He also dwelt to the east … is literally “And to the east he lived….” Also renders the common Hebrew conjunction. The pronoun He refers to the clan of Reuben (see the comments on the previous verse), so some versions correctly say “They” (Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). The writer uses this plural pronoun in the next verse. New Century Version has “Bela’s people,” which refers more specifically back to the beginning of the previous verse.

As far as the entrance of the desert this side of the Euphrates: For the entrance of the desert, New Revised Standard Version says more appropriately “the beginning of the desert,” but it is even more natural in English to speak of “the edge of the desert” (New Living Translation, New Century Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). Other languages may say “the border of the desert” or even “the end of the desert.” Several versions identify the Euphrates as a river (so Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Reina-Valera revisada, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Peregrino. Instead of this side of the Euphrates, some languages may have to specify the direction because a literal translation would be misleading. Contemporary English Version says “just west of the Euphrates River.” New Century Version has “beside the Euphrates River,” but this rendering is less precise than the original. For this whole phrase New American Bible says “as far as the desert which extends from the Euphrates River.” Bible en français courant is even more helpful with “as far as the edge of the desert which separated their territory from the Euphrates, the river of Babylonia.”

Because their cattle had multiplied in the land of Gilead: This clause explains why the clan of Reuben extended so far to the east. They did it because they had many animals to feed. The Hebrew word translated cattle is a generic term that may refer to a wide variety of domestic animals or, according to the standard Hebrew dictionaries, even other possessions. But in this context the reference is clearly to domestic animals; and the term is sometimes translated “livestock” (New International Version, New American Bible) or “herds” (Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible). The Hebrew verb translated multiplied has to do with increasing in abundance or becoming more and more numerous. While the Reubenites were in the land of Gilead, the numbers of their livestock grew. For Gilead see 1 Chr 2.22. Contemporary English Version provides a clear model for this clause, saying “They needed this much land because they owned too many cattle to keep them all in Gilead.”

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 .