally omitted from the Hebrew. However, the presence or absence of this name is not dealt with in Hebrew Old Testament Text Project or Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament.

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 his kinsmen by their families: Some interpreters think that verses 7-10 may originally have been a separate fragment, unrelated to verses 4-6. But in their present context the pronoun his must refer to Beerah in the previous verse, as God’s Word makes explicit. For New Century Version this pronoun refers to Joel and for Good News Translation it seems to point to Reuben. But we advise translators to show that Beerah is in view here. Kinsmen translates the Hebrew word for “brother”; Nouvelle version Segond révisée and Nouvelle Bible Segond therefore translate his kinsmen as “Brothers of Beerah.” But this makes the relationship too close. New Living Translation more correctly says “Beerah’s relatives.” La Bible du Semeur is similar with “The men related to Beerah,” and so is Bible en français courant with “The cousins of Beerah.”

When the genealogy of their generations was reckoned: This clause may be difficult to translate in some languages. Genealogy may be rendered “tribal lists” (Revised English Bible) or “family histories” (New Century Version). If the passive verb was reckoned requires an active expression, the first half of this verse may be translated “When people wrote down the stories of their families, family by family, Beerah’s relatives were…” or “When scribes wrote down the list of family names, they recorded Beerah’s relatives as….”

The chief, Je-iel …: The chief is literally “the head.” This phrase appears to refer to Jeiel only (so Revised Standard Version, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), but Good News Translation connects it to all of the names that follow. The Hebrew word translated chief may also refer to a firstborn son. Some interpreters think that this verse was a fragment of a separate genealogy in which Jeiel was listed as the firstborn. This may be the basis for the New Jerusalem Bible translation “Jeiel was first.”

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 .

Elkanah … Ebiasaph … Assir: These were all sons of Korah according to Exo 6.24, although the second name is spelled “Abiasaph” there. In some Hebrew and Greek manuscripts the name Ebiasaph appears as “Abiasaph” here and in verse 37. Some modern versions, such as Bible en français courant and Parole de Vie, harmonize the spelling of the name here and in Exodus because they refer to the same person.

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 .