And for the parbar on the west there were four at the road and two at the parbar: The meaning of the Hebrew word for parbar is very uncertain. Some modern versions transliterate this word as a noun (so Revised Standard Version) or as a name (so New Jerusalem Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, El libro del Pueblo de Dios, Osty-Trinquet), but we do not recommend transliteration here, since it has no meaning in receptor languages. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch indicates that this is a plaza named “Parbar.” Some interpreters think the Hebrew word refers to a building; for example, New American Bible says “large building,” and Bible en français courant has “annex building” (similarly Nouvelle Bible Segond, La Bible du Semeur, La Bible Pléiade).

But a scroll from Qumran, called the Temple Scroll, has a very similar word that refers to a porch with freestanding pillars or columns on the west side of the Temple. This area of the Temple complex was used for offerings. Therefore several modern versions translate this Hebrew noun for parbar as “colonnade” (New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente renders this Hebrew word “plaza” and states in a footnote that the Hebrew may also refer to an annex of the Temple. New Living Translation and God’s Word say “courtyard.”

The repetition of the word parbar creates a difficulty in making sense of this verse. Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia suggests that the first occurrence of the word is an error and should be omitted (so Knoppers). But the Hebrew may also be translated “as for the pavilion on the west, there were….” Good News Translation most likely expresses the intended meaning of the Masoretic Text for this verse. Revised English Bible is similar with “at the western colonnade there were four at the causeway and two at the colonnade itself.” Since this verse refers to six guards in total, New Living Translation says “Six were assigned each day to the west gate, four to the gateway leading up to the Temple, and two to the courtyard.”

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 .