In verses 11-19 David gives Solomon the plans for the Temple. Bible en français courant and Nouvelle Bible Segond begin a new section here called “David delivers to Solomon the plans for the temple” (similarly Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

Revised Standard Version follows the form of the Hebrew, with one long sentence from verse 11 through verse 18. Good News Translation and other common language translations break it up into several shorter sentences.

Then David gave Solomon his son the plan …: The temporal connector Then renders the common Hebrew conjunction. Other versions that render it in the same way are New Century Version, New Jerusalem Bible, and New American Bible. However, in some languages the beginning of a new paragraph will serve the same purpose without any other overt marker (so Good News Translation).

The Hebrew identifies Solomon as David’s son, but repetition of information that has already been expressed many times is not considered good English style, so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, and New Living Translation omit the words his son.

The Hebrew technical term rendered plan is also used in Exo 25.9 and 40, when God gave Moses instructions about building the Tabernacle. The word plan, which occurs also in verses 12, 18 and 19, may be translated “pattern” (King James Version, New American Bible). Bible de Jérusalem speaks of a “model.” The plan probably was a description in words rather than a drawing. If it is considered to be a drawing, then the Hebrew verb for gave may be translated “handed over” (American Bible).

The vestibule of the temple … its houses, its treasuries, its upper rooms, and its inner chambers: The vestibule of the temple (literally “the vestibule”) refers to the porch in front of the Temple (see 1 Kgs 6.3). It was an unroofed structure through which someone had to pass in order to enter the sanctuary itself. Revised English Bible says “the porch of the temple.” The Hebrew contains a difficulty here since the possessive pronoun its must refer to the vestibule because the words of the temple are not in the Hebrew. For this whole part of the verse An American Translation says “the porch, its houses, its treasuries, its upper chambers, and its rooms within” (similarly New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). But it makes no sense to speak of the vestibule’s upper rooms, since it was the Temple itself that had upper rooms, and not the vestibule. Most translations overcome the problem by supplying the phrase of the temple, as Revised Standard Version has done. Good News Translation simplifies the text by including the different rooms under the more general expressions “all the Temple buildings” and “all the other rooms.” Most Septuagint manuscripts read “the temple” instead of the vestibule, and this is the basis for some translations (so Braun).

Its houses probably refers to the Temple’s surrounding buildings (so New Living Translation).

The Hebrew word translated treasuries occurs only here in the Old Testament. It is a loanword from Persian and means either treasury or supply room. It has been understood by some as a place that could be locked up in order to protect its contents. Revised English Bible speaks of “strong-rooms.”

The Hebrew word rendered upper rooms is translated “room on the roof” in Jdg 3.20 by Good News Translation, which is the sense it has in this context, so Revised English Bible says “roof-chambers”. The two Hebrew words translated inner chambers refer to rooms that are inside the Temple. Contemporary English Version attempts to translate into simple language the two kinds of rooms referred to here as “the rooms upstairs and downstairs.”

The room for the mercy seat (literally “the place of the Ark-cover” [New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh]) refers to the Holy of Holies or “the Most Holy Place” (Good News Translation; see 1 Kgs 6.16, 19-28). Instructions for the building of the mercy seat are given in Exo 25.17-21. It was made of pure gold, and it had the same measurements as the Covenant Box, which according to Exo 25.10 measured about 110 centimeters (45 inches) long by 66 centimeters (27 inches) wide. It sat on top of the Covenant Box with the two gold cherubim attached to it. On the Day of Atonement (Lev 16.1-28), the High Priest sprinkled blood on the mercy seat to atone for his sins and for the sins of the people. Because of this function of the mercy seat, Good News Translation and Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje translate the room for the mercy seat as “the Most Holy Place, where sins are forgiven,” and New Century Version similarly says “the place where the people’s sins were removed.” New Living Translation has “the inner sanctuary where the Ark’s cover–the place of atonement–would be kept.” New International Version says simply “the place of atonement.” Revised English Bible says “the shrine of expiation,” and New American Bible has “the room with the propitiatory”; but neither of these renderings is common language. Moffatt takes the Hebrew word for mercy seat to simply mean “cover,” so he says “the shrine for the ark and its cover.”

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 the LORD gave Solomon great repute is literally “And the LORD made Solomon big exceedingly.” The Hebrew text contains an adverb as well as the verb meaning “to make big.”

In the sight of all Israel is literally “in the eyes of all Israel” (Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). In some languages it will be more natural to say “in the presence of all the people of Israel.” God’s Word and New Jerusalem Bible have “as all Israel could see.”

And bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel: In Hebrew the third person singular verb rendered bestowed (literally “gave”) has no stated subject, but it seems most natural to assume that the subject is the LORD, the same as for the verb for gave … repute. This is the interpretation in nearly all translations. However, it is grammatically possible to take Israel in the previous clause as the subject of the verb bestowed, as God’s Word does by saying “The people of Israel gave him royal honor like no king of Israel before him ever had.”

