And a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet: The writer does not state exactly when the prophet Elijah sent a this letter to Jehoram, so Bible en français courant adds the words “one day” near the beginning of this verse, which other languages may find helpful. This is the first mention of Elijah in 1-2 Chronicles. Revised Standard Version‘s literal rendering of this clause may give the impression that the letter acted on its own. It will be much more natural to say “Then Elijah the prophet wrote Jehoram this letter” (New Living Translation). It is even better to say “One day, Jehoram received a letter from Elijah the prophet” (Contemporary English Version; similarly New International Version), since this rendering keeps the focus on Jehoram.
Thus says the LORD: See the comments on 1 Chr 17.4. The LORD’s speech continues until the end of verse 15. This embedded quotation may be avoided by making it indirect speech as Good News Translation has done.
The God of David your father: David was not the father of Jehoram, but his ancestor, so Good News Translation says “the God of your ancestor David.”
Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, or in the ways of Asa king of Judah: This clause begins a long complex sentence that is not completed until the end of verse 15. Verses 12b-13 give the reasons for God’s punishment in verses 14-15. Good News Translation breaks this long complex sentence into several sentences, which other languages may find helpful. For walked in the ways of, see the comments on 2 Chr 6.14 and 11.17. This phrase may be rendered “lived according to the example of” or “imitated the model of.” Jehoshaphat was the literal father of Jehoram, and Asa was his grandfather (so Good News Translation, Bible en français courant). For the positive example of Jehoshaphat, see 2 Chr 17.3-6; for that of Asa, see 2 Chr 14.2-5 and 15.17.
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 .