They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty: The pronoun They refers to King Solomon’s agents mentioned in the previous verse. Bible en français courant makes this clear by rendering the pronoun as “These merchants.” Imported is literally “brought up and brought out.” Jewish Publication Version translates “fetched up, and brought out” (similarly King James Version), but Revised Standard Version‘s simple rendering expresses the meaning correctly. A chariot and a horse obviously do not mean that they imported only one chariot and one horse. Rather, the singular is used to indicate the price per item. In some languages it will be more natural to say “each chariot” and “each horse” or simply “chariots” and “horses.” Naturalness in the receptor language will be the determining factor in deciding which forms are used.

The word shekels is not in the Hebrew text, but this is what is clearly implied. 1 Chr 21.25 refers of “shekels of gold” (see the comments there), but the text here says shekels of silver. The shekel was the standard unit of weight in the Old Testament. The name comes from the Hebrew root meaning “to weigh.” The modern equivalent of a shekel is 11.4 grams (.4 ounces). Here the expression six hundred shekels of silver refers to an amount of money, so Good News Translation and Bible en français courant say “600 pieces of silver.” Contemporary English Version expresses this amount in terms of weight, saying “about fifteen pounds of silver.” This would be a little less than seven kilograms in the metric system. Contemporary English Version translates a hundred and fifty as “almost four pounds,” which would be nearly two kilograms. Translators should not use the names of modern currency since their values change from time to time and place to place. Berkeley, for example, says “400 dollars in silver” and “100 [dollars],” and Peregrino has “six hundred pesos” and “a hundred and fifty pesos.”

Likewise through them these were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria: Likewise renders the common Hebrew conjunction and the adverb meaning “in like manner.” Revised English Bible translates “in the same way,” and La Bible du Semeur has “under the same conditions.” New International Version says simply “also.” Through them these were exported is literally “by their hands they brought out.” The passive expression in Revised Standard Version may be rendered actively by saying “they [the king’s traders] exported them [horses and chariots].” The Hittites had a kingdom that was located between the Orontes and Euphrates rivers, in what is now modern Turkey. But some small groups of Hittites settled in Israel. At the time of Solomon their empire was at the height of its power although it was eventually overcome by the Assyrians. Syria is literally “Aram” (New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible; see the comments on 1 Chr 18.5). Aram consisted of several city-states and kingdoms, such as Aram-naharaim, Aram-zobah, Aram-maacah, and Damascus. Some versions render kings of Syria as “kings of the Arameans” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “Aramean kings” (New American Bible), but it will probably be best to use the modern name Syria (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) since Aram corresponds to that same area. The meaning of this last half of the verse is expressed clearly in New Jerusalem Bible as “They [King Solomon’s dealers] also supplied the Hittite and Aramaean kings, who all used them as middlemen.” New Living Translation also clearly expresses the meaning with “Many of these were then resold to the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.”

The Hebrew of this verse allows for several rather different interpretations, including the following:

• (1) According to one interpretation, the Israelite traders paid 600 silver shekels of silver for each chariot and 150 silver shekels for each horse that they imported, but the amount paid by the Hittite and Syrian kings is not stated (so Revised Standard Version).

• (2) Others understand the Hebrew to mean that Solomon’s traders paid the same price for horses and chariots that were imported and kept in Israel by the king and for the horses and chariots that were imported and then sold to the Hittite and Syrian kings. Probably they sold the horses and chariots to the Hittites and the Syrians for a profit. God’s Word, for example, translates the end of this verse as “For the same price they obtained horses to export to all the Hittite and Aramean kings.”

• (3) However, according to Good News Translation, the amounts listed in this verse are not the price that Solomon’s traders paid for the horses and chariots but rather the prices at which they sold chariots and horses to the Hittite and Syrian kings. New American Bible also expresses this sense by rendering verses 16-17 as “16 Solomon also imported horses from Egypt and Cilicia. The king’s agents would acquire them by purchase from Cilicia, 17 and would then bring up chariots from Egypt and export them at six hundred silver shekels, with the horses going for a hundred and fifty shekels. At these rates they served as middlemen for all the Hittite and Aramean kings.”

• (4) Yet other interpreters understand the Hebrew to mean that Solomon’s agents charged the Hittite and Syrian kings the same amount that they paid, so that the agents were not making a profit on the horses and chariots sold to the Hittites and Syrians. Anchor Bible, for example, says “They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver and a horse [from Cilicia] for one hundred and fifty shekels and thus [at that price] they conveyed them through their agents to the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram” (similarly BTI).

