So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army: So translates the common Hebrew conjunction. Here it connects David’s order to Joab for a census with the background explanation given in the previous verse. In this context the verb said may be rendered “gave orders” (Good News Translation) or “ordered” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). The commanders of the army is literally “the princes of the people” (New American Standard Bible, Nouvelle Bible Segond). The Hebrew word translated commanders refers to leaders, but it has a wide range of uses and may refer to military leaders, religious leaders, and civil leaders. The word translated army (literally “people”) very likely refers to the army in this context. Since Joab was the head of the army, it is natural to assume that the Hebrew for commanders here means “officers” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible) or “generals” (New American Bible). If this interpretation is followed, then the word “other” may be added (so Good News Translation, Bible en français courant) since Joab himself was also an officer. But the context also allows for translations such as “the people’s princes” (New Jerusalem Bible; similarly American Bible) and “the leaders of the people” (La Bible du Semeur, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, La Bible Pléiade, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, El libro del Pueblo de Dios, Nueva Versión Internacional, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

Go, number Israel: La Bible du Semeur says “Go take a census of the Israelites suitable for military service” (similarly Nueva Versión Internacional). In some languages the verb Go may be left implicit (so Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation).

From Beer-sheba to Dan; that is, “from one end of the country to the other” (Good News Translation). Compare Jdg 20.1; 1 Sam 3.20; 2 Sam 3.10; 17.11. Beer-sheba was located about 45 kilometers (28 miles) southwest of Hebron, and Dan was located in the extreme north of the country. Good News Translation omits the names of these cities. Bible en français courant similarly says “from the south to the north of the country,” and Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje has “from the north to the south.” But better models are “from north to south, from Dan to Beersheba” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente) and “from Beersheba in the south to Dan in the north” (New Living Translation). Contemporary English Version is very similar with “from the town of Beersheba in the south all the way north to Dan.” Another possible model is “throughout the whole land, from Beersheba in the south to Dan in the north.”

And bring me a report, that I may know their number is literally “and bring me that I may know their number.” Many languages will require an object for the verb bring. Revised Standard Version has added the words a report. Revised English Bible changes David’s words into an indirect quotation and combines these two clauses into a single statement, saying “and to report back the number to him.”

In certain languages where it will be more natural to transform the direct quotation in this verse into indirect speech, the following model may prove helpful:

• The king commanded Joab and the officers of the army to go out and count the fighting men in the whole country of Israel from Beersheba to Dan, and to report back the number to him.

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 .