Then renders the common Hebrew conjunction. Revised English Bible takes it here as a logical connector by saying “So,” but it is best understood as a temporal connector. Contemporary English Version translates “After that.”

All the people departed each to his house, and David went home to bless his household: 2 Sam 6.19-20 gives a more detailed account. But translators should avoid giving details in 1 Chronicles and follow the text as it stands here. According to the Hebrew, followed literally by Revised Standard Version, David returned home to bless his household. This expression has been variously understood by scholars as follows:

• (1) Since the Hebrew word for house is used at the beginning of this verse to refer to a literal home, the same sense may be intended at the end of this verse where the Hebrew word for “house” is translated household by Revised Standard Version. If so, then the meaning may be that David went home to dedicate his palace to God.

• (2) But more likely, the Hebrew noun means household at the end of this verse, as it does also in 1 Chr 13.14 and 17.27. In Old Testament times a blessing was often a kind of greeting, so here the most likely meaning is that David was going to his home to greet members of his family following his absence. The Hebrew verb for bless is translated “greet” in New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh. Translators should probably avoid a literal rendering of this verb except in those languages where blessings are used as greetings.

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 David took the shields of gold: The Hebrew verb rendered took is a very general term, but in this context of war it will be more natural to say “seized” (Bible en français courant, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible) or “captured” (Good News Translation). The exact meaning of the Hebrew word translated shields is uncertain. Several versions take this word to mean “quivers” (Nouvelle Bible Segond, Revised English Bible margin), “bow cases” (Klein), or “bow-and-arrow cases” (Knoppers) on the basis of archaeological evidence of a tomb inscription in which the Babylonian word for a bow-and-arrow case is similar to the Hebrew word here in 1 Chronicles. Such cases were made of wood and plated with gold and contained both a bow and arrows. Even though the majority of modern versions retain the idea of small, circular shields, the rendering “bow-and-arrow cases” is recommended.

Which were carried by the servants of Hadadezer is literally “which were upon the servants of Hadadezer.” The passive expression in Revised Standard Version may be easily transformed into an active one by saying “which the servants of Hadadezer had carried…” or “which belonged to….” The Hebrew word translated servants once again refers to people who were more than menial domestic workers. Here New International Version has “officers,” and Good News Translation says “officials.” New Jerusalem Bible and Bible en français courant speak of “guards.”

And brought them to Jerusalem: The use of the verb brought seems to imply that the writer is in Jerusalem. But in some languages the perspective of the reader is more important. If so, a verb such as “transported,” “transferred,” or “took” (Good News Translation) may be more appropriate. In all probability David himself did not perform the actions described by the verbs in this verse. He almost certainly had his soldiers do the work. In some languages this may affect the verb forms used; for example, this clause may be rendered “and he had them brought to Jerusalem” or “and he caused them to be brought….”

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 he brought forth the people who were in it: The Hebrew noun translated people usually has the more specific meaning of “military troops” in the context of war. In this context the people who were in it probably refers to the general population of Ammonites who had been living in the city of Rabbah, and not just the soldiers. Compare “the city’s residents” ( NET Bible).

And set them to labor with saws and iron picks and axes is literally “and he sawed [them] with the saw and with the iron picks and with the saws.” The main difficulty in translating this verse lies in deciding what David did to the people of the city of Rabbah. Did he torture them, or did he force them to do hard labor with tools? This verse as it stands in the Masoretic Text most likely should be understood as meaning that David tortured the Ammonites with the tools mentioned here. King James Version, for example, says that David “cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes” (similarly New American Standard Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente also follows the Masoretic Text, saying “and tortured them with saws, iron picks and axes.”

Since the Masoretic Text does not have an object after the verb “sawed,” it is also possible to understand the object to be the fortified places in the conquered city. A translation reflecting this interpretation reads “and he ripped the city apart with saws, and iron cutting tools, and axes” (Klein).

However, most interpreters correct the Masoretic Text to agree with the parallel text of 2 Sam 12.31 and understand this clause to mean that David forced the people to do different kinds of work, using these tools for that work (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and nearly all modern versions, including even New King James Version ). They change the Hebrew verb wayyasar (“and he sawed”) to read wayyasem (“and he put [to work]”). Despite this decision of most modern versions, Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives an {A} rating to the Masoretic Text and recommends that translators not change the text to agree with the parallel in 2 Sam 12.31.

