Thus Saul died …: Verse 6 is linked to the preceding verses with the common Hebrew conjunction, which is rendered Thus (literally “And”). Verse 2 has already stated that Saul and his three sons had been killed. So this verse does not tell what happened next. Rather, verse 6 is a summary of the preceding verses, so the conjunction may be translated “Thus” (New Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, Revised English Bible), “So” (Good News Translation, New International Version), or possibly “In this way.”

All his house died together implies more than the words say. The word house refers here to Saul’s extended family. The parallel text in 1 Sam 31.6 says that Saul’s armor-bearer and all his men died. For the writer of 1 Chronicles this means that all possible heirs to the throne are now dead. Good News Translation correctly takes this clause to mean quite specifically that all of Saul’s descendants were killed so that none of Saul’s descendants lived to become king. Other translations that make this information explicit include “bringing his dynasty to an end” (New Living Translation), “this was the end of the royal family” (Bible en français courant), and “his royal dynasty was ended” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

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 .