Their kinsmen belonging to all the families of Issachar were in all eighty-seven thousand mighty warriors: Their kinsmen refers to the relatives of the groups just mentioned in verse 4. Parole de Vie begins this verse clearly by saying “All the other men of the clans of Issachar….” As noted in the discussion on the previous verse, the relationship of verse 5 to what precedes is not clear. Good News Translation, for example, states that the total number of men eligible for military service was 87,000 for the whole tribe of Issachar. But Revised Standard Version seems to mean that the number 87,000 is the number for the kinsmen of those mentioned in the previous verses. That is, the number 87,000 is in addition to the numbers in verses 2-4. Some commentators think that the author of 1 Chronicles made use of lists from different time periods so that the numbers will not add up to make sense. In any case, the interpretation expressed in Good News Translation is probably correct and should be followed.

Enrolled by genealogy: Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente has “registered in the family lists,” and Moffatt says “by their genealogical records” (see the previous verse). Compare also “All of them were listed in their tribal genealogy” (New Living Translation) and “all included in the official genealogy” (American Bible). The enrollment probably was for military purposes, and the sense may be “enrolled for war” (see the comments on 1 Chr 4.33)

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 .