With twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen: This phrase completes the sentence begun in the previous verse. It deals with the military strength of Shishak. For chariots and horsemen, see the comments on 1 Chr 18.4 and 2 Chr 1.14.

And the people were without number who came with him from Egypt …: The Hebrew word translated people is frequently used to refer to an army. That is clearly its meaning in this context. Here it may be rendered “troops” (New International Version) or “army of foot soldiers” (New Living Translation).

Shishak came with mercenary troops from other countries that are named in the last part of this verse. The Libyans (literally “Lubians” [An American Translation]) were people who lived on the coast of North Africa, west of Egypt.

The Sukki-im are unknown today. Possibly they were of Libyan origin and lived in the desert west of Egypt. The Hebrew form here is plural. The plural form in some languages will be “Sukkites” (New Living Translation, Revised English Bible, An American Translation, Bible en français courant). The Septuagint translates this name as Trôglodutai (a name given to several peoples in Caucasia), which is the basis for Moffatt‘s rendering “Troglodytes.”

Ethiopians (also New Revised Standard Version, New Living Translation, La Bible Pléiade) is literally “Cushites” (New International Version, New Century Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Peregrino. God’s Word translates “Sudanese.” Revised English Bible gives “Nubians” as an alternative translation in a footnote, and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible has “Nubians” in the text itself. The problem in translating the Hebrew term as Ethiopians is that the location is not identical with modern-day Ethiopia. The footnote in Good News Translation provides a clear description of the area in view. But it may be best to retain the transliterated form “Cushites” in the text itself.

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 .