complete verse (1 Chronicles 13:4)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 13:4:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then, all the people agreed that is should be done like that because they saw that this word was good.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Since all the people were pleased with this, they agreed to do it.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The whole assembly agreed for they saw that that was the right thing to do.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “All the people agreed with David, because they all thought that it was the right thing to do.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 13:4

All the assembly agreed to do so is literally “And all the assembly said to do thus,” that is, all the Israelites agreed to retrieve the Covenant Box.

For the thing was right in the eyes of all the people: This clause explains why the people agreed to David’s proposal. For an idea to be right in the eyes of someone, means to be pleasing or agreeable. Some other ways of expressing this clause are “for everyone found that it was a good idea” (Parole de Vie) and “because all the people thought that this was the right thing to do” (New Jerusalem Bible). In certain languages the two parts of this verse may have to be reversed as Good News Translation has done, stating first the reason before the actual agreement.

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Chronicles 13:4

13:4a And because this proposal seemed right to all the people,

They all thought that it was the right thing to do.
-or-
They realized that it was the right thing to do. (EEB)

13:4b the whole assembly agreed to it.

So, all the people agreed with David.
-or-
So all ⌊the leaders gathered with David said,⌋ “That is a good idea.”

13:4a–b (reordered)

It seemed right to all the people. Therefore the whole assembly agreed to do this.

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