Now when all this was finished: All this refers to the double Passover festival described in the previous chapter. New Century Version renders this clause as “When the Passover celebration was finished.”

All Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah: All Israel refers to all the Israelites from the southern and northern kingdoms who attended the Passover celebration.

And broke in pieces the pillars and hewed down the Asherim and broke down the high places and the altars … until they had destroyed them all: Each of the four verbs here focuses on some form of destruction. The last of these verbs is a more general term that sums up the others. For pillars and Asherim, see the comments on 2 Chr 14.3. As noted there, Asherim refers to “sacred poles” (New Revised Standard Version), which were dedicated to the goddess Asherah. For high places, see the comments on 1 Chr 16.39 and 2 Chr 1.3. The altars in view here were for other gods.

Throughout all Judah and Benjamin, and in Ephraim and Manasseh: Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh refer to the tribal territories by these names. The religious reform was carried out not just in the southern kingdom, but also in parts of the northern kingdom. Since the beginning of this verse states that the people went to the cities of Judah, Good News Translation renders throughout all Judah as “throughout the rest of Judah.” Contemporary English Version makes the reference to Manasseh more precise by translating “West Manasseh” since this is apparently the implied meaning.

Then all the people of Israel returned to their cities, every man to his possession: The second part of this sentence focuses on individuals returning home after having made a more general statement. The Hebrew word translated possession may be understood in the sense of “property” (New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible). Revised English Bible renders this whole sentence as “That done, the Israelites returned, each to his own holding in his own town.” Good News Translation says simply “then they all returned home.”

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 .