In most English versions verse 17 is the final verse of chapter 1. In other translations (such as New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, and most French versions, which follow the verse numbering in Hebrew), chapter 1 continues through verse 18, which is the first verse of chapter 2 in Revised Standard Version. Therefore there is a difference of one verse throughout chapter 2 between the different versions. This Handbook follows the commonly used system of the majority of English versions. Beginning in chapter 3, the verse numbers in English and the Masoretic Text are the same again.

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 .

I have built thee an exalted house, a place for thee to dwell in for ever: This verse begins with the common Hebrew conjunction followed by the emphatic first person singular pronoun. For this reason some translators begin with a conjunction that marks contrast, such as “But” (New Living Translation, God’s Word, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy). Bible de Jérusalem leaves the conjunction untranslated, but does reflect the emphatic nature of the personal pronoun by beginning with “I, I have built…” (similarly Nouvelle Bible Segond, La Bible du Semeur, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Osty-Trinquet).

The archaic pronoun thee in Revised Standard Version does not reflect any special form in Hebrew, but such pronouns are used in prayers to God in that version. It should be rendered by an ordinary second person singular pronoun in the receptor language as New Revised Standard Version and other modern English versions have done.

An exalted house is literally “a house of eminence.” The precise meaning of the Hebrew term rendered exalted is not certain, but it seems to connote the idea of “splendor” or “majesty.” Since the word house clearly refers to the Temple, several modern versions make this explicit in translation, as Good News Translation has done.

If translators decide that verse 2 is the beginning of Solomon’s prayer, there may be some way to mark this in the receptor language; for example, NET Bible renders this whole verse as “O LORD, I have built a lofty temple for you, a place where you can live permanently.”

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 said: The verb said may be translated “prayed” (Good News Translation, New American Bible) since it introduces Solomon’s prayer.

O LORD, God of Israel …: As elsewhere, the vocative O at the beginning of the prayer reflects nothing in the Hebrew and need not be translated unless the receptor language requires something like this to begin a prayer. Similarly, the archaic pronouns thee and thy do not express a special form in Hebrew and should be translated by ordinary second person singular pronouns.

There is no God like thee, in heaven or on earth: This expression focuses on the unique character of the God of Israel. Solomon is not denying here the existence of other gods. Rather, he is declaring that no other god is as faithful as Yahweh is to the commitments that he has made to his own people. The following restructuring of Contemporary English Version may be a good model for certain other languages: “no other god in heaven or on earth is like you!” Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version use lowercase for the word “god” since the reference is to gods other than the God of Israel.

Keeping covenant and showing steadfast love is literally “keeping covenant and steadfast love” (compare Deut 7.9, 12). For covenant see 1 Chr 11.3; for steadfast love, see 1 Chr 16.34 and 2 Chr 1.8. Keeping covenant describes Yahweh’s faithfulness to his people. He honors his own promises and respects the agreement that he made with Israel. Some possible translations here are “You never forget the agreement” (Contemporary English Version), “You maintain the alliance” (Bible en français courant), and “you are loyal to the covenant” (New Jerusalem Bible). But keeping covenant and showing steadfast love do not speak of two separate actions on the part of God. Rather, he shows his constant love by keeping the covenant that he had made. For this reason New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh combines these two phrases into one by saying “You who steadfastly maintain the Covenant.”

Thy servants is a deferential way of referring to the people of God. It may be necessary in some languages to say “us, your servants” in order to ensure that Solomon is also included in the mind of the reader. Good News Translation translates simply “your people,” which loses the sense of “obedience” implied in the word servants. It may be better to say “your people who worship you” or “your people who serve you.”

Who walk before thee with all their heart: Often in the Old Testament the Hebrew verb rendered walk is used in the figurative sense of “to live or behave in a certain way.” In this context walk before thee characterizes the relationship of God’s people with him. It is a relationship of obedience or continuing faithfulness. For this reason some may prefer to translate walk as “obey” (International Children’s Bible) or “continue faithful” (Revised English Bible). With all their heart indicates the manner in which God’s people follow him. In many languages it may be translated by an adverb of manner, such as “wholeheartedly” (New International Version), “faithfully” (Contemporary English Version), or “completely” (International Children’s Bible).

