And said …: The verb said may be better translated “prayed” (Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation, La Bible du Semeur) since what follows is a prayer addressed to God. This prayer continues through the end of verse 12. While it is a prayer said by one person to God, plural pronouns (our, “we,” “us”) are used throughout the prayer. This indicates that Jehoshaphat is praying on behalf of his people and not for himself alone. But since the prayer is addressed to God, these pronouns would be exclusive. The archaic pronouns and verb forms in Revised Standard Version throughout this prayer (for example, thou and Dost here) reflect nothing in the original text and have been replaced by more modern equivalents in New Revised Standard Version. Translators should certainly not attempt to reflect such forms in the receptor language.

O LORD, God of our fathers: The vocative O reflects nothing in the Hebrew and need not be expressed in the receptor language unless the language itself requires something like this. The phrase God of our fathers shows that Jehoshaphat is addressing the same God as worshiped by the ancestors of the people present. Good News Translation says “God of our ancestors.”

Art thou not God in heaven? and Dost thou not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? are negative rhetorical questions that cannot be translated literally in some languages. Since the intended response is clearly positive, they may be rendered as strong affirmations if this is more natural in the receptor language. Possible models for the first question are “you alone are the God who is in heaven” (New Living Translation), “truly You are the God in heaven” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), and “There is no doubt that you are the God who lives in heaven.” For the second question New International Version and New Century Version say “You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations.” Since the kingdoms of the nations is an awkward expression in English, a better model is “You are the one who governs the affairs of every nation in the world.”

In thy hand are power and might: See the comments on 1 Chr 29.12. This clause may be rendered “You possess power and might” (God’s Word) or “Power and might belong to you.” Good News Translation says simply “You are powerful and mighty.”

So that none is able to withstand thee: The relationship between God’s great strength and power and the fact that no one can resist him should be clear. It is because Yahweh is so strong and powerful that he cannot be challenged. In some languages it will be more natural to render the last two clauses of this verse as “You are so strong and powerful that no one can possibly oppose you.”

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 .