Since only Saul and David had been kings of Israel before Solomon, the clause as had not been on any king before him in Israel (literally “on every king before him over Israel”) come somewhat as a surprise. The Hebrew word translated before him usually means “before him in time,” so New Jerusalem Bible expresses this clause as “as no previous king of Israel ever had.” New Living Translation translates the last half of this verse as “and he gave Solomon even greater wealth and honor than his father,” but the translation should not limit the comparison to David only. Some interpreters argue that the Hebrew word for before him should be translated “more than on him.” This is the basis for the rendering “and he gave him royal majesty that had not been on any king more than on him” (Klein). Some Septuagint manuscripts, followed by Klein, do not have the words in Israel. Without these words, the sense is that God made Solomon more glorious than kings who had ruled in other nations as well as those who had ruled in Israel. However, translators should follow the Masoretic Text here, which includes the words in Israel.

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 some languages it will not be necessary to translate the words Huram also said (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, Bible en français courant), because this verse is simply a continuation of the quotation begun in the previous verse. Revised English Bible, on the other hand, clearly shows that the following words consisted of more from the written document previously mentioned by translating “The letter continued.”

Blessed be the LORD God of Israel: See the comments on 1 Chr 16.36. In languages that cannot use a passive form here, an active expression will be required; for example, “Praise the LORD God of Israel” (Good News Translation) or “I praise the LORD….”

Who made heaven and earth …: In some languages it may be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Good News Translation does this with the next clause who has given King David a wise son.

Endued with discretion and understanding: The passive expression endued with renders an active participle in Hebrew that means “who knows.” It may be rendered “who has” (Contemporary English Version). For discretion and understanding, see the comments on 1 Chr 22.12. Other translations of these two nouns include “prudence and intelligence” (Moffatt) and “wisdom and understanding” (New Century Version).

Who will build a temple for the LORD, and a royal palace for himself: There are two ways in which the relationship between this clause and what precedes may be understood. Most translations take this clause as a noun clause stating that it is Solomon who will build the Temple and palace. However, it is also possible to understand this clause as providing the evidence of Solomon’s wisdom. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, for example, says “full of intelligence and good sense, as his intention to build a temple for the Lord and a palace for himself shows.”

Temple and palace translate the same Hebrew word, which is literally “house.” A royal palace for himself is literally “a house for his kingship” (see verse 1). New American Bible says “a house for his royal estate,” and New Jerusalem Bible has “a palace in which to reign.” Among modern versions, only Moffatt omits the words for the LORD. The reason for this omission is not clear, but these words should be translated since there is a contrast between Solomon’s building a house for God and his building a house for himself.

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 two pillars (verse 12): See 2 Chr 3.15.

The bowls, and the two capitals on the top of the pillars (verse 12): See 2 Chr 3.15. Revised Standard Version follows the Masoretic Text here, which refers to both the bowls and the two capitals. But many versions make a slight change in the Masoretic Text so that the wording agrees with the parallel text in 1 Kgs 7.41, which refers to bowl-shaped capitals. Renderings that make this change are “the two bowl-shaped capitals on the tops of the pillars” (Revised English Bible), “two nodes for the capitals topping these two columns” (New American Bible), “the mouldings of the capitals surmounting the two pillars” (New Jerusalem Bible), and “the two rounded capitals on the top of the columns” (Moffatt). Such a correction of the Masoretic Text is recommended.

The two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars (verse 12): See the comments on 2 Chr 3.16.

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 .

Who has kept with thy servant David my father what thou didst declare to him: Solomon acknowledges to God that God has kept his promise to David. Revised Standard Version‘s literal translation here is awkward. In Revised Standard Version this first half of the verse is a continuation of the sentence begun in the previous verse and is technically a relative clause. But most modern versions begin a new sentence here for naturalness; for example, New Century Version says “You have kept the promise you made to your servant David, my father.”

The use of the archaic pronouns thy and thou in Revised Standard Version reflects no special form in the Hebrew text and should be avoided in translation. Similarly, the use of the archaic verbs hast and didst represents no special form in Hebrew. Therefore no attempt should be made to imitate it in translation.

Yea, thou didst speak with thy mouth, and with thy hand hast fulfilled it this day: Yea renders the common Hebrew conjunction. Here it introduces a repetition of what Solomon just said, so it is used for emphasis. For this reason New Revised Standard Version renders it “Indeed,” which is a good model.