If the reading of most versions is followed, it is not clear whether the conquered people were forced to further destroy their own city, whether they were forced to rebuild it, or whether they were forced to do work for King David’s city. Forced labor of a defeated army was not unusual in Old Testament times (see Deut 20.11; Josh 16.10; Jdg 1.28-35).

The Hebrew word for saws is megerah. It now seems probable that translations have been inaccurate in rendering this word as “saw[s].” Archaeology knows of no use of saws either to quarry or to shape stones in the time period described. Many building stones have been found which were finely smoothed, but these stones show none of the marks that would have been left by a saw. It has been proposed that the megerah was a heavy metal instrument with a wide rough surface, like that of a file. This instrument was pushed and pulled across the surface of the stone until it was quite smooth. For a good description of the megerah, see WTH, pages 68-69|fig:WTH.1.8.4.1.Stone plane, saw.68-69.html.

The Hebrew word for picks (charits) occurs also in the parallel text of 2 Sam 12.31. It comes from a verb meaning “to cut” and refers to a “cutting thing” or “sharp instrument.” The same word is used for “cuts of milk” or “cheeses” in 1 Sam 17.18, but this should not affect the translation here. Peregrino says “chisels,” and La Bible du Semeur reads “harrows.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy translate “threshing boards,” apparently reading the Hebrew word charuts.

Instead of axes, the Masoretic Text has “saws” (megeroth, which is the plural of megerah in Hebrew). Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {C} rating to the Masoretic Text here. However, Revised Standard Version follows the parallel text in 2 Sam 12.31, which has the Hebrew word magzeroth. The word magzeroth is found only there in all the Old Testament, but most scholars are agreed that it refers to a blade or cutting instrument. If translators follow the parallel in 2 Samuel as Revised Standard Version has done, in some languages the picks and axes may have to be translated by a single term since there may not be equivalents to distinguish the two terms. However, many languages do have different words for “hoes” and “axes” and these may be used here. For the three tools Revised English Bible has “saws and other iron tools, sharp and toothed.”

And thus David did to all the cities of the Ammonites: The Hebrew adverb rendered thus refers to the way or manner in which David dealt with the Ammonites. Just as he had done with the citizens of Rabbah, so also he treated the inhabitants of the other Ammonite cities. All the cities of the Ammonites (literally “all the cities of the sons of Ammon” [Traduction œcuménique de la Bible]) refers to all the other places where Ammonite people lived. Some of these places would have been considerably smaller than Rabbah. For this reason Good News Translation says “the people of all the other towns of Ammon” (similarly New Jerusalem Bible).

Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem: All the people refers to the Israelite army that had been with David and Joab in the campaign against the city of Rabbah. Translations include “his men” (Good News Translation), “all the/his troops” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Nueva Versión Internacional), “all his army” (Revised English Bible, El libro del Pueblo de Dios, Reina-Valera revisada, Peregrino, “Israel’s army” (Contemporary English Version), “his whole army” (New American Bible), and “his entire army” (New International Version).

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 .

Biblia Dios Habla Hoy begins a new section here, called “The place for the temple.” Verse 28 continues with verse 1 of the next chapter. Verses 29 and 30 are parenthetical, explaining why David offered sacrifices at the threshing floor of Ornan and not at Gibeon, suggesting that the old altar and sanctuary at Gibeon would be replaced by the new sanctuary in Jerusalem.

The precise relationship of 21.28–22.1 to the preceding narrative will determine how these verses are interpreted and translated. Two possible views are as follows:

• (1) Some interpreters take verse 28 as a summary in reverse order of verse 26. If this interpretation is followed, then the last clause of verse 28 does not refer to later sacrifices but to the same sacrifices mentioned in verse 26. And the end of verse 28 should be translated “he had earlier made his sacrifices there” (similarly Slotki). This interpretation of the Hebrew is reflected in Braun’s translation of 21.28–22.1:

28 At that time, when David saw that Yahweh answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite when he sacrificed there–29 (the tabernacle of Yahweh which Moses had made in the wilderness and the altar of burnt offering was at the high place at Gibeon at that time, 30 but David was not able to go before it to worship God, because he was terrified of the sword of the angel of Yahweh)–22.1 David said, “This is the house of Yahweh God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”

