Revised Standard Version gives a literal translation of this verse, but it is hardly understandable. American Bible states that the verse is “corrupt and difficult,” and a footnote in Traduction œcuménique de la Bible says “The text of this verse is not very clear.” Revised Standard Version and New Revised Standard Version have a similar footnote, saying “The Hebrew text of verse 21 is confused.” Some interpreters have suggested that the words the sons of and to Ladan are later additions to the text. Others have suggested that the sons of the Gershonites belonging to Ladan is a later addition. All such suggestions are speculation in an attempt to make sense of a difficult text.

The sons of Ladan …: La Bible du Semeur begins this verse with “These were descendants of Ladan…,” which connects verse 21 more closely to verse 20. Some interpreters suggest that the Masoretic Text originally read “From the sons of Ladan…” and that the Hebrew letter mem (meaning “from”) was accidentally omitted by haplography (which is the omission of a similar adjacent syllable or sound). Even if the Masoretic Text did not have the word “from” originally, this seems to be the intended meaning.

On the basis of 1 Chr 6.17, New Living Translation substitutes the name “Libni” for Ladan, just as it does also in 1 Chr 23.7-8. Regarding the names “Libni” and Ladan, see the comments on 23.7.

According to 1 Chr 23.8, Jehieli (called “Jehiel” in 23.8) was a son of Ladan. Gershon, the father of Ladan, was a son of Levi (23.6). Some English versions drop the final i in the name of Jehieli here and in the following verse in order to harmonize it with the spelling in 23.8 (so Good News Translation, Revised English Bible).

Good News Translation is one model for expressing the intended meaning of this verse. Other clear translations include the following: “Ladan was from the Gershon clan and was the father of Jehieli. Many of his other descendants were family leaders in the clan” (Contemporary English Version) and “The descendants of Ladan, who were Gershonites through Ladan and who were heads of families belonging to Ladan the Gershonite, were Jehieli…” (New International Version).

Bible en français courant translates this verse as “The descendants of Ladan of the clan of Gershon, heads of their respective families, were Jehieli…” (similarly Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Perhaps Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente provides a better model with “The heads of their families were descendants of Jehieli, son of Ladan, son of Gershon.”

Recognizing the difficulties of understanding the intended meaning of this verse, the authors of this Handbook recommend the following translation of NET Bible as a model for other languages:

• The descendants of Ladan, who were descended from Gershon through Ladan and were leaders of the families of Ladan the Gershonite, included Jehieli….

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 .