In the Hebrew text of verses 11-13, which Revised Standard Version follows closely, the information regarding the length of the wings of the two cherubim is presented in a way that is repetitious in English style. For this reason several modern versions combine these verses and provide the same information without the repetition (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, Bible en français courant, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

The wings of the cherubim together extended twenty cubits (verse 11): For twenty cubits, see the comments on 2Chr 3.3. The combined wingspan of the two cherubim was about “30 feet” (Good News Translation) or “nine meters” (Nueva Versión Internacional). This information comes only at the end of these verses in Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, and Bible en français courant.

One wing of the one, of five cubits (verse 11): Each cherub had two wings, which were each five cubits long. Five cubits is equivalent to about “7½ feet” (Good News Translation) or “two meters and twenty-five centimeters” (Nueva Versión Internacional).

The wall of the house (verses 11 and 12) may be expressed as “the temple wall” (New International Version, New Century Version) or “the wall … of the room” (Good News Translation).

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 .