• (2) However, other interpreters understand verse 28 not as a summary of previous events but a continuation of the story. If this interpretation is followed, it must be decided whether David offered more sacrifices only on this one occasion (so New International Version, American Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, El libro del Pueblo de Dios, Nueva Versión Internacional) or whether this was something that David continued to do (so New American Bible, Bible en français courant, La Bible du Semeur). American Bible, for example, has “At that time … he offered sacrifice there.” Since Solomon later went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices (2 Chr 1.2-6), it seems likely that David also went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices before the Temple was built. But contrast this understanding with “From that time on, as David had seen that the Eternal had answered his prayer at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he began to regularly offer sacrifices there” (La Bible du Semeur) and “Once David saw that the LORD had heard him on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he continued to offer sacrifices there” (New American Bible). Translations such as these two indicate that David continued offering sacrifices at Ornan’s threshing floor from this time on.

At that time is a literal translation of the Hebrew. Although Good News Translation does not translate these words, it does tie this verse to the preceding verses by adding the words “by this.”

When David saw that the LORD had answered him: Some versions render answered him as “answered his prayer” (Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje).

At the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite: The full reference to Ornan the Jebusite may be considered unnecessary in some languages since both verses 15 and 18 identify him as the Jebusite.

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 .

But the sons of Moses the man of God were named among the tribe of Levi: Since there is a contrast between Aaron and Moses, Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation correctly translate the common Hebrew conjunction here as But. New American Bible and Nouvelle Bible Segond show the contrast by beginning with the words “As for Moses.” In this context sons may be rendered “descendants” (Contemporary English Version, La Bible du Semeur).

A literal translation of this verse may not express the intended meaning in the receptor language since there is implied information here. Aaron’s descendants were also descended from Levi, but, unlike the descendants of Moses, they were given a special status in the religious life of Israel. This verse must be read in relationship to what is said regarding Aaron’s sons in the previous verse. For were named among the tribe of Levi, Braun says “would bear the name of the tribe of Levi,” but Bible en français courant more clearly expresses the meaning with “were considered as ordinary members of the tribe of Levi.” The passive verb were named or “were considered” will have to be made active in some languages; for example, some languages may say “they [or, people] considered the sons of Moses … as ordinary members of the tribe of Levi.”

Moses’ descendants had no special status, even though Moses himself was considered the man of God, as he is also called in Deut 33.1. The man of God means Moses was a devout man who worshiped God and lived according to God’s laws. Frequently this expression is used of prophets (see, for example, 1 Sam 2.27; 9.6). Nearly all versions render it literally here. A possible non-literal rendering is “the man who obeyed 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 .

Of Rehabiah … Isshiah the chief: Rehabiah (literally “Rehabyahu”) should probably be understood as belonging to the descendants of Amram, as God’s Word has made explicit in the translation quoted above. For the Hebrew word rendered chief (literally “head”), see the comments on 1 Chr 23.10-11. Revised Standard Version‘s literal translation of this verse may be confusing. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente is clearer with “Isshiah head of the descendants of Rehabiah.”

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 .

There are several difficulties in understanding this verse, and the many different translations reflect the difficulties.

For Shuppim and Hosah it came out for the west is literally “For Shuppim and for Hosah for the west.” Revised Standard Version supplies it came out. Most other versions also find it necessary to supply this implied information about the result of the drawing of the lots. For this verb phrase see the comments on verse 14.

The name Shuppim occurs here without having been previously mentioned in this section. Some interpreters think that the name is the result of a scribe’s error. The name Shuppim is similar in spelling and sound to the Hebrew word for “storehouses” (ʾasuppim). Perhaps a scribe wrote the word in the margin of verse 15 and it was written into the text of verse 16 and then understood to be a person’s name. Several translations omit the name Shuppim because they think the name is a mistake in the Masoretic Text (so Revised English Bible, New American Bible, American Bible, Einheitsübersetzung, Braun, Klein, Knoppers, Menge). With the omission of the name Shuppim, only one person is named for the west gate, as also for the north, south, and east gates. Instead of Shuppim, the Septuagint manuscripts read either “the second” or “to the doorkeepers,” both of which are spelled similarly to the name Shuppim in Hebrew. Translators should follow the Masoretic Text here, which is given a {B} rating by Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament.

