This verse begins with the common Hebrew conjunction. Although it is often translated “And,” Revised Standard Version renders it as For here. This makes good sense, because verse 23 explains how Ahaz became more unfaithful to God.

He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him: This sentence credits the Syrian defeat of Judah to the Syrian gods (see verse 5). Damascus was the capital of Syria and thus represents the whole country, so Good News Translation translates the gods of Damascus as “the gods of the Syrians.” Another possible model is “the gods worshiped by the Syrians.”

And said: The verb said may be understood to mean either “he said to some other people” or “he said to himself” (Contemporary English Version, La Bible du Semeur, La Bible Pléiade). The latter interpretation is more likely and may be expressed as “he thought” (New International Version, New Century Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy).

Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me: This direct quotation may be transformed into indirect discourse by saying “He reasoned within his own mind that since the Syrian gods helped the kings of Syria, he should also sacrifice to those gods so that they might help him also.”

But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel is literally “And they were to him to cause him to stumble, and to all Israel.” This sentence may be expressed as “But they only made things worse for him and for all Israel” or “But in fact they caused his downfall and that of all Israel” (Revised English Bible). For Israel, which Contemporary English Version and New Living Translation render as “Judah,” see the comments on verse 19.

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 .