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 the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the LORD: The common Hebrew conjunction rendered Then is a temporal connector here, but several translations choose to omit it (so Revised English Bible, New American Bible, La Bible du Semeur, Bible de Jérusalem, Osty-Trinquet). The king is, of course, Solomon, and some translators may consider it more natural to use the proper name here (so Good News Translation). New Century Version has “King Solomon.” As the following verse shows, the kind of sacrifice presented to the LORD in this case involved the killing of animals. So the verb used here should probably reflect that fact. The Hebrew word for sacrifice is singular, but since many animals were killed and offered as sacrifices, it is more natural in English to use the plural “sacrifices” (Good News Translation, New American Bible). Instead of the literal rendering before the LORD, it may be more natural to say “to the LORD” (Good News Translation, New Century Version) or “in honor of the Lord” (Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie).

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 verse functions as a concluding paragraph for 2.1–8.15.

Thus was accomplished all the work of Solomon: Thus renders the common Hebrew conjunction as a logical connector, which is its function here. New Living Translation is similar with the connector “So.” It is also possible to leave this conjunction implied at the beginning of a new paragraph (so Good News Translation). The passive verb was accomplished will have to be made active in a number of languages. The subject is clearly Solomon and all the workers under his supervision. A model that uses an active verb for this clause is “Solomon had now completed all his work,” which leaves implied that he was assisted by numerous others under his supervision.

From the day the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid: The Masoretic Text says “to the day….” Revised Standard Version here follows the ancient versions in Greek, Syriac, and Latin (so also New Revised Standard Version). The context requires that the Hebrew be translated from the day (so nearly all versions). Was laid is another passive verb that will need to be made active in many languages. Depending on how the earlier passive verb is handled, it may be possible to render the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid as “they laid the foundation of the Temple” or possibly “the workers laid the foundation of the Temple.” The Hebrew is literally “the founding (or, laying of the foundation stone) of the house of Yahweh.”

Until it was finished: This passive construction may be rendered “until they finished it [the Temple].”

So the house of the LORD was completed: Was completed translates a Hebrew verb that has the same root as the name “Solomon.” It is possible to understand this verb to mean that the work on the Temple “was perfect.” But virtually all modern versions take it to refer to the completion of the work, expressing the same idea as was accomplished earlier in this verse. The passive verb was completed may be rendered actively by making Solomon with his workers the agent, saying “So Solomon, with the help of his workers, completed all the work on the Temple.”

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 .

Rehoboam went to Shechem: Shechem was about 65 kilometers (40 miles) north of Jerusalem. It was located in the territory settled by the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh and was the first religious center of the twelve tribes in Canaan (see Josh 24.1). It became the first capital of the northern kingdom (1 Kgs 12.25), whose first king, Jeroboam, was from the tribe of Ephraim (1 Kgs 11.26).

For all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king: The words all Israel occur frequently in the historical texts but usually refer only to the northern tribes as distinct from the tribe of Judah. Good News Translation makes this information explicit in the text itself by translating Israel as “northern Israel.” Compare also “the northern tribes of Israel” (Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). The Hebrew verb here may be rendered had come or “had gone” (Revised English Bible), depending on the location of the writer. Good News Translation and New Living Translation avoid the matter of direction by saying “had gathered.” Revised Standard Version reflects the Hebrew by repeating the phrase to Shechem, but this is awkward in English. New International Version and Revised English Bible replace this second occurrence of the phrase with the adverb “there” for naturalness.

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 .

Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and concubines: The fact that Rehoboam loved Maacah more than any of his other wives or concubines may be expressed in a variety of ways in other languages. One English translation has “Maacah was Rehoboam’s favorite wife.” The Hebrew repeats here that Maacah was the daughter of Absalom. Some versions omit that information here for reasons of style (so Good News Translation, New Living Translation, Revised English Bible). If it is retained, it should be translated in the same way as in the previous verse.

Concubines were servant women who, although not wives, had sexual relations with their masters. They had important legal rights, and their masters were referred to as their husbands. Contemporary English Version defines concubines in a footnote as “women who were legally bound to a man, but without the full privileges of a wife.” Contemporary English Version calls them “other women,” which is a rather weak translation of the Hebrew noun here. New Century Version has “slave women,” which is somewhat better. They are referred to in Bible en français courant as “wives of second rank.” In some other languages they have been called “servant-wives.”

He took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and had twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters: Large families were a sign of God’s blessing (see also 2 Chr 13.21).

The structure of this verse is fundamentally changed by Good News Translation and some other modern versions. The material that Revised Standard Version takes as parenthetical at the end of the verse is moved to the beginning and sets the stage for what is said about Maacah. Such restructuring may provide a more reasonable model for 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 .