All the leading priests and the people likewise were exceedingly unfaithful: The particle translated likewise begins this verse in Hebrew. It introduces other people of Judah who were disobedient like Zedekiah. Other possible renderings for this word are “Also” (New Century Version), “Furthermore” (New International Version, NASB), and “In addition” (Good News Translation).
Revised Standard Version appears to follow the Masoretic Text by saying All the leading priests and the people; but as will be indicated below, Revised Standard Version does not seem to follow the accents in the Masoretic Text, which indicate how words are to be connected in meaning. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text, which reads “all the leaders of the priests and of the people.” In the Masoretic Text the accents indicate that both “of the priests” and “of the people” are to be taken with the word “leaders.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente follow this interpretation by beginning the verse with “Likewise all the leaders of the priests and of the people….” However, some versions are based on the Septuagint, which reads “all the chiefs of Judah and the priests and the people of the land” (so Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, La Bible Pléiade, El libro del Pueblo de Dios).
In some languages it will be natural to add the word “other” before people since the priests were people also. The word people in this context refers to lay people who were not priests or Levites.
Were exceedingly unfaithful is literally “increased in being unfaithful unfaithfulness.” The Hebrew verb for “being unfaithful” and the noun for “unfaithfulness” come from the same root. New Jerusalem Bible and New American Bible attempt to capture this feature in the Hebrew by saying “added infidelity to infidelity.” The basic idea may be expressed as “committed many trespasses” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “became more and more unfaithful to God” (Parole de Vie).
Following all the abominations of the nations: The abominations seems to refer to the worship of idols, as Good News Translation makes explicit. For the Hebrew word here, see the comments on 2 Chr 28.3, where it is rendered “abominable practices.”
They polluted the house of the LORD by adopting pagan rituals that were contrary to those prescribed for the Temple. These detestable practices are described in greater detail in Ezek 8.5-10. In some languages it will be unwise to translate the verb polluted literally. The meaning of this clause may be better expressed as “they made the Temple unclean” (God’s Word). Others use verbs such as “desecrating” (New Living Translation) and “defiling” (New International Version).
Which he had hallowed in Jerusalem: Yahweh himself had made the Temple holy. Hallowed is the opposite of polluted. In order to show this contrast better, the whole sentence may be rendered “The LORD had made the Temple in Jerusalem holy, but the leaders made it unholy” (New Century Version).
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 .