The word mouth represents words while hands represents deeds (see the comments on 2Chr 6.4). Thou didst speak with thy mouth may be considered redundant in many languages and may therefore be translated with a more natural expression. Some interpreters consider it an emphatic statement focusing on the certainty of God’s pledge, so Moffatt has “thou didst make him thine own promise.” Good News Translation combines this clause with the last one, saying “today every word has been fulfilled.” But in those languages where the passive is not an option, it may be better to follow the model of Parole de Vie, which reads “Yes, what you had promised him in words, you fulfilled it yourself today.” Revised English Bible reverses the two clauses by saying “by your deeds this day you have fulfilled what you said to him in words.”

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 .

King Solomon offered as a sacrifice twenty-two thousand oxen and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep: Kings in other ancient Near Eastern countries also offered large sacrifices on special occasions. The Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II offered more than 74,000 animals when he dedicated his palace at Calah in 879 B.C. If the king is explicitly named in the previous verse, King Solomon may be translated with a pronoun here. As in the previous verse, sacrifice has a plural sense here. Good News Translation says “fellowship offerings.” Fellowship offerings were sacrifices in which only a part of the animal was burned on the altar while the rest was eaten by the worshipers (see the comments on 1 Chr 16.1). The context indicates that this is the particular type of sacrifice intended here. Revised Standard Version refers to these sacrifices as “peace offerings” (verse 7). For oxen see the comments on 1 Chr 12.40. The number a hundred and twenty thousand probably suggests that ten thousand sheep were killed for each of the twelve tribes. The Hebrew word for sheep may refer to “sheep and goats” (New International Version, Bible en français courant).

So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God: The Hebrew verb translated dedicated has a basic meaning of “to use for the first time” or “to put [something] into use.” This Hebrew root lies behind the word “Hanukkah,” the Jewish winter celebration in memory of the rededication of the Temple at the time of the Maccabees. In some languages the idea here may have to be rendered as “inaugurated” (Bible en français courant) or “opened.”

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 translates a Hebrew adverb that is used here to move the story forward. In the books of 1-2 Kings this adverb often indicates the exact time of an event. In 1-2 Chronicles it often has the more general sense “at that time.” It is left untranslated in some modern versions such as Contemporary English Version. Other acceptable translations include “Later” (New Living Translation) and “At that time” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

Solomon went to Ezion-geber and Eloth: Ezion-geber was a port city located on the Gulf of Aqaba, although the precise location of this Edomite town is uncertain. Some scholars say that it is the same city as Eloth, in which case the translation would read “Solomon went to Eziongeber (that is, Elath).” However, this verse and other passages where the two names are used together make it nearly certain that they are different cities although near to each other (see 1 Kgs 9.26). The more common spelling of the name Eloth is “Elath” (Good News Translation; see Deut 2.8; 2 Kgs 14.22; 16.6). Even though the name of this city is spelled differently in Hebrew here, the reference is clearly to Elath, which was a port city at the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba. It received trade from Arabia, India, and Africa. Since Ezion-geber and Eloth were located on the Gulf of Aqaba, several versions refer to them as “ports” (Good News Translation, New Living Translation, Bible en français courant).

On the shore of the sea: The parallel text of 1 Kgs 9.26 specifies “the Sea of Reeds” (Revised Standard Version “the Red Sea”), but this detail is left implied by the Chronicler. However, it is possible to make this explicit here by saying “along the shore of the Red Sea” (New Living Translation; similarly New Century Version) or “along the Sea of Reeds” (Bible en français courant). The part of the Red Sea that sticks up like a finger pointing toward Jerusalem is called “the Gulf of Aqaba” (Good News Translation) on most maps. But the use of this terminology is considered by some to be anachronistic.

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 when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it: And renders the Hebrew verbal transition that is sometimes translated “And it came to pass” (King James Version). But most modern English versions ignore it. For Jeroboam the son of Nebat, see the comments on 2 Chr 9.29. The writer assumes the readers are familiar with the background account about Jeroboam in 1 Kgs 11.26-40. Heard of it is literally “heard” without an object, but Revised Standard Version supplies the direct object it as English usage requires. Similarly, Good News Translation adds “this news.” The news was not primarily that Rehoboam had gone to Shechem but rather that King Solomon had died. New Living Translation makes this explicit by rendering the whole clause as “When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of Solomon’s death.”

For he was in Egypt, whither he had fled from King Solomon: These words are parenthetical, and for this reason versions set them off from the rest of the verse with parentheses (so Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, An American Translation, Moffatt). Other translations use long dashes for the same reason here (so New Jerusalem Bible, Peregrino. Another way of handling this parenthetical statement is to place it at the beginning of the verse by saying “Jeroboam, son of Nebat, had escaped from King Solomon and run away to Egypt. While he was still there, he heard about Solomon’s death…” (similarly Parole de Vie). Fled from may be rendered “taken refuge from” (New Jerusalem Bible; similarly Revised English Bible). In some languages two verbs may be required to express the meaning here; for example, some may say “run away and hid himself.”

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 .