The gate of Shallecheth is not mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament, although it may possibly be the same gate that is called the Foundation Gate in 2 Chr 23.5. New Jerusalem Bible says “the Gate of the Felled Tree-trunk.” Many versions understand for the west, at the gate of Shallecheth as referring both to a west gate and to another gate called Shallecheth (so Good News Translation, New International Version, Revised English Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje). But the Hebrew may refer to one gate only, as Revised Standard Version seems to suggest (also Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Compare also “the west side with the Shallecheth gate” (New American Bible). It is not entirely clear whether the west gate is identified as the gate of Shallecheth or whether two different gates are in view here. A decision on this question may have some bearing on how the last part of this verse is translated. Probably this gate was in the west side of the wall surrounding the royal precincts. This wall stood between the wall around the Temple, which contained the west gate, and the outer wall, which enclosed the city itself. Johnstone argues that the word Shallecheth comes from the Hebrew root slk, meaning “to throw out,” and that the gate was the place where garbage was thrown out of the city.

The Septuagint has “the gate of the chamber” instead of the gate of Shallecheth. La Bible Pléiade, following the Septuagint here, reads “the gate of the room” and states in a footnote that the Hebrew word shalleketh makes no sense. According to this La Bible Pléiade translation, “the chamber/room” probably refers to the rooms in the Temple where the Levites lived (see 1 Chr 9.26, 33). Some interpreters think that the Hebrew word shalleketh is an error for the word lishkath (“chamber”) due to metathesis (the transposition of letters in a word), and this is the basis for the renderings “the gate of the chambers” (Klein) and “the chamber gate” (Knoppers). This interpretation is supported by 1 Chr 9.26, which says that the four chief gatekeepers were in charge of the chambers.

The exact meaning of on the road that goes up is not clear. Apparently people who went out through the gate of Shallecheth went up a road toward the Fish Gate in the northwest corner of the city. However, others understand this as a road going up toward the palace or the Temple from the Tyropoeon Valley on the west side of the Temple Mount instead of a road going up away from the Temple. This second interpretation is the basis for translations such as “at the gateway that goes to the palace” (God’s Word) and “the gateway leading up to the Temple” (New Living Translation). Yet others interpret the Hebrew noun translated road on the basis of an Akkadian noun that means “gateway,” which is sometimes accompanied by an outside stairway. This is the basis for the translation “the gateway that leads upward” (Klein).

Watch corresponded to watch: The meaning of the Hebrew here is not clear. There are at least three possible interpretations: (1) It may mean the Temple guards took turns (so Good News Translation); for example, God’s Word says “One squad of guards served its watch after another.” (2) It may mean that one group of guards faced another group (so Nouvelle Bible Segond, Osty-Trinquet). (3) It may mean each family of guards had similar tasks; for example, New American Bible says “For each family, watches were established,” apparently referring to the families of Shelemiah, Obed Edom, and Hosah. All of these interpretations are possible and acceptable.

A number of versions begin a new paragraph with this sentence (so New International Version, God’s Word, Bible en français courant, La Bible du Semeur, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente) or at least take it with verses 17-18 (so New Jerusalem Bible, American Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, El libro del Pueblo de Dios, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje). New International Version, for example, reads “Guard was alongside of guard: 17 There were six Levites a day on the east….” Bible en français courant is similar with “The respective guard teams were divided in the following manner: 17 at the west gate, six Levites each day….” According to these versions, the guards were on duty at the same time but in different places.

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 1 Chr 22.6-16 David had commanded Solomon in private to build the Temple. Now, in chapter 28, David gives public instructions regarding the construction of the Temple.

David assembled at Jerusalem …: Since this is a new section, David may be identified more fully as “King David” (Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie). The verb assembled may be translated “brought together” or “caused to assemble.” In the Hebrew text the words at Jerusalem come at the very end of this long and complex sentence (so King James Version). However, Revised Standard Version and most other modern versions have appropriately shifted these words forward and placed them with the verb assembled for reasons of style in the receptor language.

All the officials of Israel is a general expression that includes all or some of the separate groups mentioned in the rest of this verse. Nueva Versión Internacional expresses this by beginning with “David assembled in Jerusalem all the officials of Israel, that is, the officials of the tribes….” Other translations express this same meaning through punctuation; for example, some use a colon () to show that the following list makes up all the officials of Israel by saying “David assembled in Jerusalem all the authorities of Israel: the officials of the tribes…” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Peregrino. Some use a long dash; for example, American Bible has “David summoned all the officials of Israel to Jerusalem–the tribal chiefs…” (similarly New Living Translation, God’s Word).

