And his servants said still more against the Lord GOD and against his servant Hezekiah: His servants refers to the officials sent by the king of Assyria to bring the message of verses 10-15 (see the comments on 2Chr 32.9). Some versions make the antecedent of the pronoun his explicit by saying “Sennacherib’s envoys” (Revised English Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), “Sennacherib’s officers” (New International Version), “The envoys of the king of Assyria” (Bible en français courant), or “The Assyrian officials” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). These messengers apparently added their own words of discouragement to the ones that their king had sent. Said still more may be rendered “said even worse things” (Moffatt). New Living Translation loosely translates that they “further mocked … heaping insult upon insult.”

When Revised Standard Version says the Lord GOD, this phrase usually renders the Hebrew words ʾadonai YHWH. But here the text has YHWH haʾelohim, which Revised Standard Version normally translates “the LORD God.” The misplaced capitalization in Revised Standard Version is an error that carried over into New Revised Standard Version.

Hezekiah is described here as his servant, that is, the servant of Yahweh. The Hebrew word for servant is the same one rendered servants at the beginning of this verse. In some languages his servant may be more naturally translated “who served the LORD.”

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 account of Manasseh’s reign is concluded here by another common formula used to summarize the reign of most of the kings of Israel and Judah. It refers to his death, burial, and successor.

So Manasseh slept with his fathers: For slept with his fathers, see the comments on 2 Chr 9.31. New Revised Standard Version correctly changes fathers to “ancestors.”

And they buried him in his house: The subject of the verb buried is indefinite but may be translated “his people.” Instead of in his house, Revised English Bible says “in the garden-tomb of his family.” Revised English Bible corrects the text to agree with the parallel text in 2 Kgs 21.18. Similarly, New Jerusalem Bible says “in the garden of his palace” (so also An American Translation and Moffatt). Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text, which says “in his house,” and states that in this context his house does not refer to the palace alone but rather to the palace and the surrounding property. So a good rendering for this whole phase is “on his palace grounds” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

And Amon his son reigned in his stead: For reigned in his stead, see the comments on 1 Chr 19.1 and 2 Chr 9.31.

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 king stood in his place: Instead of in his place, the parallel text in 2 Kgs 23.3 says “by the pillar.” A number of versions change the Hebrew here to agree with the text in 2 Kings (so Good News Translation, Revised English Bible). The majority of modern translations of 2 Kings take “by the pillar” to refer to a special place where the king stood next to a column in the royal palace when making important official pronouncements. Standing by the royal column apparently showed others that he was speaking authoritatively. Compare “The king took his place of authority beside the pillar” (New Living Translation). The phrase in his place is probably a more general way of speaking of “by the pillar.” Similar terminology in 2 Chr 30.16 and 35.10 suggests that the Masoretic Text preserves the original text here.

And made a covenant before the LORD: For made a covenant, which is literally “cut the covenant,” see the comments on 1 Chr 11.3. In this clause the word for covenant is preceded by the definite article in Hebrew. Since this is not the first time such an agreement was made between Yahweh and his people, it is preferable to translate “renewed the covenant” (New International Version) or “bound himself by the covenant” (New Jerusalem Bible). Before the LORD is a literal rendering that usually means “in the presence of the LORD,” but in this case the agreement was actually made “with the LORD” (Good News Translation).

To walk after the LORD: For the use of the verb walk in the sense of “behave” or “live,” see the comments on 2 Chr 6.14. Here the verb seems to have the more precise meaning of “obey” (Good News Translation).

And to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes: The synonyms commandments, testimonies, and statutes are problematic for some languages. These same three terms are used together in 1 Chr 29.19 (see the comments there). It may be possible to find a different noun in the receptor language for each of the Hebrew nouns here, but it is not necessary to do so since a clear distinction does not seem intended. Good News Translation says simply “laws and commands.”

With all his heart and all his soul: See the comments on 2 Chr 15.12. In the Old Testament the heart is the center of one’s desires and intentions. The Hebrew noun translated soul refers to the self, the entire person. The whole expression here is very common in the book of Deuteronomy and is also found in Joshua (22.5; 23.14) and 1 Kings (2.4; 8.48). It is a way of speaking of a complete and unswerving devotion to accomplish a particular task. If a literal translation does not convey this meaning, translators may wish to use an adverbial expression such as “absolutely thoroughly” or “completely faithfully.”

To perform the words of the covenant: The Hebrew verb translated perform is literally “cause to arise,” but the meaning is “establish.” Words should be understood here in the sense of the conditions or provisions of the agreement. New Jerusalem Bible translates this whole clause as “to carry out the terms of the covenant” (similarly Revised English Bible), and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “to fulfill all the terms of the covenant.”

That were written in this book may be rendered “that were in the book.”

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 king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem: The king of Egypt is again referred to without his name, but his name is given later. Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version insert the proper name “Neco” here for the sake of clarity. His brother refers to the brother of Joahaz, not the brother of Neco. Eliakim was perhaps two years older than Joahaz (see the comments on 2Chr 36.1). Judah and Jerusalem may be rendered “Jerusalem and the rest of Judah.”

And changed his name to Jehoiakim: Neco did this to show that the king of Judah was subject to him. But the Hebrew names Eliakim and Jehoiakim are very similar in meaning. Eliakim means “God raises up,” and Jehoiakim means “Yahweh raises up.”

But Neco took Jehoahaz his brother and carried him to Egypt as Jeremiah had prophesied (Jer 22.11-12). See also Ezek 19.1-4. The translation should avoid the possible misunderstanding that Jehoahaz was the brother of Neco. He was the brother of Jehoiakim. The verb carried should not be taken too literally. New Living Translation provides a helpful model for this whole sentence, saying “Then Neco took Jehoahaz to Egypt as a prisoner.”

