These things are written in the book of the histories of the kings of Judea …: The praise of Josiah is greater in this verse than in the source, 2 Chr 35.26-27. There is no reason for supposing that the book of the histories of the kings of Judea refers to the canonical books of 1-2 Kings, or that the book of the kings of Israel and Judah refers to them either. The books of 1-2 Chronicles can hardly be intended, since the phrase the book of the kings of Israel and Judah is taken directly from 2 Chr 35.27. It is customary in English to place the titles of books in italics, and Good News Bible has done this with the books mentioned in this verse. We will follow this in the model below.

And every one of the acts of Josiah may be rendered “Everything that Josiah did” (Good News Bible).

And his splendor: Splendor is rendered “fame” in Good News Bible; this is the original meaning of the Greek word doxa used here, and we adopt this.

And his understanding of the law of the Lord may be translated “and how he had such a great understanding of the Lord’s Law [or, the Law of Moses].”

And the things that he had done before and these that are now told may be expressed as “you will find there everything that King Josiah did, not just what you have read here, but the events of his whole reign.”

Are recorded in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah: This information should really appear earlier in the verse as in the following model:

• You can read about all this in [the book named] The History of the Kings of Judah. Go also to The Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah and you will find there everything that King Josiah did, not just what you have read here, but the events of his whole reign. You will read of his fame and how deeply he understood the Law of the Lord.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.