A number of interpreters argue for two groups in this verse: (1) all the officials of Israel and (2) all the seasoned warriors (see the comments below). If this interpretation is followed, then the officials of the tribes, the officers of the divisions, the commanders, the stewards, the palace officials, and the mighty men are included under the heading all the officials of Israel. The words officials, officers, commanders, and stewards all translate the same Hebrew noun, which can refer to various kinds of leaders, depending on the context. In those languages that lack synonyms of this type, a translation using the word for “chief” for all of these terms would be an accurate rendering of the Hebrew.

The officials of the tribes refers to the traditional tribal leaders (see 1 Chr 27.16-22). American Bible calls these leaders “the tribal chiefs.” The other officials were appointed by the king.

The officers of the divisions that served the king refers to the military leaders listed in 1 Chr 27.1-15. Other translations of this phrase include “the officers of the divisions that took turns serving the king” (Nueva Versión Internacional) and “the commanders of the twelve army divisions” (New Living Translation).

For the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, see the comments on 1 Chr 13.1.

The stewards of all the property and cattle of the king and his sons refers to the persons listed in 1 Chr 27.25-31. Other translations include “the overseers of the royal property and livestock” (New Living Translation) and “leaders who took care of the property and animals that belonged to the king and his sons” (New Century Version). Most versions consider both the king and his sons to be genitives of the property and cattle, that is, they express ownership of the property and cattle. But it is also possible to take his sons as another object of the verb assembled at the beginning of the verse. This second interpretation of the Hebrew grammar is followed by Braun, who renders this verse as “David assembled all the princes of Israel–the princes of the tribes … and the princes of all the king’s property and cattle, as well as his sons, with the eunuchs and the mighty men, even every warrior–to Jerusalem” (similarly New American Bible, Klein).

Palace officials translates a single Hebrew noun. Some versions say “eunuchs” (Revised English Bible, An American Translation, Moffatt, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, La Bible Pléiade, Nueva Versión Internacional, Osty-Trinquet, Braun). Eunuchs were castrated men who were used both domestically and politically in the service of the king. The term “eunuch” is sometimes a taboo word in receptor languages. In certain languages it may have a very negative connotation, or the practice may be completely unknown. It may be necessary either to find an appropriate euphemism or to use a descriptive phrase. However, the significance of the term in this context is not that these people were emasculated men, but that they were important officials in the royal court. For this reason most translations avoid a term that focuses on the physical aspect of their condition.

Revised Standard Version takes the Hebrew expressions translated the mighty men and all the seasoned warriors as two distinct groups. Similarly, New Century Version says “the powerful men, and all the brave warriors.” The Hebrew is more literally “the mighty men, and [or, even] every mighty man of valor.” If the second phrase is in apposition to the first one, then only one group is intended; for example, Braun has “the mighty men, even every warrior.” Compare “the warriors, including the most skilled of them” ( NET Bible) and “all the veteran soldiers of high standing” (De Vries; similarly Biblia Dios Habla Hoy). The Hebrew words for “every mighty man of valor” may also be understood as referring to people with influence or wealth. This interpretation is the basis for the following renderings: “all the … important men” (Good News Translation), “all the other most important … civil authorities” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente), “all the men of substance” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Klein), and “every man of standing” (American Bible).

So how many groups are included in this verse?

• (1) Some translations have one group: all his officials. For example, New Living Translation says:

David summoned all his officials to Jerusalem–the leaders of the tribes, the commanders of the twelve army divisions, the other generals and captains, the overseers of the royal property and livestock, the palace officials, the mighty men, and all the other warriors in the kingdom.

• (2) Others have two groups: (a) all the officials of Israel and (b) the palace officials, mighty men, and brave warriors. According to this understanding, the palace officials and warriors and important men were already in Jerusalem. For example, New International Version says:

David summoned all the officials of Israel to assemble at Jerusalem: the officers over the tribes, the commanders of the divisions in the service of the king, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of all the property and livestock belonging to the king and his sons, together with the palace officials, the mighty men and all the brave warriors.

• (3) Others also have two groups: (a) all the leaders of Israel and (b) the important men. For example, Klein says:

David assembled to Jerusalem all the leaders of Israel–the leaders of the tribes, the leaders of the divisions that served the king, the commanders of the thousands, the commanders of the hundreds, the stewards of all the property and cattle of the king, and his sons, together with the eunuchs and the mighty warriors–and all the men of substance.

All of these interpretations are possible and acceptable renderings of the Hebrew.

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 .