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 Javan: As in the previous verse, the word sons is better rendered “descendants.” Javan was the fourth son of Japheth listed in verse 5.

Elishah is mentioned as a seagoing nation in Ezek 27.7. Since the name is mentioned here in association with Javan (that is, “Greece” [Nouvelle Bible Segond]), it is probably located in the Aegean Sea. Non-biblical texts from the ancient world suggest that Elishah refers to part of the island of Cyprus, perhaps an area on its east coast. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch states in a footnote here that “Elishah and Kittim both refer to the (inhabitants of the) island of Cyprus.”

Tarshish is literally “Tarshishah,” but Revised Standard Version and nearly all other translations follow the spelling of the name as found here in the Septuagint and in the Masoretic Text of Genesis. The exact location of Tarshish is uncertain. What is said regarding Tarshish in several Old Testament texts suggests that it should be located west of Israel in the Mediterranean Sea area. Perhaps the most widely accepted view is that Tarshish refers to the ancient Phoenician colony of Tartessus in southwest Spain. Therefore a number of modern versions use the better-known name “Spain” (Good News Translation, Beaumont). Others may prefer to give this information in a footnote. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has the name Tarshish in the text and then explains it in a word list as follows: “Probably the Phoenician colony of Tartessus on the Spanish coast of the Mediterranean Sea with important silver mines.”

Some scholars, however, identify Tarshish as the northern African city of Carthage because of the Septuagint translation of the name in Ezek 27.12. It is also possible that the name Tarshish refers to more than one geographical location in the different places where it occurs in the Old Testament.

The Kittim (a plural noun in Hebrew) are mentioned in several Old Testament books. The Hebrew name, which is transliterated in Revised Standard Version, seems to come from the town of Kition on the south-central coast of the island of Cyprus. Some verses in the Old Testament may refer to this city itself, but often the name seems to refer to the entire island, as here and also in Isa 23.1 and Ezek 27.6. A number of translations use the better-known modern name “Cyprus” (Good News Translation, Moffatt, Nouvelle Bible Segond, Nueva Versión Internacional, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Beaumont). In order to indicate that Kittim does not refer to just one individual, some translations say “the Kittim” (so Bible de Jérusalem).

Rodanim almost certainly refers to the inhabitants of the island of Rhodes, off the southwest coast of Asia Minor. A number of modern versions say “Rhodes” in the text (Good News Translation, Moffatt, Nouvelle Bible Segond, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Beaumont). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has a footnote that states “ Rodanim = inhabitants of the island of Rhodes.” As with the name Kittim, some translations say “the Rodanim” in order to show that the reference is not to an individual (so Bible de Jérusalem). Other translations, however, follow a different text here, reading “Dodanim” on the basis of several Hebrew manuscripts, the ancient Syriac translation, and the parallel text in Gen 10.4 (so La Bible du Semeur, Reina-Valera revisada, Osty-Trinquet). This is another example of the problems caused by the similarity of the Hebrew letters for “r” and “d.”

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 Israel: The word sons is to be taken here in its literal sense. Good News Translation adds the word “twelve,” making explicit what is implied in the Hebrew and what was commonly known by the original readers. Six of the twelve sons are listed in this verse, and the remaining six in the next one.

Israel is the name used in the Masoretic Text, but Good News Translation uses the name “Jacob” rather than Israel as in 1.34, so that readers will not confuse the individual called “Israel” with the nation by the same name. The writer of 1–2 Chronicles consistently uses the name Israel rather than the name “Jacob.”

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun: These first six sons were the sons of Jacob and Leah (Gen 35.23).

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 .

Some of the names in this list are the same as other, better-known, figures in the Old Testament. Obed (verses 37-38) has the same name as the son of Boaz in the story of Ruth (see verse 12); the ancient Syriac has “Jobab.”

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 sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel and Shimei: Zerubbabel, who is the fifty-third generation from Adam, is listed here as one of the sons of Pedaiah; but in other Old Testament texts, he is called the son of Shealtiel (see, for example, Ezra 3.2, 8; 5.2; Neh 12.1; Hag 1.1). The Septuagint, in fact, reads “sons of Shealtiel” instead of sons of Pedaiah. Perhaps Pedaiah died without children and his brother Shealtiel (verse 17) fathered Zerubbabel in accordance with the principle of levirate marriage (Deut 25.5-10). Or perhaps the text here contains a scribal error. It is also possible that Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel refers to a different Zerubbabel. Fortunately, translators do not have to solve the difficulty in order to translate this verse.

And the sons of Zerubbabel is literally “and the son of Zerubbabel.” Revised Standard Version and nearly all other versions change the singular “son” to sons as the context requires. The final three letters in the Hebrew word for “Babylonia” are the same as the final three letters in the name Zerubbabel. Therefore some interpreters suggest that the Hebrew for this phrase originally said “and the sons of Zerubbabel [born] in Babylonia” and that verse 20 then refers to sons of Zerubbabel born in Jerusalem after the return from the exile in Babylonia (see option 2b in the comments on verse 20).

And Shelomith was their sister means Shelomith was the sister of Meshullam and Hananiah. In some languages it may be more natural to identify Shelomith as the “daughter” of Zerubbabel rather than as the sister of her two brothers (so Good News Translation, New Living Translation, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje). Compare verse 9, where the same structure is used.

Apart from Zerubbabel, the other persons listed in verses 19-24 are not mentioned elsewhere in the Old 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 .