And he made the veil …: As noted in previous verses, Solomon himself did not do this work. Moffatt expresses the meaning more correctly with “He also had the curtains made….” Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version use the passive verb “was made” and leave the agents unstated. But since this will be impossible in some languages, translators may have to use a causative verb form.

The veil refers to the Temple “curtain” (New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New International Version) that concealed the Most Holy Place. Some translations make explicit the location of the veil; for example, Good News Translation adds “for the Most Holy Place,” and Berkeley has a footnote that says “Which hung in front of the Holy of Holies.” See Exo 26.31 for the curtain made for the Tent of the LORD’s presence. 1 Kgs 6.31-32 says that there were wooden doors at the entrance to the Most Holy Place. Either this description in 2 Chronicles reflects the period in which the Chronicler was writing or else the reader is to understand that there were also doors here which the writer does not mention. The use of the definite article in Hebrew with the word veil probably reflects the fact that the Temple curtain was something that the original readers were familiar with. But in this context it may be better to say “a veil” in languages where it is less well known to the readers or hearers of the translation.

Blue and purple and crimson fabrics and fine linen: See the comments on 2 Chr 2.7 and 14. According to Exo 26.31, the curtain in the Tabernacle was to be made of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and fine twisted linen. Since linen is a fabric, it will sound more natural in many languages to follow Good News Translation and say “linen and other fabrics dyed blue, purple, and red.” In the ancient world only wool could be successfully dyed, so it is almost certain that the other fabric was wool. So blue and purple and crimson fabrics may be rendered “blue, purple, and crimson yarn” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “blue, purple, and red wool” (Contemporary English Version).

And worked cherubim on it means the veil “had cherubim embroidered upon it” (New American Bible). The Hebrew word translated worked is more literally “mounted on,” but the means of mounting figures of cherubim on the cloth curtain was undoubtedly embroidery. In some languages it may be necessary to use a verb such as “sewed.” This clause may be rendered “He [Solomon] caused people/artisans to sew decorative cherubim on it.”

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 .