And kill the passover lamb: For the passover lamb (literally “the passover”), see the comments on 2Chr 35.1. New Century Version expresses this command well by saying “Kill the Passover lambs.”

And sanctify yourselves: See the comments on 1 Chr 15.12 and 2 Chr 29.5.

And prepare for your brethren: The Hebrew does not have an object for the verb prepare. Good News Translation adds “the sacrifices,” and New International Version supplies “the lambs.” The word brethren is better rendered “kindred” (New Revised Standard Version), “other Israelites” (God’s Word), or “relatives” (New Century Version).

To do according to the word of the LORD by Moses: The exact meaning of this clause is unclear. The Hebrew verb rendered to do is an infinitive, and it may express purpose or manner. If the subject of this infinitive is the Levites, then the meaning may be that the Levites are to do all of this in order that (expressing purpose) all may be carried out according to the instructions that God gave through Moses. Or the meaning may be that by (expressing manner) doing all of this, the priests will be “acting according to the word of the LORD by Moses” (New Revised Standard Version). It is also possible to understand your brethren as the subject of the infinitive. This interpretation is clearly expressed in Good News Translation. Compare also New Jerusalem Bible, which renders the last half of this verse as “and prepare it so that your brothers can observe it in the way the word of Yahweh through Moses requires.”

According to the word of the LORD by Moses is literally “according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses,” but the meaning is “according to the word of the LORD which he gave through Moses.”

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 .