But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly?: But renders the common Hebrew conjunction. Since there is a contrast between the greatness and power of Yahweh and the relative insignificance of David and his people, the verse should probably be introduced by a conjunction that marks contrast, such as But or “Yet” (Good News Translation). David’s question here is rhetorical. Good News Translation turns the question into a statement. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch also expresses it as a statement, saying “I am nothing LORD, and my people are also nothing; from our own wealth we would not be able at all to bring you such gifts” (similarly Bible en français courant, Peregrino. Similarly, Parole de Vie says “I am nothing, and my people are nothing. We are not capable of offering these gifts to you.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “Who am I and who are my people, that we should have the means to make such a freewill offering.”

For all things come from thee, and of thy own have we given thee: The reason David recognizes the insignificance of himself and his people is that everything they have comes from God. The Hebrew word rendered for is a logical connector here. Good News Translation translates it “because.” Of thy own is literally “from your hand.” Those who give to God are only giving what already belongs to him. For this reason Contemporary English Version finds it more natural to render of thy own have we given thee as “we have only given back what is already yours” (similarly Good News Translation, New Century 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 .