Of Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons … Kish …: Mahli was a son of Merari (verse 26). According to 1 Chr 23.21, Eleazar and Kish were both sons of Mahli. This is the basis for the Good News Translation rendering “Mahli had two sons, Eleazar and Kish.” Bible en français courant is similar by rendering these two verses as “28 Sons of Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons, 29 and Kish, of whom Jerahmeel was a son” (similarly Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).

For verse 28 the Septuagint has “Of Mahli: Eleazar and Ithamar, but Eleazar died and had no sons.” Some interpreters think that a scribe accidentally jumped from the first mention of Eleazar to the second mention and omitted the words “and Ithamar but Eleazar died.” A few translations follow the longer reading of the Septuagint (so Knoppers).

Sons of Kish: As in previous verses in this section, even though the Masoretic Text says “sons” only one son is named. Therefore some translations say “son of Kish” (New International Version, King James Version).

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 .