And they shouted it with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem: The pronoun they refers to the messengers of King Sennacherib, which is made clear in New Century Version (“the king’s officers”) and New Living Translation (“The Assyrian officials”). Shouted … with a loud voice is a redundant expression, so Good News Translation says simply “shouted.” The language of Judah is “Hebrew” (so Good News Translation, New International Version, New Century Version, Revised English Bible, Moffatt, Bible en français courant). An American Translation says “the Jewish language.” The international language used for politics at that time was Aramaic. This verse assumes readers have knowledge of the story in 2 Kgs 18.26-28. So a footnote referring the modern reader to that passage will be essential; for example, one possibility is “Instead of speaking to them in the international language of Aramaic at that time, they spoke to them in their own ethnic language of Hebrew. See the parallel account in 2 Kgs 18.26-28.”

Who were upon the wall: The writer paints a picture of observers watching from a position on the city wall of Jerusalem as the official representatives of King Hezekiah received the message from Sennacherib’s officials. It was not uncommon for people to stand or sit on the wall around the city to witness important events taking place on the ground below (compare 2 Kgs 6.26-30). The height and thickness of city walls varied, depending on how much protection the citizens of a city thought that they needed. An early seventh-century B.C. wall in Jerusalem was 7 meters (23 feet) thick.

To frighten and terrify them: The Assyrian messengers shouted in Hebrew in order to spread fear throughout the civilian population. As is often the case when synonyms are used, the use of the two verbs frighten and terrify is intended to intensify the meaning. Some may prefer to say “spread panic.”

In order that they might take the city: The pronoun they refers to the Assyrian messengers, who were supported by their entire army.

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 .